Letter to the Editor: Allow campus carry
Dear President Leebron,
As a Rice alum (Physics, M.A. '71, Ph.D. '73), I write to tell you that you and the university have made a mistake.
I understand your thinking on this, in that living in the isolated world of higher education, you might believe that the hedge around the Rice campus provides sufficient protection.
But the issue is not "must carry". It is to allow those who have been vetted, have a Concealed Handgun License, and have the requisite training, to carry — to actually have in their possession a tool that will allow them to defend themselves should a situation occur similar to Virginia Tech, or the theater in Colorado, or the elementary school at Sandy Hook.
Those were "Gun-Free Zones" — you see how safe that made the people there. Fort Hood, where the Major gunned down a number of soldiers, was also a "Gun-Free zone". The person intent on doing bad is not deterred by th! e sign banning guns - he is in fact encouraged by it, for he knows he will encounter no opposition. In fact, most of the mass shootings have occurred in gun-free zones.
The phrase "Gun-Free Zone" really should be changed to a "Target-Rich Environment".
I suggest that you look and see the number of crimes which have been committed by CHL holders. I think that you would find that it is very, very low, and that allowing carry would significantly increase campus safety. In fact, female students returning to their colleges from the library late at night would probably feel that their safety would be increased if they could carry.
I hope you have not disarmed the campus police also.
One question I have — would one be violating a school rule by being on campus with a weapon in his car? That would effectively be denying him the right to protect himself off campus.
Perhaps you might share, one day, the polls, including how the questions were presented. I would hope so, on that you might re-consider this mistake.
Respectfully submitted,
Carey Snyder
More from The Rice Thresher
Local Foods launches in newly renovated Brochstein space
Local Foods Market opened at Brochstein Pavilion Nov. 19, replacing comfort food concept Little Kitchen HTX. The opening, previously scheduled for the end of September, also features interior renovations to Brochstein. Local Foods is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.
Scan, swipe — sorry
Students may need to swipe their Rice IDs through scanners before entering future public parties, said dean of undergraduates Bridget Gorman. This possible policy change is not finalized, but in discussion among student activities and crisis management teams.
Energy summit talks the policy behind power
The 16th annual Rice Energy Finance Summit was held at Jones Business School Nov. 15. Speakers from the energy industry discussed topics including renewable energy, the Texas power grid and the future of energy policy under a second Trump administration.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.