Texas is a far cry from its wild west past of gun wielding
and cowboy heroism. During this session of the Texas legislation, two bills
have been introduced on the topic of gun concealment. One bill, House Bill 2405, intends to provide
business owners on private property the right to ban concealed weapons. The
bill would require business owners who want their businesses gun free, to
display a paper sign indicating no weapons, in clear view prior to building
entrance.
Firstly, a sign is not going to deter a person with ill will
from entering a business with a concealed weapon. As stated by State
Representative Poncho Nevarez, “… to keep somebody out if they’ve got a gun,
you should be able to do it simply.” That is a preposterous assumption. Persons
follow rules out of some form of fear. A simple sign is not going to incite the
fear to gain compliance. Businesses would have to establish a security checkpoint,
specifically geared to search for concealed weapons.
Secondly, in order to legally carry a concealed weapon, a
person must take steps in order to obtain a permit. Legal carriers have taken
state mandated training, and are given guidelines on proper concealment.
Another related bill, House Bill 937, intends to allow
carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses. University of Texas System
Chancellor, William McRaven wrote a letter to legislators voicing his
perplexity on the implications if the bill were to pass. He stated, “….will
lead to an increase in both accidental shootings and self inflicted injuries.”
I find this statement to be nonsensical. Students and faculty members legally
permitted to carry under the possible new law, would be highly unlikely to
engage in any activity in campus or elsewhere, that would lead to accidental
shootings or self inflicted injuries. It would be a laughable assumption that a
student or faculty member would have their weapon out on campus participating
in any John Wayne esque gun slinging.
Furthermore, McRaven expressed, “ If you’re in a heated
debate with somebody in the middle of a classroom, and you don’t know whether
or not that individual is carrying, how does that inhibit the interaction
between students and faculty?”
An extravagant statement by McRaven, statistically classroom
heated debates do not by any margin end in injury or death. Faculty and
students should be more fearful of individuals that do not have permits to
conceal weapons and are harboring bad will.
It seems to be that; laws that prevent the concealment of
weapons also violate the second amendment of the Constitution of the United
States of America. Bottom line, guns do not kill people, people kill people.
No comments:
Post a Comment