You may have heard about HB 981, a bill introduced a couple of weeks ago in the Georgia Assembly that relaxes restrictions on the possession of concealed hand guns on all school campuses, both public and private throughout the state.

You’ll want to read it for yourself because it’s really important that you understand the facts. I’ll briefly highlight just the main points but before I do, you need to know that the likelihood of this bill passing isn’t far-off.

For almost three years, I’ve been researching bills similar to HB 981, all intended to allow guns into schools in Georgia. It was from an article on the front page of The Spectator in early 2010 where I first learned about a legislation like this. I remember standing in West Hall, next to the paper stand by the door, staring at the headline, paralyzed. Since then I’ve made a point of learning as much as I could in an attempt to find an explanation to why guns in school is a good idea. I still haven’t found one but I understand more clearly now a lot of things that were very confusing before.

The politics of guns is part of this conversation and that includes the National Rifle Association, self-described as “the oldest civil rights organization in America.” They’re widely acknowledged as being a powerful lobbying group and have close ties to many members of the Georgia Assembly. The Republican Party is another piece, a political party that has taken a very clear position on Second Amendment rights. In contrast, Democrats have not taken a formal position, leaving gun policies up to individual party members to decide.

The interpretation of the Second Amendment, contained in The Bill of Rights, is another troublesome issue. This too is an area of strong debate. What’s interesting about HB 981, and previous bills like it, is that the lawmakers who have been working to forward this agenda for some time have not asked students or faculty what they thought. Considering the implications of what introducing a lethal weapon on campus means, you’d think they would.

Since 2010, there have been at least four shootings where the assailants were either students or faculty; Tucson, University of Alabama, Virginia Tech (2011) and this week Ohio. There were also numerous school shootings before that, including the infamous Columbine High School Massacre, which claimed the lives of 13 people and ended in the suicide of the two gunmen who engineered it.

Shootings on campus are the heart of this debate and where opinions are most strongly expressed and divided. Those in favor of carry on campus suggest that guns are a necessary means of defense in the event of a violent outbreak. However, campuses have historically been low crime areas. VSU has its own police force, trained to react to scenarios like those experienced on other campuses. After all, students aren’t police.

Those who think guns on campus poses enormous public safety risks include national associations and governing bodies that oversee educational institutions and campus police forces across the country.

Nearly all colleges and universities currently have policies that prohibit or severely restrict the possession of firearms on campus. The Journal of American College Health, the American Psychiatric Association, the National Institute of Health, The National Study of Student Hazing and the Report of the Virginia Tech Review Panel commissioned by the state of Virginia in the aftermath of the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in US history, are just a few examples of a large body of expertise that takes a very strong position against guns on campus.

Talking about this issue isn’t exactly easy nor is it a simple conversation. People often have really strong feelings making it hard to communicate them to others who don’t seem to agree. It’s important to get the facts and learn about HB 981 and legislation like it. Along the way talk to people, ask questions and try and understand another point of view even if you completely disagree. I found it hard at first, but now can agree to disagree. What’s important, I think, is that we start talking now because this bill or others like it isn’t going to go away. A series of open forums to talk about guns on campus are being planned now. Stay tuned for more info. The bill can be read in full at www1.legis.ga.gov, along with many other impending bills.