The second amendment group aims to educate citizens on gun rights and laws, encourage safety, and practice shooting.
Wesley Gilkey, a junior studying criminology, wears a cowboy hat around campus and fervently supports the Second Amendment.
But Gilkey, along with the rest of the Second Amendment Group on campus, aims to dispel stereotypes and misinformation surrounding gun control.
The organization, which consists of about 15 members, identifies as a political organization as opposed to a gun club.
“We are an organization on campus that is dedicated to teaching people, specifically students, about gun laws, and since a lot of us have guns, it focuses on safety,” said Gilkey, who is president of the group.
Gilkey, an Athens native, noted that half of the students involved in the group do not personally own guns, and some had never fired a gun before joining.
“Some people come because they’re curious, they’ve never had an opportunity to learn about this or shoot guns before,” said Emma Kessler, a sophomore studying biochemistry and political director of the group.
The group goes to a shooting range once a month to provide hands on knowledge and familiarity with guns. They use the eight certified gun instructors in their ranks to ensure the safety of everyone involved, Gilkey said. Kessler and Gilkey also help teach concealed carry classes.
“Usually the women shoot better than the guys do. Women who have never shot before have went out there and kicked my butt.” Gilkey said.
The club also tries to reach out on campus to discuss their ideals with the public. Although gun rights are generally considered a touchy subject for many Americans, Gilkey said he feels it’s important for people to talk about it.
“A proactive discussion on gun rights does help people understand things better. We’re always respectful and listen to others opinions. It’s important,” Gilkey states.
Gilkey said he feels owning a gun and knowing how to properly handle it is important for the protection of his family and himself. Although hunting is considered little more than a sport, for many people it’s a necessary part of getting by, Kessler said.
During meetings they spend a large portion of the time discussing new laws being passed on gun control.
“It’s very informative and it’s important to know what’s going on so you know what’s allowed in your own state,” said Elena Medich, a freshman studying business and a member of the group.
Kessler and Gilkey both participated in a demonstration put on by the Students For Concealed Carry in which they carried an empty holster around campus to protest the fact that it is illegal to posses a pistol on campus, even with a concealed carry permit.
Not all members participate in this kind of demonstration; though the group believes in supporting the second amendment, there are still varying opinions on gun control.
Through these avenues of outreach, the group has tried to teach people the finer points of gun laws.
“We really want to educate people. A lot of them hear AK-47 or AR-15 on the news, and they don’t even know that citizens can’t own fully automatic weapons.” Gilkey said.
Talking to the public about gun control does lead to some criticism from students, but only on rare occasions. Kessler noted that most people are stunned that the university has such a club, which Medich agreed with.
“A lot of people raise their eyebrows, they really seem surprised at first.” Medich said.
They both went on to say that once students hear what the group has to say about gun rights and what they do on campus, very few people are critical of the group afterward. Overall, Kessler, Gilkey and Medich said many interactions with students about the group are positive.
“The vast majority of the time people are supportive. A lot of people are interested in it,” Kessler said.
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