The issue and debate surrounding gun control in America is not a new or highly revolutionary concept. However, it is a discussion that has received a great deal of attention in the past week as President Obama began truly campaigning for change in the sphere of gun control. As presidential candidates lend their voices to the debate, it is important that college students pay attention to and participate in this conversation. Student contribution is important, not only because of the upcoming election but also due to student safety concerns on the DU campus.
President Obama’s recent efforts surrounding gun control have been highly publicized, from his speech last Tuesday, to a self-written article in the New York Times, to the Town Hall meeting moderated by CNN last Thursday evening. A lack of compromise and progress within Congress informed his declaration of executive action concerning gun control during his speech. Outcry was heard immediately from citizens and politicians alike; however, the President’s actions are the first steps towards creating and implementing the changes to gun control needed by our nation.
Widespread agreement can be found in saying that something needs to change, and quickly. The goal could be of a society where mass shootings and deaths from guns are rare events instead of numbing commonalities. Tighter gun control, while still allowing responsible citizens to be gun owners, needs to be the compromise and change we implement and allow to flourish. The idea isn’t to revoke gun ownership or make it difficult for lawful citizens to have a gun; however, if stricter measures make it harder for criminals to buy and sell guns, then they are measures that need to be taken. Though guns may not seem like a prevalent problem every day, especially on DU campus, college students should be considering the implications of these weapons and threats to personal safety. Mass shootings, both on and off campus, are a harsh and tragic reality of current society; an area where gun control could have a positive effect. Concealed carry weapons are not allowed on DU campus, yet four people were recently robbed at gunpoint about a block away from campus. This is an instance in which tighter gun control might have made a difference in the situation, if the criminal didn’t have access to a gun in the first place. Of course, this isn’t to say that gun control can immediately solve crime and mass shootings, or stop criminals from getting guns, but it is an option that should be explored for the potential positive effects and safety it could support.
College students as voters are vital in supporting alteration and creating this future, not only for ourselves, but also for the world future generations will know as a reality. Whether citizens agree or disagree President Obama’s measures, it should be noted that whichever candidate is elected into office within the next year could have the power to either support Obama’s declarations or have them repealed. Perspectives on the issue are very clearly divided between the Democratic and Republican parties. Democratic candidates actively support Obama and the actions for gun control, arguing for stricter policies including expanded background checks and closing loopholes. On the other hand, Republican candidates including Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie, Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz are in apparent opposition, declaring that any further constriction would impinge upon citizens’ rights under the Second Amendment.
The future of changing gun control, or lack thereof, hangs in the balance of the debates happening now and the leader that will be elected into office this year. Students need to stay informed on the issue, in consideration for their own safety, on and off campus, as well as for the what the future should hold.
