Q: Do you think the country should change its gun laws? Why or why not?
Sophomore Matt Smiley, chemistry major
“[The country] can do things about [gun laws] without removing the privilege of owning a weapon. I don’t think anyone should have weapons, but that’s not feasible in today’s society. Long story short, I believe we should do [a] lot of things about [gun laws].”
Sophomore Sara O’Neill, history and sociology major
“I believe more gun control should be implemented to prevent mass shootings or day to day gun violence that is common in our country.”
Senior Colin Shands, marketing major
“I think that people have the right to protect themselves, but there should be reform for how people get guns. I don’t think just anybody, even if they have a clean record, should be able to purchase guns. I think there should be more of a background check of what they might need the guns for. Are they hunters? Do they have reason to protect themselves?”
Grad student Mike Mcfadden, electrical engineering
“I believe that the purpose of the Second Amendment was to create a militia for a burgeoning era, a country that couldn’t take care of itself, couldn’t afford an army. Now [the country] spend[s] billions of dollars on military that really doesn’t stand still for the most part. I don’t think the Second Amendment is necessary. I think it’s completely outdated due to the fact that [the country doesn’t] need guns in every household any longer to protect [the] country.”
Junior David Hermansen, management information systems and computer science major
“I believe the country should change its gun laws primarily on the fact that the data has shown that countries that have stricter gun control regulation have seen a lot less mass homicides and massacres occurring. Consider Australia: after their biggest massacre in their entire existence, they cut down on the availability for assault weapons and high powered rifles and they haven’t had a gun massacre ever since.”