Even though it took effect two years ago, a lawsuit filed by several professors at the University of Texas at Austin claiming that the state's 'Campus Carry' law is unconstitutional, was argued Wednesday before a federal appeals court, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The argument made by Gay and Lesbian Studies Professor Lisa Moore that the law violates her First Amendment rights has already been rejected by a federal district court.
"The vast majority of people involved in the University of Texas know that it is very dangerous to have more guns on the U.T. campus, and guns don't belong on the campus," Moore told News Radio 1200 WOAI.
The allow allows anybody with a licence to carry to have their gun in their possession on a state college campus, but it does give the college wide leeway in restricting guns from, for example, laboratories, counseling centers, and allows individual professors the right to restrict the carrying of guns into their offices, although guns are allowed in most classrooms under the law.
"Somehow, common sense has disappeared from the legal process," Moore said. "We really need to get guns out of our classrooms, by any means necessary."
Opponents of Campus Carry say the sometimes heated discussions that often take place in college classrooms will inevitably lead to somebody pulling a gun and opening fire, although there are no incidents known of that happening during the two years that the law has been in place.
Supporters of Campus Carry cite claims that were made during the original debate about concealed carry back in the 1990s that 'every fender bender will turn into a shootout.' In the more than twenty years since the concealed carry law was passed, incidents like that have been almost unknown, and people with licenses to carry firearms have turned out to be the most law abiding people in the state.
Gov. Greg Abbott says that will eventually happen with Campus Carry, too.
"I think once people realize there aren't any problems, they'll get comfortable with it," he said.
IMAGE; GETTY