Dear Future President, 11/06/2016

One of the most talked about topics is Campus Carry. The NRA recently suggested that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is good guy with a gun. However, I believe that students and faculty shouldn’t be able to carry firearms on their campus. Humans tend to use whatever tool they have at hand. Firearms are not tools that should be used based on your emotions. When someone is frightened or angry, they can easily take out a gun and shoot. Families have lost loved ones to tragedies like this. The biggest problem is that it is avoidable, but we’re not abstaining it. As the president, you need to do something about this.

There are obviously good and bad guys that carry firearms on campus. However, if they both have guns how can law enforcement responding to an emergency differentiate between the good and bad? Many students may carry a firearm just to feel safe and protect themselves, but some will use it senselessly. To carry a gun, you have to be taught the basic rules of shooting. However, campus carry law-abiding citizens aren’t trained for mass shootings and combats. In the case of a mass shooting, they may easily take out their firearm and start shooting or not respond at all. They barely know and understand how to use a gun, then why should they be able to carry one around campus.

There are people who believe that having a firearm at hand can decrease the number of sexual assaults. According to NCVS’ data, not one out of the 300 assault cases was stopped by a gun. There is no or a very low percentage of sexual assaults that have been stopped by a firearm. The only reason that people are for open carry is because it is their second amendment right as an American. Isn’t safety important too? Please abolish open carry law for the security of all of us. Without firearms, I really believe that our educational institutions can have a cordial environment where learning is the priority.

Sincerely,

Nawal A