M8 – Van Tetering

Gun laws are one of the largest topics of debate in today’s society, it is an extremely difficult subject as it pertains to many laws, constitutional and personal rights and overall safety of people within society. In regard to this particular case, I would say that people should be allowed to have their firearm in their vehicle at work. If someone’s motivation to own a gun is for personal safety, having to keep it at home and not in your vehicle almost defeats the purpose of owning a gun. In terms of property rights, I think the right for employers to tell people what they can and can’t bring to work should be confined to the building itself. I understand why an employer would not want an employee to bring a gun right through the front door of the workplace, however they should have the right to at least keep it outside in their vehicle.

Considering the perspective that a “wrecking ball’ effect would take place if the NRA bans guns from parking lots, my opinion would agree with this. I think that once you start banning gun from something as simple as a car in a parking lot at work, then other rights in terms of gun legislation would start to be taken as well. One cannot take some of the right away but no other aspects, once it starts to be analyzed and changed in certain features, then the right as whole would be in jeopardy. In fighting this, gun advocates have politicized this issue, however with such a fragile issue that pertains extremely important legislation such as the second amendment, it is something that almost has to be done. In saying this, I think that legislators do have the right to get involved, as this issue is not something that only involves workers and employers, but society as a whole.

Possibly one of the largest debates happening right now in terms of gun laws involves the issue of schools and guns. This is an extremely difficult issue in my opinion, the only thing that is certain is that something needs to be done to better protect school children. Whether that is training teachers to use guns, hiring more security for the schools or simply getting rid of guns in society as a whole. It is an issue that I cannot really formulate a concrete perspective on as I do not know what the most effective solution would be. Overall, I think safety of school children is more important then anyone’s right to own certain guns or bring them to the school parking lot. Therefore, whatever solution effectively protects school children should be put in place regardless of infringing on certain rights.