American campuses are not getting safe, many would say, with the string of shootings happening in US schools in the past years and months. We all hear the echoes of Columbine and Virginia Tech ringing in our ears whenever an incident happens in schools. Though some countries such as Germany are not exempt from these tragedies, it is almost too common to hear news of violence involving firearms in schools around the US.

With these incidents, a movement of students called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus are campaigning in allowing students and faculty members who legally own guns on campus as defense in case it happens again. It is a controversial issue, that even I would cringe at the notion that there are more guns on campus, rather than have law enforcement authorities patrol schools or respond to such incidents. As the campaigners say, "guns save lives", but that's only one side of the coin, as the other side is "guns kill", and the more guns that proliferate, then either you put a detente or false sense of calm and security, or just one false move, a shooting spree that may just snuff out more young and promising lives in schools.

Well, we cannot say yet if this trend would lead to more tragedies, even as other campuses and state legislatures are now proposing rules and laws allowing students to carry concealed guns on campus. Some are uncomfortable as it may just bring more confusion when a gunman strikes inside the campus. Are the students properly prepared to shoot at the gunman or would they just shoot at a direction where there hear gunshots coming from? Would they be able to distinguish friend or foe when the gunman wears the same campus fashion as them? Just think about the scenario.

But it may also make a gunman to think twice before barging into a school knowing well that people are armed inside. A sane and calculating person may think this way and would just throw a plan away. But a mentally deranged individual who has revenge in mind might not.

The debate is ongoing, while it's not as prominent as the other more pressing issues in the US such as healthcare and employment during the economic downturn, it's still something of great concern. If you are a parent sending your kid to school, would you allow your kid to carry a gun to school?

Personally, I just shudder at the thought of college booze drinking sessions with armed students.

You decide for yourselves.

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