Jessica Sewing | Collegio Reporter

On the agenda at Gorillas for Concealed Carry on Campus’ latest meeting was the current Kansas House Bill 2353. If the bill were to be passed, anyone who has obtained a legal conceal and carry permit would be allowed to carry concealed firearms into any Kansas public building. This would include PSU’s campus as well.
The Kansas Board of Regents released a statement opposing this measure. In the letter, Regents Chairman Ed McKechnie listed five reasons for the opposition, including the fact that HB-2353 would allow concealed weapons in dorms, laboratories, stadiums, museums and any campus building.
Members of Gorillas for Concealed Carry on Campus say the only way to continue to not allow weapons on campus is to ensure no one would be able to by installing some sort of security measure, such as metal detectors in all the buildings.
“There is a time and a place for everything,” said McKechnie. “University campuses constitute neither the time nor the place for concealed weapons or airport-style security measures.”
Gorillas for Concealed Carry on Campus says that not allowing concealed weapons and not having better security measures on campus is putting student in a position to not be able to protect themselves if something were to happen. Members also say that people have a phobia of guns because they aren’t exposed to them and that possibly the more people see concealed weapons and are around them, they may become more comfortable with the idea.
Currently, the club is asking people to sign petition cards in support of the lawful concealed carry on campus.
Gorillas for Concealed Carry on Campus will travel to St Louis on April 12-16 for the National Rifle Association National 141st Annual Exhibit. In St Louis the club will have the opportunity to hear fellow Second Amendment rights supporters.