------------------------------------------------------------------
Americans are increasingly seeking legislation to quell fears and provide a sense of protection. A frightening majority of us seem to be willing to sacrifice portions of our liberties in order to perpetuate a false sense of security. However, there are some who are working to take back some of those liberties by challenging current state laws pertaining to gun-free-zones on college campuses. These laws contradict the 2nd amendment by stripping adult students of the right to bear arms even though the 14th amendment states that no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States. Some parents, students, school faculty, and legislators strongly believe that by allowing guns to even be present among students would be irresponsible. It is apparent that the population's fear of gun violence has enabled government to strip adult university students of their right to carry concealed pistols. All arguments against allowing adult citizens with concealed pistol permits to carry their guns onto campuses are based on unsubstantiated fears and stigma; in order to preserve our rights granted to us by the Constitution, it is necessary that gun free zones on the campuses of higher education be deemed unconstitutional.
The first argument for campus gun-free-zones is that by allowing guns onto campus armed crime rates will go up. John R. Lott and David B. Mustard studied United States statistics on crime rates and how the passing of right-to-carry concealed handgun laws affected those crime rates. While many citizens believe that more guns will contribute to more violence, statistically the evidence says otherwise. In their article, Lott and Mustard come to the conclusion that by allowing adult citizens with no history of criminal activity or problems with mental illness to carry concealed handguns, violent crime is deterred significantly and there is little change in the rate of accidental gun deaths. They go on to condone an increase in concealed handgun permits supported by evidence that suggests that concealed carry pistols are the most cost-effective solution to lowering crime rates. It provides a higher return than an increase in police force, increased incarceration rates, private security devices or special programs such as early educational intervention. (Lott/Mustard 64-65). Additionally, we can learn a lot from the observation of England who has recently enacted gun prohibition. In their article, “All The Way Down the Slippery Slope: Gun Prohibition in England and Some Lessons for Civil Liberties in America,” Joseph E. Olsen and David B. Kopel find that armed crime in Britain is higher now than it has been in at least two centuries. Armed crime is literally one hundred times more common than at the turn of the century when Britain had no weapons controls. Crime victimization surveys show that, per capita, assault in England and Wales occurs between two and three times more often than in the United States. These same surveys demonstrate that robbery occurs 1.4 times more, and burglary occurs 1.7 times more.(Olsen/Kopel 23) With this observation, the argument that guns actually reduce crime is substantiated.
A second argument for campus gun-free-zones is that the communal living conditions of college students is not conductive as a safe environment to posses a fire arm. While dormitories can be crowded, armed chaos in campus dorms is highly unlikely. Concealed pistol licenses are only issued to citizens who are at least 21 years of age and can pass a background check for felonies and mental illness. (RCW 9.41.060) By examining “The Population Profile of the United States,” released by the U.S. Census Bureau for the year 2000, we can see that 15 million students were enrolled in college, 10 million of which were under the age of 25. This leaves 6 million students that are older than 25 or approximately 37% of all college students.(U.S. Census 8-3) Another 2000 Census release addresses the “Population in Group Quarters by Type, Sex and Age for the United States.” Surprisingly the total number of students living in college dormitories is only 2,064,130 just 7.5% of all students enrolled in college. Most students over the age of 21 choose to live off campus in apartments or houses. Only 13.8% of the small percentage of total students housed in campus dormitories are over the age of 21. (U.S. Census) Of that minute amount, the assumption can be made that an even smaller number of those adults would choose to obtain a concealed pistol license. Simple accommodations could be made for the few adults that wish to flex their second amendment right in a dormitory. Accommodations such as a pistol safe bolted to the floor, personal door locks, and appropriate roommate assignments are small concessions to make for a very small minority of students.
A third argument for gun-free-campuses is that if concealed weapons are allowed, the general population of students and educators would experience anxiety and fear that may stifle academic expression. This argument is based on the fear of a hypothetical situation, it is one that is riddled throughout U.S. history. Racial discrimination planted the seed of gun control legislation in America. White Americans were afraid to even think about what might happen if guns were in the hands of black Americans. White citizens assumed that if black citizens owned guns the fear of being shot at would keep them from being able to walk the street or let their white children play in the yard. With his paper, The Racist Roots of Gun Control, Clayton Cramer examines this dark lineage to present day. Cramers concern is that the reasons behind gun control among black citizens in the past are the same reasons for gun control among law-abiding citizens today. An argument supporting gun prohibition in the past was that African American citizens were too violent and too untrustworthy to be allowed weapons. Today, the same argument supports gun control law that treats law abiding citizens the same way, as untrustworthy children that need guidance from the government. (Cramer). At 18, citizens are legally considered adults. They have the ability to marry without consent of a parent, buy cigarettes, gamble, vote, join the military, and most carry a drivers license enabling them to operate a 2000 to 3000lb piece of machinery up to 70mph on highways. We have reserved the special responsibility of drinking and carrying a concealed pistol for those that have reached the age of 21. If there are issues with the maturity of gun owners, perhaps we need to re-evaluate the age of majority.
In conclusion, there are many law abiding adult citizens attending universities today. It is absurd that all college students are labeled as untrustworthy, potential criminals. The government, along with university staff have taken it upon themselves to act loco parentis even for adult students who are responsible, legally recognized adults. Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Those that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Gun-free-zone laws have given American citizens a false sense of security; we need to re-examine our willingness to sacrifice liberties for perceived safety.
[1205]
- "Concealed Pistol License - Application - Fee." RCW 9.41.070. Washington State
Legislature. 13 Nov. 2008
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.41.070. - Cramer, Clayton E. "The Racist Roots of Gun Control." Kan.J.L. & Pub. Pol'y (1995).
13 Nov. 2008 http://www.constitution.org/cmt/cramer/racist_roots.htm. - Lott, John R., and David B. Mustard. "Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry
Concealed Handguns." Journal of Legal Studies XXVI (1997): 64-65.
13 Nov. 2008 http://homepage.usask.ca/~sta575/cdn-firearms/lott/lott.pdf. - Olson, Joseph E., and David B. Kopel. "All the Way Down the Slippery Slope:
Gun Prohibition in England and Some Lessons for Civil Liberties in
America." Hamline Law Review (1999): 23.13 Nov. 2008
http://www.gunsite.com/journal/okslip.html. - Population in Group Quarters by Type, Sex and Age, for the United States:
1990 and 2000 . U.S. Census. 10 Nov. 2003. 13 Nov. 2008
http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t26/index.html. - Scholars of all Ages: School Enrollment, 2000 . U.S. Census Bureau,
2000. 8-3. Population Profile of the United States. 13 Nov. 2008
www.census.gov/population/www/pop-profile/profile2000.html/chap08-1.pdf.
