All citizens of the United States have the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment, but a controversial bill recently signed by Governor PatMcCrory grants the possession of a concealed weapons carry permit on all school campuses in North Carolina.

Concealed weapons carry permit holders will be able to hold their weapons on school property as long as it is locked away in a compartment within their vehicle. They may also carry them into bars, granted they do not consume alcohol.

The provisions of House Bill 937 will officially go into effect on October 1, 2013. The bill has been discussed rigorously over the past couple of months with opponents on both sides of the debate offering passionate viewpoints.

“The trunk law will not have a bad impact on our campus,” said Mike Adams, associate professor of criminology at UNC Wilmington and a concealed weapons permit holder since 1997.  “If you look at citizens with a concealed weapons permit, they are the least violent. More guns more violence, is a general scare tactic.”

Supporters of the bill, like Mike Adams, argue it will decrease the crime rates because the threat of a concealed weapon will deter criminals. Non-supporters say the bill will simply create more chaos—more guns equal more violence.  

Statistics in Florida, the state with the most concealed weapons permits in the country, show number of issued concealed weapons permits rose by 90 percent from 2007 to 2011, while firearm related crime dropped 33 percent.

“Data is clear that guns don’t produce violence, especially those with concealed carry permits. If you hate guns and don’t want anything to do with them, someone else having one deters crime,” Adams said.

John Lott, the author of More Guns, Less Crimeand The Bias Against Guns is one of the proclaimed leaders in the gun movement today. Most supporters use his studies in the dispute for concealed carry use. Lott’s main argument is that through 29 peer-reviewed concealed weapon studies, 18 studies supported the right to carry decreased crime, 10 supported no significant difference, and only 1 showed any increase in crime. This would show that in most cases having a concealed weapon either deterred a crime or just had no effect.

The basic requirements for a concealed weapons permit in the state of North Carolina are enforced relatively well. The applicant must be 21 years of age, have no prior felonies, pass a mental evaluation and complete gun educational classes. If you can pass that, any applicant can pay the five-dollar fee and obtain the permit.

Even with the supportive evidence contributed by gun right supporters not everyone is convinced. Many UNCW students dislike the idea of any permit holder having the right to carry on our campus.

“Simply to have gone through a class that allows you to carry a weapon or a concealed weapon should not mean you have the right to carry that weapon around a park full of children or campus full of students,” said UNCW student Dalton McGuire.

McGuire is the owner of a pistol, rifle and two shotguns. As soon as he was eligible he obtained his concealed carry permit. He believes putting guns in the hands of every citizen is asking for more violence. Which, if you look at statistics by the Violence Policy Center, has merit.

Since 2009, the VPC has put together a research project keeping track of deaths in direct relation to concealed weapons carry permits holders updated monthly. Over the course of six years, 14 law-enforcement officers and 502 private citizens have been killed by concealed weapons carriers. There have been 24 mass shootings (a shooting in which 3 or more people were killed) resulting in the death of 107 people.

“I can understand law-enforcement officers having the right to carry on campus or playgrounds but I don’t believe every citizen is trained in shoot outs, self-defense, or even recognizing who is a viable threat,” McGuire said.

Regardless of all personal thoughts and mixed emotions on the new law, all law enforcement must be in direct compliance of the law.

“As far as the HB 937 we will comply with the Bill and educate and enforce any violations related to it when fully in effect,” said the UNCW Police Department in an e-mail.

While the controversy focuses on the part of the bill that allows concealed weapons carry permit holders to have a gun in various new places, there are other aspects that both sides agree can be positive. 

The bill strengthens laws against allowing minors to possess guns without parental consent and penalties and sentences against crimes in which a gun is used have been strengthened.

The allowance of guns in bars, restaurants where alcohol is served, local parks, playgrounds, funerals, parades and all levels of school campuses is where the controversy ignites.

With the bill already signed in July, the law will go into effect next month.  Residents of North Carolina and students at UNCW will soon be able to see then if there are any repercussions of this new law.