Every once in a while a broadcast news package will come along that reminds me how powerful journalism can be with the right topic, right journalist and a carefully crafted story. This story by 60 Minutes, Gun Sales: "Will the "Loophole" Close?, is definitely one of those stories. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend taking the few minutes out of your life to do so, especially if you were intrigued by the topic of this post and inclined to disagree with my position.
It's no secret that the issue of gun control is definitively controversial...even in my household (my Dad and I argue often), and it's surely as equally clear which side of the line my beliefs lie on, based upon the name of this blog. In any case, I just wanted to address one aspect of the news story that especially caught my attention: concealed weapons on college campuses. For anyone who is in favor of this concept I have but one thing to say to you: Have you ever been to college? The idea of allowing college students to carry guns in my mind is akin to the sentiment of holding an AA meeting that serves alcohol. It's not because I believe college students are untrustworthy; I personally feel that my friends and I are a whole lot more trustworthy than the rest of the adult world. I simply believe that the nature of college life is not adequate for such a freedom. In other words it's not the people, it's the circumstances they're in.
I attend a very prestigious university, full of highly intellectual young adults who will in a few years time no doubt be the next business leaders, politicians, doctors, and lawyers of our society. But for now I'd like to think of us as one of those temporarily unstable atoms missing a proton or electron, just waiting to combust should the factors of its current surroundings alter whatsoever. Please forgive my very crude scientific analogy, it's been a few years since I've taken a science class but I think something like that exists. In any case, WE as college students ARE that highly combustible, slightly unstable molecule just waiting to explode...add in a hard week at school, a little bit of alcohol, and a gun? Yes, you get the point.
Everyone knows about the Virginia Tech massacre, University of Texas shootings, and the other historically devastating situations that have occurred on college campuses as a result of handguns and assault weapons falling into the wrong hands, but if college students were strolling around with guns all the time, surely their use wouldn't be limited to classrooms.
I could make argument after argument for nation-wide gun control and stricter gun laws, but I think if you watch the 60 minutes video, you will get the gist of my concerns. I just want everyone to step back and think about a series of children's books I used to love as a kid, called things like If you give a Mouse a Cookie and If you give a Moose a Muffin....Well I'm thinking of one called, If you give a College Student a Gun... I have a feeling there isn't such a happy ending to this one.
I'm torn on this only in principle, not in application. Obviously I don't favor drunken frat boys walking around with guns, but at the same time, I am vehemently against limiting people's personal liberties. But again on private college campuses, I would also be against deciding for the college how they should outline their safety policy. Overall, college students, do each other a favor and leave the guns at home.
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