Utah is what one might call a gun-friendly state. The state allows open or concealed carry of a loaded firearm with a permit, and open carry without a permit for unloaded firearms.
There is nothing wrong with the citizens of a state deciding that they want to live in a place with liberal gun policy. That’s what democracy entails if the people so choose.
However, there is one aspect of Utah’s gun laws that has been brought into the national spotlight recently that can’t be ignored: the full extension of gun carry laws to university campuses.
Due to threats on her and others’ lives from an anonymous email, feminist media critic Anita Sarkeesian’s canceled her Wednesday speech at Utah State University.
Make no mistake — this isn’t her first experience with threats of violence. The substance of her decision to not speak was based on the inability of the campus police to prevent attendees from bringing weapons, in accordance with Utah’s gun carry laws.
The truth of it is, Sarkeesian was acting as a perfectly rational human being. Anyone who has his or her life legitimately threatened will not willingly walk into a situation with no protection. You can have whatever opinion you like on gun control or your own bravery, but if someone intends to kill you and you then opt to speak in front of individuals, any number of which could be carrying gun — well, that’s just not a wise choice.
The Utah law specifically states that state colleges have no right to restrict the gun carrying rights of students on campus, one of only seven states allowing concealed weapons on campus in some capacity. Arizona, like 22 other states, allows its higher education governing body to decide; the Arizona Board of Regents does not allow concealed firearms on campus. We’re lucky enough to know that when a controversial figure comes to speak their mind at ASU, they’ll have necessary precautions taken for their safety. The remaining 20 states ban concealed weapons on college campuses, according to state statute.
One perspective is that a law is a law, and that the Utah State University administration was right in not letting a threat of terror cause them to break a law. However, if the law so indubitably leads to the quelling of free speech, the basic merit of the law needs to be evaluated.
According to Utah law, the attendees had the right to carry concealed weapons to the event. But according to basic human sensibilities, Sarkeesian had the right to give her speech without the fear of being killed.
Now, obviously the blame of this situation falls squarely on the person who threatened Sarkeesian, but ultimately, the university’s lack of ability to control the situation needs to be called into question.
The inability of campus police to screen attendees for weapons led to the silencing of speech; the precedent this sets is disturbing. Will controversial voices be constantly silenced by the potential for gun violence in the seven states who allow concealed gun carry on campus? Universities are supposed to be a place for ideas of all kinds. College students deserve to hear these ideas unfettered by the fear of violence.
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