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Among the United States population, a lot of controversy over the issue of guns is taking place – whether they make citizens feel safer or more vulnerable. Beyond national and state laws, Grand View University’s firearm policy is as follows:

Grand View University has zero tolerance for weapons on campus except when expressly authorized by Grand View University. Possession or use of firearms (or look alike), explosives, other weapons, dangerous chemicals or compounds or other dangerous object of no reasonable use to the student on Grand View University campus, or the brandishing of any object in a threatening manner on University premises (legal defense sprays are not covered by this section).

Viewfinder asked approximately 20 students whether guns make people safer or more vulnerable. Only three were willing to share their views, highlighting the controversy and uneasiness surrounding this issue.

When asked whether students should be allowed to carry on campus, Grand View student Daniel McCammant said “Any student? No. I think that if students are properly trained and went through the proper certifications, things like that, then yes there is a possibility for it.”

In 1999, there were 2.7 million concealed handgun permit holders, increasing to 4.6 million in 2007. The number of concealed handgun permits exploded during the Obama administration, says the Government Accountability Office, estimating that there were at least 8 million permits in December 2011 before going up to 11.1 million in June 2014. In 2018, the number was up to 17.25 million.

When going to purchase a gun, there are background checks in place but no test to verify that someone is of good mental health status or if they have psychological problems. According to Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, an organization that seeks to improve our understanding of the causes of gun violence and the means to reduce it, firearms are the second leading cause of death for American children and teens. In February 2018, a teen gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing seventeen students and staff members and injuring seventeen others. Since the Parkland shooting in 2018, 1,200 kids have been killed by guns.

When asked if guns make a person safer or more vulnerable, student John Chamone stated, “I can definitely see kind of both sides as well. I think it keeps you safer in case an unexpected moment can appear out of nowhere, so you can protect your family and friends.” Sixty-three percent of Americans now believe that having a gun in the house increases safety. While some may dismiss the importance of feeling secure and safe or claim that another person’s desire for safety makes them feel unsafe, safety is one of the most basic of human needs.

The Black Student Union (BSU) is a student-run organization at Grand View. A few members gave their opinion on gun control.

“Guns make me more fearful and I feel more vulnerable in the presence of guns. I do not believe students on campus should have the right to guns with them on campus because it creates an unstable environment and would be an even greater threat to security,” Chelsee Orton said.

She also added that because she is a minority on campus it would make her feel even more uneasy. Taz Guilford, another BSU student at GV believes that if students have a permit to carry, they should have the right to carry on campus.

In a research study sponsored by the United States Department of Justice, James Wright and Peter Rossi interviewed over 1,800 incarcerated felons, asking how they felt about civilians and gun ownership. Thirty-three percent of these criminals admitted to being scared off, shot at, wounded, or captured by a gun-owning victim. Nearly 80 percent of felons also claimed that they intentionally avoid victims and homes that they believe may be armed. According to Ammo.com, an ammo merchant and second amendment advocacy site, the general consensus appears to be that criminals fear armed citizens more than they do the police. There are many reasons for this, but here are the most prominent: police are rarely onsite during a crime, Police are bound by policy and procedures, and are trained to only use their firearms if it’s absolutely necessary.

“At the same time, not everybody should be able to carry a gun because we never know also how they’re going to handle it,” John Chamone said.

Another student, Kevin O’Connor, believes that students should not be able to carry. O’Connor said that sometimes students are not thinking straight because of the stress they face while taking classes.

“I just think that’s a rough subject to even talk about, but yeah, I do not believe it should be okay for them to have it, to carry,” O’Connor said.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund also states that every day 100 Americans are killed with guns and hundreds more are injured by guns. The United States gun suicide rate is eight times that of other high-income countries, two-thirds of gun deaths are suicides. This promotes the idea that some people should not be allowed to have access to guns, but because they are not required to have a mental health check, it is relatively easy to purchase a gun.  

Many Americans are affected by guns on a regular basis, whether they want to be or not. There has never been a better time to be more open about this largely controversial topic – do guns make you feel safer or more vulnerable?