Wednesday morning reports of a man with a gun on Bascom Hill set off a series of Wisc Alerts, putting students on edge just hours after the worst terrorist attack in New York since 9/11.
The incident, fortunately resolved without injuries, adds another wrinkle to the ongoing campus carry debate in the state of Wisconsin.
The legislation was pushed in 2015 by Representative Jesse Kremer and has fallen in and out of the news in recent months, but remains a hot-button issue.
By the way, Kremer cares about the people of Wisconsin’s well-being so much that he is also working on a bill to limit the public’s access to police body cam footage. What a stand-up gentleman.
Thankfully, we have not been victims of a school shooting on this campus. It may seem like oversimplifying, but if we have a clean record, why are we fighting to add weapons to the equation?
It’s really baffling.
College students are stressed, tired, unpredictable and often intoxicated. That sounds like the perfect demographic to allow to carry weapons around all day.
I was just thinking last week that my political science class didn’t have enough tension.
Not to mention the potential danger of suicide. The university likely doesn’t publicize suicides as they occur, but it is a real problem at every campus across the country. A Harvard study concluded that gun ownership and suicide are directly correlated.
A letter to Wisconsin legislators written on behalf of all the UW System police chiefs opposed the campus carry bill.
Pushing party agenda in wake of Las Vegas tragedy deplorable
They condemned the bill, mincing no words. “Our colleges do not need more guns. Guns do not belong in our classrooms, student centers, laboratories, workout facilities, locker rooms, offices, residence halls or athletic venues.”
Students don’t want this. Administrators don’t want this.
How many potential students may reconsider their college choice, knowing that their future peers would be packing heat? Despite the fact that today, no active threat to campus exists, it’s hard to believe any situation in which a student takes out a weapon to challenge a gunman, among a crowd of chaos and confusion, would have ended well.
Police do a great job protecting this campus. Their job would be made much harder by allowing guns in classrooms and around campus.
Will Stern ([email protected]) is a sophomore majoring in journalism.
