The author is correct. Guns are not accessories to be toted around. They are tools — tools that allow an individual to defend him or herself when a psychopath decides to open fire into a crowd.
There is the suggestion that those who are armed during an assault are 4.5 times more likely to be shot — isn't this intuitive?
Coming to the defense of your friends with firepower equivalent to the assailant is apt to make you a primary target, while everybody else is busy fleeing; however, the option to defend ourselves is a right, and the increased probability of personal injury isn't grounds for dismissing this right.
The bottom line is that with appropriate training, students who are armed can potentially save many lives. How long does it take for the police to respond? 45 seconds to a minute at best?
At a rate of several bullets per second this simply isn't fast enough. Having armed individuals at the scene can potentially resolve a situation almost immediately.
The key is training people when to fire and when not to fire, not prohibition (considering criminals don't abide by prohibition).
Ryan Tucker
Undergraduate
