Members of the student body spoke about their own experiences dealing with firearms as ASUI encouraged legislators to vote against Senate Bill 1008.
The bill, written by Sen. Daniel Foreman of District 6, would strip the ability for universities to regulate firearms on campus.
Currently, the University of Idaho does allow firearms for those with an enhanced concealed carry permit. However, university restrictions bar them from entering residence halls and large entertainment facilities.
The bill, if passed, would take these restrictions away and allow individuals to conceal carry without the permit.
“With the events that happened last semester and having that anxiety, I don’t want to ever experience that anxiety ever again in my life,” Natalie Suaste, ASUI director of diversity and inclusion, said. “I should be able to go to school without having that fear instilled in me.”
A UI student spoke about their own first-hand experience dealing with gun violence. Peyton Campbell is a survivor of a school shooting in Spokane at Freeman High School.
The shooting claimed the life of one student and injured three others. Campbell discusses how the actions of one individual changed her life and perspective.
“That morning, one of my classmates who had gone to school (with me) since elementary brought a black golf bag. Inside was a little, fully loaded AR-5 assault rifle,” Campbell said. “He came up the stairway to the second floor of the high school, stopped at the end of the long hallway, took out the rifle, and opened fire while walking down the hall.”
Campbell said that after a few rounds, the rifle jammed, and the shooter drew a pistol and fired down the hallway.
“I turned to see one of my classmates fall onto the floor in front of me from multiple fatal shots,” Campbell said. “Three of my friends were shot and injured while they were running for safety.”
The effects of this tragedy have plagued Campbell, making it difficult for them to trust others. She finds herself looking for exits and triggering panic attacks from loud pops.
“A common concept that many people have often tried to encourage me with is that eventually, I learned to find a new normal,” Campbell said. “But this trauma has never been and never should be normal. On that day, I was changed from an innocent student to a helpless victim.”
President of the College Republicans and ASUI member Lauren Young had a more neutral take.
“I’m not either for or against the resolution, or for the bill that’s currently on our Idaho Senate floor,” Young said. “However, I am pro our legislative system and believe that our legislators will debate and do the right thing that is right for our constituents, mainly our college students in the state.”
Founding member of the College Republicans, Nathan Tupper, spoke about his experience as a sergeant in the Idaho National Guard.
“Whenever I teach a soldier how to use (guns), it’s very important that they are taught rightly how to use them, and that I think should apply to students as well,” Tupper said. “I say that as a member of the military that everyone should be able to learn how to use firearms.”
Tupper explained that if a student wants to bring a firearm on campus, they should go through a training course to learn what to do and not to do.
“My family and I tend to go out to the desert and south of Boise, and we tend to do our own range shooting,” Tupper said. “A truck came by and saw this cabinet that was pretty close to where we were, and these two idiots decided to shoot out the cabinet, which ricocheted into our general vicinity.”
Tupper said that no one was harmed, but the police were involved as there was some property damage. The situation was resolved, and both parties were able to walk away unharmed.
“I bring that up to say that as horrible, as terrible as gun violence is and as awful as it can be to school communities,” Tupper said. “There are ways that we can make it better without taking away people’s guns and taking away people’s rights.”
Sen. Bex Riehm, sponsor of ASUI’s resolution criticizing the bill, highlighted those that came to speak.
“You’ve heard directly tonight from students here at the university,” Riehm said. “I, however, also believe that a student should not and does not have to come to campus to feel uncomfortable with abstract gun laws.”
Sen. Daniel Hopovac spoke about his support for the resolution, seeing that it aligned with the best interests of the students at UI and with the recent shooting at Michigan State University in mind.
“As a result of gun violence on campus, as we gather here today, we must keep those impacted by this horrific event in our hearts,” Hopovac said. “We must also remember that we have a duty to our constituents to do everything in our power to prevent such events from occurring in the future.”
Daniel V. Ramirez can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @DVR_Tweets