Dear Texas Legislators,
You work to represent us. Do not forget that. What you have done to The University of Texas has created students to quickly form sides that are clearly against one another. This is about our education, the one you have been slowly abandoning over the years by cutting funding and creating more debt to be hung upon the students who are determined to invest and create a better future for themselves.
The students and faculty are standing together and not backing down. We are making our voices loud and clear nation wide. You are embarrassing yourself by not doing your public duty by keeping our interest in mind. We are making our interest very clear. It is now your job to do your best to reflect what we as a democracy are believing in.
We are believing in attending class where we can have freedom of fear to talk about subjects that can raise tense reactions. We believe in the power that our voices and our opinions should be heard and reflected through your votes and legislations that you choose to pass. We believe it should be up to the students who must attend classes in these uncomfortable circumstances everyday to make these decisions that directly effect us.
You have created an environment where campus carry is the hottest topic as opposed to what classes we are looking forward to.
Gun violence has been present on our campus before and we do not feel that adding guns will make things more safe.
50 years ago when Charles Whitman decided to leave a dark mark, that no one can forget nor shake, and create the second worst school shooting in our great nation the authorities in which are trained to handle these situations, took over an hour and a half to get it under control.
Licensed gun owners, who are now allowed to conceal carry on campus, are not required to train for active shooter situations. This in no way is supposed to add comfort to me and my fellow colleagues.
College campuses are a place that is supposed to be safe and provide academic freedom. We do not feel safe with a gun being carried by a student right next to us who could simply be under an enormous amounts of stress while getting in a heated discussion during class.
Our academic freedom to speak freely about our different beliefs in class is stifled, under fear of saying something to someone who is simply having a bad day and has chosen to opt in and then let a situation simple get out of control due to campus carry.
Things happen, but we can prevent them. Your job is to ensure our safety first and foremost. Our classrooms should be considered safe from the added in possibilities of the known dangers guns do present.
Students on campus everywhere are wanting you, the Texas Legislators, to please listen to us when we say our voices and opinions should reflect these decisions.
Please consider leaving it up to the campus to make these decisions. We are there everyday and we know whats best for our education.
Sincerely,
A Frightened UT Student
