This past summer (2015) in Texas, students have been faced with the reality that beginning in August, 2016, guns will be carried on Texas' public school campuses. Private/Christian college campuses in Texas have the option to opt out of the new law. Many fear that guns on campuses will lead to shootings/violence. I am not here to tell you what I believe is right or what you believe is wrong. I am here simply to state the facts that surround campus carry and gun ownership in the state of Texas
1. On June 1, 2015, Governor Greg Abbott signed B.S. 11 "Campus Carry" Law. On August 1, 2016, Concealed Handgun License (CHL) holders may carry a concealed handgun throughout university campuses.
2. To purchase a gun in the state of Texas (legally, through a dealer), a person must pass a background check.
3. A gun cannot be purchased (legally) online and shipped to a person's home. The gun must be shipped to a certified dealer (locally) and the person must go and pick up the gun and pass a background check, in person.
4. A watered down definition of a semi-automatic weapon. A semi automatic weapon is a gun (or rifle) that fires one bullet per trigger pull. In other words, when the trigger is pulled and held, only one bullet expels from the trigger. If the trigger is held and not released, another bullet will not expel.
5. An automatic weapon is a weapon that when the trigger is pulled, multiple bullets will expel from the chamber until the trigger is released or until the magazine is empty.
6. From the time period 01/01/2014 to 12/31/2014, 246,326 Concealed Handgun Licenses were issued in the state of Texas, 776 CHL applications were denied, 1,762 were suspended, and 996 were revoked
7. In 2014, 17,560 people in Tarrant County possessed a CHL License
8. Getting your CHL is not an easy one-day process. You must apply, take a class, take a written test, mail back and forth paperwork, submit fingerprints, show proof of I.D., show proof that you have no outstanding charges to the government, prove that you are not chemically dependent or have any mental instability, etc... (the list goes on and on).
9. It is called 'concealed' carry, not open carry. You most likely will not be able to tell if a person has a weapon on their person.
10. In the last 20 years (as a nation), over 150 college campuses nationwide have allowed for campus carry (colleges ranging in size and location), and not a single one of the campuses have had an act of violence or suicide with a gun.
Common questions and concerns that many students have
--"What if a person with a gun has a bad day?" (I heard this in my speech class, bringing a valid point)
--"What if a person who has a gun gets intoxicated or is under the influence of drugs at a party and something happens?" (also heard in my speech class)
--"What if a gun goes off by accident?"
--"Should guns be allowed in laboratories or places where explosive chemicals are stored?"
--"What if a person takes the gun off of another person and uses it to do harm to others?"
--"Would a person with a gun actually be able to stop an active shooter on campus (if it occurred)?"
Please take a moment to look at all sides of the argument before forming your opinion. I am neither promoting or putting down the argument of campus carry. I am just stating facts that I believe are relevant to the situation that Texas' public school campuses are about to face
The website that helped me understand what is actually going to be happening on our campuses is the UT Austin website and the Students for Concealed Carry Website, both of which stated facts along with common questions and concerns.
