Prosecutors and public defenders can also pack concealed heat during the workday, except when the courtroom is in session.
This newly amended bill went into effect on July 1, but conflicts with a previous law and policies these institutions already have. So, which state law bears greater weight? This bill definitely affects those of us here at Mississippi State University. The university already has a no-gun policy, so does the passing of this law now make this policy obsolete?
Some are concerned the mere sight of a gun may cause alarm on campus. Although the weapon would have to be concealed and licensed, accidents are bound to happen. It may make students paranoid to know the bulge in their classmate’s pocket isn’t just a giant cell phone.  This summer, there was an alleged sighting of a man with a gun on Virginia Tech’s campus, which was of course known several years ago for a campus shooting. Emergency plans were put into place. Would each gun sighting at MSU cause the same sort of chaos?
However, some people do feel it is the right to carry a weapon to protect themselves and those around them. The problem is, it is currently pretty easy to obtain a concealed weapon license in Mississippi.  You don’t have to go through any specialty training courses, so you could potentially not know how to shoot a gun but legally be able to carry one; however, the new law requires training to carry a concealed weapon on campus. In any case, the government should make the requirements for licensing stricter.
Guns and bars don’t mix well together. Inebriation and deadly firearms are not a good combination. Drunken anger and a gun within reaching distance will probably not have a positive turnout. If anything, bars and clubs should be places where you specifically should not be able to carry a concealed weapon, since one of the primary focuses at these types of places is alcohol.
MSU currently is adhering to its current policy, which prevents weapon posession by students on campus, which follows a previously existing law. The university is waiting on an opinion from the attorney general’s office for guidance. And, let’s face it, the university does have the best intentions regarding its students.
But if there is one thing we can agree on, those who carry concealed weapons should exercise common sense and should be held accountable.
Whether or not it is ruled that concealed weapons can be brought on campus, because of the potential deadly nature of guns, it is important to encourage and enforce training. For the safety of the carrier and those around him or her, Misssissippi should pass laws that require training to carry concealed weapons.
 
 
The Reflector editorial board is made up of opinion editor Wendy Morell, news editor Kaitlyn Byrne, news editor Megan McKeown, sports editor James Carskadon, life editor Kaitlin Mullins, photo editor Eric Evans, copy editors Rachel Burke and Mollie C. Reeves, online editor Matthew Witbeck, graphic designer Piper Reaves, managing editor Julia Pendley and Editor in Chief Hannah Rogers.