A discussion drawing on images of the Virginia Tech massacre sparked a debate among Ohio University’s Student Senate over a bill that would give people the right to carry guns on college campuses.
Senate’s State and Federal Affairs Commissioner Taylor Abbott and Student Government Association Delegate Stephanie Stark presented to senate Wednesday, proposing a resolution that would state that OU students are against the bill.
The bill, backed by Rep. John Adams, R-78th, authorizes a person to carry a concealed weapon without also carrying a license and essentially eliminates having to tell police officers about carrying a gun when confronted, Abbott and Stark said.
The current law states a person must obtain a concealed-carry license before having a gun and must keep the gun in sight, Abbott said.
“I could go stand outside right now with a gun strapped to my hip and no one can say anything about it,” he said. “It’s perfectly legal.”
However, the new bill proposes that those with gun licenses must keep the gun out of sight.
“The bill redefines ‘concealed’ to actually mean concealed,” Abbott said. “Our current law makes it easy to get a gun. This bill makes it easier.”
Abbott and Stark presented a list of pros and cons of the bill to senate. The pros side was much lighter than the cons, with only one point: the ability to defend oneself in a dorm room or a classroom or while walking on campus. The cons list included the ability to hurt mass quantities of people, the ability to carry unlimited amounts of ammunition, and the potential rise in college suicide rates.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults between ages 10 and 24, and using a firearm is the most common way to commit suicide, according to the presentation.
“We would like to propose a resolution for OU senate to come out against (the bill),” Stark said. “I would like OU to say we don’t want to have guns on our college campus.”
Student Senate President Kyle Triplett, however, said he was not sure where to stand on the proposal because he doesn’t have much confidence in the bill.
“(The bill) would be counterintuitive, and I would be shocked if it passed,” he said.
tl674710@ohiou.edu
