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America has become haunted by the specter of deadly school shootings. As we all work to prevent further tragedy, some are advocating allowing students to carry concealed firearms as a means of defense. But would such measures really make college campuses safer?
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Guns Increase the Risk of Violence in Schools
Arming more People Creates more People with the Means to Kill
The statistics presented may be very true; college aged people may be more irrational or inmature. College students may be more likely to be influenced by alcohol, drugs, or stress as well. Personally, those characteristics depend on the person. However, the more people that have guns, the more people there are that have the means to do damage whether it be accidental or intentional.
Guns can misfire. Someone can accidentally pull the trigger. Someone may think the gun is not loaded. A gun could fall into the hands of someone irresponsible. A person influenced by alcohol or drugs may pick up a gun and react to a situation that they would normally ignore. One way to commit suicide would be easily accessible to those depressed individuals who feel they no longer have a purpose in this world. These are just some of the scenarios that could occur.
One could argue that if all the students who were held hostage in that lecture hall on the campus of VT had had guns, someone could have taken down the shooter, but what about all the potential misfired bullets? What about all the negative situations that could have occurred leading up to that instant and taking place after it? Creating more risk in order to attempt to solve one unfortunate situation is illogical.
- StriveforYourDreams
February 16, 2009 12:50PM
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what if they saved lives?
what if just one student had the means and prevented these tragedies?
- jaker277
February 24, 2009 6:36PM
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Side: Yes
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Can...Can
StriveforYourDreams-
Your argument is based alot on the potential for things to happen, rather than what th reality of a situation may be. Yes, guns "can" misfire and someone "can" accidentally pull the triggen, but can you also consider the fact that a gun also has the potential to never misfire at all, or that a person handling a firearm has the repsonsibility and the expertise to never accidentally pull the trigger. In your response, I see doubt in society and the potential good of everyday people. As with anything, there is bad aspects, but you are failing to see what is good. There are plenty of law abiding citizens that have the responsbility and the ability to carry a concealed firearm. Also, you are placing blame on controlled substances, rather on firearms themselves. Ultimately it is the fault of an individual, not the firearm that they carry or the drugs that they take. When you talk about the potential for misfire. I have been a hunter for 7 years, and all my time spent around firearms, I have never had a gun misfire or hangfire on me.
- TrapshootingGirl
February 25, 2009 10:57AM
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Side: Yes
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