The Carrier editorial reflects a consensus of the editorial board.
Campus Carrier editorial board
We have all been affected by college shootings. And now thanks to the new campus carry bill that has been passed by the Georgia House of Representatives, the fear of gun violence has escalated. This bill enables anyone 21 or older with a weapons license to carry a gun at a public college or university campus. There are restrictions that exclude dorms, fraternity and sorority houses, and some athletic events. However, the bill still allows concealed carry in classrooms, libraries and a majority of campus events.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) took a poll two years ago that asked Georgia voters whether or not they supported allowing students to carry guns on college campuses, and the results were overwhelmingly against it. The poll showed that 78 percent of people opposed the bill. Also, the Board of Regents, which handles Georgia’s public universities and colleges, has made it very clear they do not support the bill. So now the question becomes, why did the bill pass if a vast majority of Georgia’s constituents and the Board of Regents are against the bill?
On top of this, college students around Georgia are rallying together and vocally opposing this bill. Georgia Tech students have created an online petition on Change.org, asking Gov. Nathan Deal to overturn the bill, and nearly 2,500 people have signed.
In the petition, the students said, “We, as Georgia students, take serious issue with this legislation… It is law enforcement’s job to protect and serve students — not the students’ job to protect ourselves.”
They are right. College students under enormous amounts of stress and altercations are now going to have a looming fear of increased violence. This bill has the potential to increase fear in already intense campus situation.
While the argument can be made that students can get guns regardless, this bill ensures that there is no real law against it.
However, there are student groups that are in support of the campus carry bill such as the Facebook group Georgia Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. This group makes posts encouraging followers to support the passage of the bill as well as share news about active shooters and opinion pieces concerning this topic.
Another bill that was passed on Feb. 23 by the state House allows students to carry tasers on college campuses. It is seen as a compromise to the heavier campus carry bill and is aptly nicknamed “campus carry lite” by the AJC. Students who don’t want to carry a gun would still have the option of more protection.
Tasers lack the same level of lethality that guns have and will still provide the protection that the campus carry bill is aiming for. There is still a concern for lethality with tasers because people with heart murmurs could be severely injured or killed, but compared to guns, they are the more logical and safe choice for a student’s personal weapon.
The campus carry bill may have had good intentions, but in reality, the opposition it is facing from constituents, the Board of Regents and college students alike should have given some sort of clue to the Georgia House that it is not a good idea to pass it. If the people that are supposed to benefit from a bill are vehemently opposing it, it makes you wonder, who is this bill really for?