The Florida Legislature has abandoned the idea of allowing firearms to be carried on college campuses. While the speech made by the father of an FSU woman who was accidentally shot and killed may have ostensibly changed the minds of legislators, we think it has more to do with the opposition the lawmakers encountered.
Even for the proponents who say that open carry on campus would be beneficial, the idea still frightens many of the students, faculty and staff who live, work and learn on campus.
Perhaps the legislators decided that we shouldn’t be constantly worried about our fellow students’ states of mental health as we pursue higher education. Perhaps they understood concerns that rates of suicides and stolen guns would likely rise if the bill was passed with the campus open carry section in tact. Or maybe they knew getting blamed for the deaths of underclassmen wouldn’t make for good press.
Whatever their true reason, removing this controversial aspect of the bill has allowed lawmakers to push forward the remaining part of a Florida open carry proposal.
We’re glad to see it gone.
We can think of many ways to improve our campus and the well-being of the people on it, but allowing for an open carry certainly isn’t among them.
