EDITORIAL: Will Texas law makers pull the trigger?

Legislature may gun down your peace of mind, prepare to be blown away

You are sitting in class and hear gun shots. You grab your new 9 mm pistol from your backpack and enter the hallway.

You see a shooter firing continuously down an adjacent hallway. You fire your pistol and the shooter falls to the ground. You run to take the gun from the shooter’s hand before he can cause any more carnage.

As you arrive at his lifeless body you see a figure in that adjacent hallway. The figure is wearing camouflage gear. He is armed with an assault rifle and holstered handguns.

Realizing you may have just murdered an innocent student you turn to run away and are confronted by a faculty member. The faculty member sees you with two guns in your hand. You see a white puff of smoke from the gun. Your surroundings become dark and silent.

The Texas Legislature in Austin is considering S.B. No. 182 and H.B. No 706 that will allow concealed weapons in the classroom at schools of higher learning, including the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Will these laws, if enacted, keep students, faculty and staff safe? The above scenario is fictitious, but the recent shooting at Lone Star College was real. That shooting was the result of a disagreement between two students.

There is no special clothing worn by those who have a Concealed Handgun License. There is no way to tell at a glance if the person carrying has proper state approved training.

News reports on television demonstrate chaos on campuses hours after a shooting. Chaos and fear must surely be at its height during the event. It takes a quick wit and controlled emotions to reason and decide if the person holding a gun is an active shooter or an innocent bystander trying to protect him or herself.

Police officers and military personnel are trained and tested continually, yet they still make mistakes. The issue is not the gun but the user.

Additionally, accidental discharge concerns students and faculty. Most handguns are constructed with safety switches and trigger guards. The discharge of a handgun accidentally dropped is rare. Nevertheless, there are models that use switches at the trigger.

Without a holster, these handguns can be discharged while being removed from a pocket or purse. A tube of lipstick or finger accidently entering the trigger guard could discharge the gun. The holster is an important part of equipment for a weapon, not simply a fashionable accessory.

Surveys suggest violence against students or faculty is a concern. A student could express displeasure over a grade or the breakup with a significant other by using a legally possessed handgun. This could affect the quality of instruction and student relationships on campus.

University students have many stresses. They are confronted with the learning process while required to juggle employment and life off campus.

Adding to those concerns, they will have to think about making another student angry, bumping them or insulting them. Each of these acts could cause injury or death by a student acting irrationally and using their handgun.

Moreover, any situation that would cause an unreasonable or emotional response requires a cooling off period to allow the event to be processed mentally. This period would allow the person to reason and avoid regret and possible injury to someone. If a handgun is in the mix of available options, the cooling off period would be eliminated and tragedy could occur.

There is a state law governing the licensing and ownership of a concealed handgun. That law cites the places where handgun possession is restricted. Current license holders suggest that since these restrictions are covered by that law, other restrictions are not necessary.

The one point on which everyone does seem to agree is that training and continuing education is essential to the ultimate success of the CHL process.

Regardless of the training and licensing, university buildings and classrooms are not places to carry concealed handguns.

Finally, it is up to you. Texas state websites will give you the information to contact your state lawmakers. Let them know your feelings concerning these two bills. Their names and more information can be found at http://www.legis.state.tx.us.

Your safety and security depend on it.