Written by Anthony Pope

On Tuesday, VSU President William McKinney announced his opposition to Georgia House Bill 29, called Georgia Campus Carry Act, a bill that would permit firearms on colleges and universities.

In the email, which was sent to all VSU faculty, staff and students, McKinney, along with the Board of Regents, pledged his support for the existing law, which does not permit firearm activity on campuses and universities.

With the recent occurrence of several mass killings involving guns, legislators have been more focused on gun legislation.

Ray Jackson, a VSU graduate student, rejects House Bill 29.

“I believe people have the right to the amendments that are listed in the constitution,” Jackson said. “The second amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms and as an American living in America, I should be allowed to carry my weapon wherever I go.”

But not everyone agrees with Jackson.

Ruben Brooks, a senior exercise physiology major, feels that a law permitting the use of guns on campuses will lead to an unsafe environment.

“I feel that people need the proper training if they are going to be able to carry guns on campus,” Brooks said. “If we have people walking around who don’t know how to operate a gun then that could lead to a whole lot of problems.”

Other students believe that there could be other beneficial matters that could be taken before resorting to passing the bill.

Tiffany Wynn, a junior mass media major, feels as if guns wouldn’t be needed on campuses if the university had better physical protection.

“I think that they are not needed on campus,” Wynn said. “Maybe if we get gates on campus that would lead to a safer environment.”

The Georgia House of Representatives will meet again on at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow