In a world where anything can happen, some students feel an increasing need to be able to protect themselves on campus.
Texas Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is an organization designed to inform college students of their right to self-protection. The members seek reasons for why they are disarmed on campus when they do not hear arguments against their case.
“Everybody wants to be able to defend themselves and be safe. You should be able to defend yourself on campus,” said Chase Jennings, state director.
Daniel Crocker, southwest director for Students for Concealed Carry on Campus, said he became involved after he recognized the gravity of the issue.
“Over 45,000 members started the organization after the Virginia Tech incident. Two percent of the nation’s college students attend campuses where concealed carry is allowed,” Crocker said.
The organization has hopes of holding a debate on campus, but the proposition has been voted down by the faculty senate. The issue will appear before the Texas Legislature, and the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus said they want a chance for both sides of the issue to be heard.
“We have tried to get people to debate us and can’t find the people. We are happy to talk to people but keep getting turned down,” Jennings said.
Jennings said the group welcomes opposition as an opportunity to elaborate on why they support concealed carry. The issue at hand will be voted on by students in the future, and Crocker said he wants students to know both sides of the topic prior to voting.
“Students have the ability to express their opinion on the issue by voting and talking to officers to get educated,” Madison Welch, an officer in the organization said.
Jennings said opponents to concealed carry on campus are afraid of guns and that fear drives their opposition.
“If students are unsure of how they want to vote or take a stance on the issue, members regularly give informational packets with unbiased research studies from government organizations and the CIA. There are common questions and answers. We base our arguments on historical statistics,” Welch said.
The pending concealed carry on campus decision is something that concerns all A&M students. Both stances of the issue need to be heard and discussed by students.
“This is an important issue for anyone on a college campus,” Crocker said.
Aggies can get involved by attending monthly meetings.
“I was very neutral at the first meeting. I heard stories that made me wonder what I wanted for my future,” Welch said.
The organization’s members can be found on campus giving facts and more information at the Quad. They said they welcome opposition and hope to better inform students about what they want for the future of their campus and school.