By Rep. MARJORIE SMITH, D-Durham
Imagine this. It is a typical day at UNH when an active shooter call comes in to the well trained and professional campus police. They are at the site in minutes, enter the building and find twenty armed individuals firing shots. There is shouting, there is shooting, and no way for the police to know who are the ‘good’ guys and who are the ‘bad’ guys.
That is a scenario made possible by the decision of the N.H. House committee on Criminal Justice and public safety, by a straight party line vote, to pass the campus carry bill.
I have represented Durham since 1996. UNH represents the single largest entity in my district. I have even been privileged to serve for one term on the university system of board of trustees. I care deeply about the well being of the university and of its students, and have demonstrated my respect for the importance of public higher education. I also know, as all Durham residents do, that students tend not to pay a lot of attention to their surroundings. Crosswalks are not honored if one is engrossed with what is displayed on one’s phone.
But more importantly, I know that the most recent, reliable studies report that one in three students have mental health issues including depression, anxiety, self injury, and thoughts of suicide. A student’s relationship has just ended, or she has received a poor grade in her major subject, or he has been bullied. And now there is a gun nearby.
In December there was an incident at Brown university in which an individual came into a room in the Engineering Building and randomly fired, killing several students and injuring others. This was not something I just read about. I have a grandson who attends Brown where he is an engineering major. When I told him about the bill to permit students to carry guns he was incredulous. When I also told him that the incident at Brown was cited as a reason for the bill, he was horrified, and could not imagine how much greater the tragedy would have been if more weapons had been fired.
Perhaps as soon as February 5, HB1793 will be voted on by the full N.H. House of Representatives. So far, despite the committee’s support of the bill, it has been overwhelmingly opposed by the public. Perhaps your representative needs to hear from you
Representative Marjorie Smith, D-Durham