The latest installment of the nation’s endless debate on gun control recently surfaced on the University of Utah campus. A graduate student instructing a class included[1] a detailed weapons policy on their syllabus. In the syllabus, students were required to stand in a small “second amendment zone,” as the instructor wanted to discourage students from carrying a concealed weapon. The instructor called carrying a gun to school “absurd, antisocial and frightening behavior.”
The graduate student was quickly relieved of their teaching duties. Current Utah law allows[2] individuals to carry a concealed weapon in both K-12 schools and on university campuses. In general, Utah has remarkably loose gun laws[3], even by American standards. Utah firearms dealers are not required to obtain a state license. There is no waiting period to purchase a firearm and no limit regarding how much can be purchased at a time. While there are some regulations on background checks, various loopholes remain — giving potentially dangerous individuals opportunities to purchase deadly weapons.
It should be no surprise that this recent controversy sparked polarizing and toxic debate. Many of the criticisms of this graduate student, even when technically accurate, intentionally miss the point. Conservative news outlets, the National Rifle Association and some Utah lawmakers were quick to condemn the student. However, these groups fail to address a far more important issue: pervasive gun violence continues to impact our state and country.
The concealed carry laws are justified by the oft-repeated refrain of gun lobbyists and conservative populations that more firearms will lead to a safer society. For years we have waited for this to come true. There are now more guns than there are people in the United States. Every day, 96 Americans are
