Guns on Montana's Campus

http://missoulian.com/news/local/montana-lawmakers-hear-gun-bills-on-universities-concealed-carry/article_41401f60-8ff9-11e2-bfa4-0019bb2963f4.html

Montana’s gun laws are extremely relaxed compared to our neighboring states. An interesting thing to note is that urban locations have slightly tighter regulations on carrying firearms than do rural areas. Missoulians can therefore not walk around town with a handgun in their holsters. However, if you’re out in Laurel Montana, a small community of 6,000 people where carrying a gun in your hand is socially acceptable. The reason why I bring this up is because of the great amount of national attention gun control is receiving. Some sates want to ban firearms completely, like Connecticut and New York. States like Montana believe guns are a part of their illustrious history. It’s a part of Montanan culture to hunt and go to  gun shows. They’re an integral part of life. But what I would like to know from you guys, especially after reading this article, should concealed weapons be allowed on the campus? Keep in mind that guns are already stored and available at the University of Montana gun storage behind Washington Stadium.

Guns in society are a risk, regardless of who possesses the firearm. The author of this article put my view on the issue in perfect words “college students tend to be in a more transformative and stressful stage of life… [a] mix that [could] create a more violent environment.

The most common positions on this issue are currently held by Democrats and Republicans respectively. This article makes it seem like there is no middle ground on guns. Normally, Republicans take the pro-gun position while the Democrats are the main opposition. Are there democrats who take a pro-gun position?

One important distinction I need to make is this: gun control does not mean gun abolishment. I suppose I am looking for a middle ground that will allow guns to fall into the right hands. We can do this by taking the necessary precautions concerning background checks and setting restrictions on what weapons can be used. For instance, there must be an array of hunting rifles available to the avid hunter. On the other hand, there must be certain handguns available for domestic protection. This would mean that assault rifles and other military style weapons would only be available to those in public service, such as the police force and army.  What do you believe?

Guns can remain an integral part of Montana’s culture, but in light of the Sandy Hook and multiple campus shootings, concealed weapons may only contribute to the risk of violence. For true campus safety, the threat of violence is not the solution to ending violence.