Gun control, by its very nature, is a contentious issue. Inscribed in the Second
Amendment of the United States Constitution is the enumerated right for all
American citizens to bear arms: “A well regulated militia being necessary to
the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall
not be infringed.”

The wording of this Amendment appears straightforward.
However, controversy arises in regard to what extent this right should
be unconditional. Although the Constitution is considered a living document, the
Second Amendment has arguably become out of touch with the reality of American
society since its conception. Indeed, the desire for individual safety and protection
remains firmly embedded in our society. What has changed, however, is the extent
to which guns are commonplace in the public realm. Ironically, some of the very
firearms we have the right to bear for protection are also a trigger-pull away
from being a threat to us all.

Just six months after a law allowing concealed carry went into effect in Wisconsin, a
staggering 100,000 concealed carry permits have already been issued. In light of this milestone, it is critical that the University of Wisconsin community strongly reconsiders its stance on bearing arms on campus. Prior to
the passage of the current Wisconsin concealed carry law, firearms were banned
on the UW campus. Now, according to the UW System website, the UW
System’s current policy for carrying weapons or firearms requires that all college
and university buildings, whether owned or leased, including stadia and athletic
facilities, be clearly marked with signs at every entrance prohibiting individuals
from entering when carrying weapons or firearms.

In 2012 alone, America has witnessed multiple shootings on university campuses. At
the beginning of this month, seven individuals were killed and three more injured
in a shooting at Oikos University in Oakland, Calif., according to The Huffington
Post. Unfortunately, this tragic event has become just another in a series of school
shootings that have occurred over the course of the last decade.

Certainly, it is critical to acknowledge that the circumstances surrounding these
shootings have been variable. The reality is, however, that the presence of guns on
campuses poses an inherent risk to everyone. Bearing this in mind, the rationale
behind eliminating guns from a college campus is quite simple: If guns are not
allowed, then the likelihood of them leading to violence will hopefully be reduced.

People that lawfully bear arms will likely cite personal protection as their primary
reason for choosing to do so. The perceived sense of safety that carrying a gun can
provide to those individuals comes at the expense of those that do not share their
belief. Each and every student, staff and faculty member on this campus deserves to
feel safe, and allowing any number of people, regardless of how few, to carry a
weapon on campus puts that safety in jeopardy.

A counterargument to this would be that concealed carry would eliminate the visible threat posed by a weapon. Certainly, there are merits to this point, but only
on a superficial level. Whether a student, staff or faculty member on campus sees
the weapon or not is essentially irrelevant in the broader scope of the issue. The
term “concealed” suggests a degree of secrecy and uncertainty. Without disclosure
and transparency, how can the bearing of arms be regulated at all?

Certainly, the majority of individuals that choose to exercise their right to carry a
weapon do so mindfully and conscientiously by going through proper training and
registration and by taking crucial measures to ensure the safety of their fellow
citizens. However, it only takes one individual – one pull of the trigger – to end
a life and affect the lives of so many others. This in itself is what makes a gun so
dangerous.

Bearing this in mind, how do we as a society reduce this danger to the greatest
possible extent? We must minimize risk by imposing reasonable restrictions on the
right to carry a firearm in public. In other words, the right to bear arms must not be
absolute, but rather conditional. Having said this, a limitation on constitutionally
protected rights should never be taken lightly.

When the safety of the
public, on a college campus or at large, is placed in jeopardy in order to ensure
that a small group of individuals may exercise their right to bear arms, it is time to
reconsider where our priorities lie.

Hannah Sleznikow ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science.