Our Opinion: Gun Control

Title

Our Opinion: Gun Control

Description

<strong>Emory&#39;s Campus No Place For Guns</strong><br />
Issue date: 5/1/07<br />
Section: Editorials

The recent controversy concerning funding for a College Republicans&#39; trip to a shooting range has brought the issues of gun control and campus safety to the forefront of the Emory discourse.

Last Wednesday, College Council denied the College Republicans funding to help pay for a trip to a local shooting range. The College Republicans said they hoped the trip would promote safe and responsible gun handling and ownership. College Council legislators say they withheld the funds due to safety concerns, even going so far as to propose an amendment to the organization&#39;s monetary code prohibiting the use of College Council funds to purchase or rent firearms and ammunition.

Generally speaking, we believe College Council should be able to fund activities like a trip to the shooting range. Shooting is a sport recognized by the NCAA, and shooting range sessions monitored by professionals are exceedingly safe. Amending the monetary code to prevent such trips is unwarranted.

It&#39;s unfortunate that the shootings at Virginia Tech took place just weeks before the scheduled date for the trip, but given that the College Republicans had been planning this event for quite some time, we don&#39;t believe the shootings are an adequate reason for the trip to be cancelled. Although some could perceive the trip as insensitive, there is still an immense difference between safely firing a gun at a target and using a gun to commit mass murder. If the College Republicans want to take a trip to the shooting range, then they should receive the same support given to any other group.

What we cannot condone is the College Republicans&#39; plan to request permission from University President James W. Wagner to carry concealed weapons on campus. This idea was proposed by nationally syndicated radio host Lars Larson on whose show Tittsworth appeared to discuss the Council&#39;s decision to deny funding.

Under current Georgia law, it is illegal for a civilian to carry any sort of weapon or explosive compound while on school property. There&#39;s a reason such a law was passed. We understand the need for protection and the value of feeling safe at school, but we do not believe that allowing more guns on campus will help foster the open learning environment we want at the University.

Allowing guns on campus would propagate an atmosphere tinged with the spectre of possible violence. This would make us less safe, rather than moreso. The only people who should be allowed guns on campus are those who have gone through rigorous training to become certified in their use and have taken an oath to protect the citizenry - in this case, the Emory Police Department.

The College Republicans should realize that by tying the issue of funding from College Council to the ludicrous question of concealed weapons on campus, they are only hurting their prospects of getting that money in the future. Who would want to give money for a shooting range trip to a group that has expressed its desire to carry concealed weapons on campus?

As the Second Amendment states, there is a place for guns in our society. The shooting range is one of those places - Emory&#39;s campus is not.

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Original Source: <a href= http://media.www.emorywheel.com/media/storage/paper919/news/2007/05/01/Editorials/Our-Opinion.Gun.Control-2889391.shtml> Emory Wheel - May 1, 2007</a>

Creator

Editorial Staff

Date

2007-07-11

Contributor

Sara Hood

Rights

"Christopher H. Megerian" <cmegeri@LearnLink.Emory.Edu>

Language

eng

Citation

Editorial Staff, “Our Opinion: Gun Control,” The April 16 Archive, accessed March 29, 2024, https://april16archive.org/items/show/688.