Imagine a gunman walking into your classroom and opening fire while you are studying.
If none of the students in your classroom have a concealed weapon in their possession, then you and your classmates do not have much of a chance of surviving.
With recent mass shootings such as the tragedy in Aurora, Colo., which we have witnessed all over the news since the event occurred on July 20, the University of Colorado is now permitting concealed weapons on its campus.
Most students are reacting to this in a positive way, but some professors have threatened to cancel class if any of their students have weapons on them. This controversial issue is one we can reflect on as the student body of Dixie State College because carrying a concealed weapon is allowed on our campus.
I believe that a lot of DSC students do not realize that concealed weapons are allowed. I certainly did not know until I did some research about the topic. So is this Colorado controversy a possible DSC controversy as well?
The positives clearly outweigh the negatives. I do not mean to be cliché, but guns do not kill people. People controlling the guns kill people. This is just like writing with a pencil; the pencil does not write down the letters. You do not tell the pencil, “Sign my name.” You physically pick up the pencil and write your name. It is the same as someone picking up a gun and pulling the trigger. The gun cannot shoot all by itself.
In Utah, the person who is carrying is required to take a four-hour class to obtain a permit. It is also highly recommended to get some hands-on training with a skilled gun handler.
The carrier should have plenty of knowledge about the seriousness and responsibility that carrying entails. Public safety officers also run a significant amount of tests on carriers to provide information on their criminal and mental background.
Not just anyone off the street can carry a weapon. Some states don’t allow private citizens to carry a concealed weapon at all.
One thing that makes this whole situation a lot more comfortable to the public is that these weapons are concealed. The weapons are not seen. The purpose of concealment is a win for both sides. The only one who knows a person is carrying is the actual person doing the carrying. Everyone who is uncomfortable with seeing a gun does not even have to know it is there.
I do not feel comfortable carrying because I have not seen the need to on our campus. I think it will be something that will be more common in the near future. Carrying concealed weapons on campus is seen as an increase of security and awareness.
Luckily, we all have the freedom of choice — the choice to carry or not and to be able to respect the people who feel the need to.
Imagine a gunman walking into your classroom and opening fire while you are studying. If you and some of your classmates have concealed weapons, then the ending can play out differently. Think about how many injuries and lives may be saved.
