On allowing guns on campuses

"Arizona Weighs Bill to Allow Guns on Campuses"

I am shocked that 15 states are actually thinking of allowing guns on campus.

If you have read up on gun control in the US and/or seen 'Bowling for Columbine' you would probably agree that this is quite a complicated issue in this country. I have tried to understand why people love and are proud of their guns in this country, but it is difficult for me to wrap my head around it. Families go on hunting trips. A dad gifts a gun to his son.

I don't know if this is normal in other countries, but at least coming from India this seems extremely odd. I am sure you could find exceptions in India too, but I know my dad would not be impressed if I decided to buy a gun (learning Karate ;) probably would impress/amuse him). Plus I have been born and brought up with things like "pen is mightier than the sword," and war has temporary advantages and permanent harm.

Actually ask yourself how many America’s presidents have come from the armed forces? Some historians say that American Culture was born at the frontiers. At the frontiers, the early European settlers had to defend themselves from the locals, and other settlers. There were no governments to defend and protect their rights. Individuals had to have a gun and had to use it for survival.

That time has long gone, and so it is difficult for me to understand why unanimously people don't want greater gun regulation in the US, but instead they want to allow guns on campus.

(Some guns have the safety right next to the trigger, so if by mistake you press the trigger ... oops!)

For guns to act as a deterrent you would have to have a (if you will) critical mass of guns on campus. So a university will probably have to (encourage?) see that a certain percentage of students have guns. This makes it more likely for someone to have a gun at the wrong time, e.g. someone with a short temper gets into a tiff with his/her Professor who refuses to change the students grade; or a bad fight with a girlfriend. Such a law would only increase unfortunate incidents on campus. No longer would a student have to steal a gun from his parents place or obtain it illegally, he can now just take it from his roommate’s closet.

I don't think lesser gun’s is a solution, either. For something to work, I think first the society as a whole would have to reject guns/violence at some point. From my expansive study of talking to 6 friends, I don’t think it is at that point now. (sorry!)