In light of recent robberies, assaults and the general crime wave terrorizing DU students off and around campus, we must consider the issue of whether or not allowing students to carry concealed firearms on campus would be beneficial.
Taking into account a failed Colorado state senate proposal to allow concealed carry on state-run and private higher education institutions, students and the interested public must consider the numerous advantages of an armed campus and the obvious disadvantages, which could be mitigated and eliminated through intensive education, extensive screening and training.
As the laws currently stand, one must be 21 years old to obtain a handgun permit in Colorado and also undergo training to gain a permit to lawfully carry said firearm in a concealed fashion.
It has been proven time and time again that when gun laws are applied equally and training made strict, lawful gun owners who have undergone state-run background checks help prevent crime in areas where crimes are prevalent. Can you imagine the mindset of a criminal approaching the DU campus at this time? He or she knows that students here tend to be privileged, carry laptops, nice cell phones and other devices and also frequently travel on foot.
This criminal knows we’re also not armed and may be vulnerable, so why wouldn’t they attempt a vicious robbery or other crime? There is no disincentive. Now imagine a campus where trained and screened upperclassmen are permitted to carry concealed firearms.
The aforementioned criminal must now reconsider their crime against a DU student, because now the student or his or her peers may be armed and able to honestly defend themselves.
This move would revolutionize campus safety and generate a feeling of security among students and the DU community a feeling of safety, knowing that well-equipped students who know how to safely use guns for self-defense are protecting themselves and their campus.
The majority of gun owners in the state of Colorado are lawful, conscientious citizens who are simply concerned with their own safety. This is a mindset of the Western United States, where citizens feel personally responsible to protect themselves, their livelihoods and their families.
The laws in place are designed to make gun ownership safe and ensure that only well-intentioned, reasonable people have access to these devices.
Through background checks already enshrined in the law, current age restrictions in place and an extensive training mechanism to weed out potential gun abusers, we can secure our property and ourselves against the crime being committed against DU students by allowing guns to be carried in a concealed fashion.
