Let’s be clear from the start: this is a touchy issue. People all over the nation, not just at Colorado Mesa University, have incredibly strong opinions on guns. From their accessibility, to the obvious risks behind them, to the many different laws that are in place, it’s hard to know what the best options are for gun laws and gun safety.

Everyone has a different idea, a different solution and a different stance on how we should treat guns. As someone who was directly affected by gun violence my freshman year of high school, I am the kind of person who tends to be more wary of lax gun laws.

This is why I believe that CMU’s campus gun laws are, at least for now, our best option in creating a safe environment at school. CMU’s gun policy states that “weapons of any kind, functional or not, may not be carried or brandished” on campus.

The school’s online copy of the Maverick Guide expresses that if a student is “in possession or attempt[s] to use any one of these devices [weapons] or any other item deemed dangerous, your Residence Hall contract could be terminated and you will face possible recommendation for suspension and/or expulsion from the university, in addition to possible civil charges.”

The weapons that CMU specifically prohibits from campus include but are not limited to: “ammunition, explosive or incendiary devices including fireworks, sheath knives, stiletto knives, switch-blades, daggers, firearms of any description, BB/pellet/Airsoft guns, bows and arrows, crossbows and bolts, any device capable of propelling a projectile, and any other object deemed to be potentially harmful by the Grand Junction Police Department.”

There is an alternative option for students that wish to safely use guns, where they can leave their weapon of choice in one of the two safes that the CMU substation provides. The students fill out forms to pick up and drop off their weapons.

In my perfect world, there wouldn’t be guns of any kind in any setting. Along with that, there is no reason in my mind for guns to be a part of our educational experience. However, I know that this is not always the case, and the world does not cater to everyone’s desires. I strongly believe that the university has chosen the right path in banning weapons of any kind from the campus.

I also know that there are people on campus (and this world) who enjoy using guns, and I know that they are choosing to use them safely by partaking in the alternative option the university has created for them. However, allowing those students who do wish to take part in recreational gun use is a good compromise.

My attitude toward guns as of late is that people should be allowed to use them, as long as it is in a manner that does not injure or negatively affect another individual. If the people who leave their weapons in the safes use their weapons off-campus, I have no issue with that. I think that the policy CMU created is the smartest thing that could have been done in order to keep everyone happy (and safe).