Coleman 1

Josh Coleman
Professor OBrien
University 110
3 August 2015
Gun Control: The Debate Through College
Guns are one of the leading causes of death in the world. They provide more negative
outcomes than positive ones because people decide to use them for violence instead of selfdefense. People and advocates of big time groups have different views towards the gun violence
on college campuses issue. This paper states the issues and viewpoints of what people feel about
gun control on campus, with the number of people it affects there are for death
On college campuses, there are people who feel that guns shouldn't be allowed to be
carried around on campus. According to the American Association of States Colleges and
Universities, guns cause danger and more likely, result in injuries, even though it can possibly be
used for self-defense (Subervi 1). In the eyes of The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
group, it's their belief guns will put fear and paranoia into students (Bimbaum 8). It also makes
the campuses police job harder because the people carrying the guns are usually untrained,
according to Academic-autonomy advocates (Bimbaum 8). In recent studies, guns were used in
54 percent of murder cases, with almost 60 percent of them being very fatal injuries previously
known to the assailant (Bimbaum 8). Statics found out by The American College Health
Association found that 9 percent of guns were used for violent crimes, 8 percent of assaults, and
31 percent of robberies towards college students (Thompson, Price, Mrdjenovich, Khubchandani
248). At least 55 percent of all gun related activity comes from the African American Community
(Kelly 20). Through that 55 percent, nine out of ten African Americans who were homicide
victims were killed with guns (Kelly 20). Society shows there are about one million that have
died from gun related homicide accidents (Kelly 26).
Cops do their best to prevent this from happening on campus, but most have attitudes
towards guns on campus. For 86 percent of the law officers on campus, 86 percent believe that
carrying a gun on campus wouldnt prevent any killings/murders happening throughout school
(Thompson, Price, Mrdjenovich, Khubchandani 251). It was found that 6.4 percent of guys held
a concealed weapon with them on campus compared to 1.5 percent of women holding a gun
(Thompson, Price, Mrdjenovich, Khubchandani 247). This be the reason being why campus

Coleman 2
police suggest that faculty play a role in diminishing gun violence, even though only one third of
faculty were trained to react well during gun situations (Thompson, Price, Mrdjenovich,
Khubchandani 252). Still with all the talk and cop related protection, crazy individuals are
getting into college with guns and causing mass shootings.
For example, at Northern Illinois University, there were shootings that left six people
killed, including the gunman (Wiseman 54). They believe that college is a place where people
can openly express their ideas and find themselves, but when others mix guns into that lifestyle,
everything changes (Wiseman 55). Another incident of gun related activity happened at Florida
State University where there was a shooting that injured three students very severely and got the
state lawmakers and staff at FSU to worrying about the safety of students and everyone
(Mitchell 1). Its in the facultys best interest that allowing a student 21 and over to hold a
concealed weapon on campus is not the smart way to go and that there is no evidence that
suggests doing this could be a good idea (Mitchell 1). The evidence shows that between 1900
and 2008, there were 272 incidents of targeted gun violence on college campuses (Bimbaum 8).
Along with over 90 percent of gun related attacks on police and law enforcement officers (Kelly
26). In 2010, there were fifteen accounts of murder with a violent crime percentage of 20.8
percent and 21, 358 accounts for burglary, with a 79.2 percentage of non-violent crime for both
(Bimbaum 10).
All crimes and firearm deaths/casualties come at a price. In the U.S. alone, the average
american pays more than 700 dollars a year for gun related activity (Follman, Lurie, Lee, West
11). There are annual costs that exceed 229 billion, which 8.6 billion is covered for direct costs.
That includes long-term prison costs (Follman, Lurie, Lee, West 18). The indirect costs don't get
any better with 221 billion that help the impacts of productivity and quality of life for the victims
(Follman, Lurie, Lee, West 18). Most of the money from the total annual costs for gun violence
comes from taxpayers pockets (Follman, Lurie, Lee, West 4). Whereas 410 million of that money
goes to direct mental-health costs annually (Follman, Lurie, Lee, West 20). To go along with that,
each gun fire injury that required hospitalization costs 583,000 dollars (Follman, Lurie, Lee,
West 7).
There are those groups of people who feel guns rather than do harm actually make it safer
for those in college. For a group known as MoreGuns, they find that college students and faculty
need guns to for their own protection (Bimbaum 7). In a 2007 incident, Amanda Carpenter, a girl

Coleman 3
who attended the University of Nevada was walking back to her car when she was raped. She
couldnt hold a gun on campus because state law prevented her from doing so (Wiseman 53).
Florida State Representative Dennis K. Baxley had the exact same reaction that Amanda when
she got raped: If youve got a person thats raped because you wouldnt let them carry a firearm
to defend themselves, I think youre responsible (Subervi 2). There are among four states that
allow guns on campuses, which include Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Mississippi. In a debate on
whether guns should be held full time, Tennessee Representative Barrett Rich came out and
openly explains that he would never agree to vote against someone not being able to defend
themselves (Grayson, Meilman 275). The suicide research committee agree strongly with his
statement because they believe that the main reason half of the student population in college
commit suicide is that there arent any guns on campus to protect themselves (Grayson, Meilman
275-276). A group of advocates called the Students for Concealed Carry believe that the guns
will provide self-defense. To give students and faculty of college a something to fight back with
against shootings, rapes, or any type of incident that may occur on campus (Gilroy 1). They have
more than 43,000 members in their group among that like the idea of guns on campuses (Subervi
1).
In the Second Amendment to the Constitution, which is the right to bear arms, it allows a
person to have a gun in their possession. But doesnt always mean its the smartest thing in the
world. Allowing college students and minors like freshman to obtain a gun could make college
more unsafe. For example, when a person is up late at night, partying, and getting drunk, and that
certain individual is able to hold a gun by the Second amendment; it could be an ugly night for
that person who messes around with him. If lawmakers and the constitution can get a bill to pass
through the White House to allow people ages 30 and over to hold a gun for protection, there
would be a lot more lives saved. Regardless of the community people live in, the people of the
southern community believe in their mind that guns are the only means of self protection. Some
people on college campuses fear that with others carrying around guns in their possession can
make life more fearful than fun. Its in the mind that the Second amendment allows people to get
away with murder too much, especially on college campuses. Take, for instance the shooting at
North Carolina Community College that happened this year. An employee who had been
working long time in a printing press found it to be great to shoot and kill another employee (1
Person Dead after Shooting at North Carolina Community College 1). Because of the Second

Coleman 4
Amendments law of the right to bear arms, it gave Ron Lane the go ahead move to murder
freely with consequences. Unfortunately, that could've been avoided if people at the White House
and the congressman can make something happen and help all the people on college campuses a
gun free zone. Although there are gun free zones on college campuses, that still doesnt stop the
mentally ill and psychotic individuals from committing crime because they think it may be
funny, someone laughed at him/her and had to end that all together, or just the fact that it be cool
to a firearm and shoot it.
Countries outside the U.S. have some similar feelings toward the gun control on college
campus issue. In the United Kingdom, people have to prove why they physically need a gun and
most of the time there only supposed to be used for hunting purposes (Saam 1). Their gun policy
is so weak that most police dont carry guns (Saam 1). Australia prevents violence from guns by
them surrendering all their weapons for destruction by the government and all mini rifles are
prohibited (Saam 1). Canada makes their people surrender passports and any type of
identification to have a chance of obtaining a gun license (Saam 1). Even showing them all the
information, it takes two people to vouch for you after waiting for a period of 28 days (Saam 1).
It wasnt till after Germany had a mass shooting in 2002 that left 18 people killed where only
people with permission to hold a gun (Saam 1). Also they have the opportunity to purchase a
hunting rifle with a intense background check that could possibly last up to a year (Saam 1).
Due to all the controversies about whether violence was good or bad for society, it
opened up a lot of ideas for colleges and society around it and what they could possibly do in the
future. These ideas of gun violence on college campuses and all the statistics give people peace
of mind to put out more preventive measures to keep students safer. Guns showed that violence
can happen anywhere and at any time. So all have to be on the watch and never take life for
granted. In conclusion, gun control on college campuses should be banned and only given to
police officers.