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Bulletproof T-shirt makers encourage students to question gun carry laws Bulletproof T-shirt makers encourage students to question gun carry laws
(about 2 hours later)
For the loyal college student who wants to sport university colours while feeling protected from an active shooter, a campus group has a spoof apparel line for you. Among the items Student Body Armor offers are bulletproof T-shirts.For the loyal college student who wants to sport university colours while feeling protected from an active shooter, a campus group has a spoof apparel line for you. Among the items Student Body Armor offers are bulletproof T-shirts.
The campaign by Cocks not Glocks, named after dildo-themed protests against campus gun carry protests held last year, hopes to attract the attention of high school students who are mulling over which college to choose.The campaign by Cocks not Glocks, named after dildo-themed protests against campus gun carry protests held last year, hopes to attract the attention of high school students who are mulling over which college to choose.
“Don’t get caught in the crossfire. Get student body armor,” boasts a video created by advertising agency FCB New York, which notes that nine states allow “virtually anyone with a license” to bring a gun onto school grounds. “Don’t get caught in the crossfire. Get student body armor,” says a video created by advertising agency FCB New York, which notes that nine states allow “virtually anyone with a license” to bring a gun on to school grounds.
With clothes dubbed “a proprietary blend of Type II body armor and school pride”, it is a ridiculous way of making a serious point – much like the Cocks Not Glocks demonstration last August at the University of Texas at Austin, when activists distributed thousands of dildos as a critique of Texas’s new law allowing licence-holders aged 21 and over to carry concealed handguns in most places at public higher education institutions.With clothes dubbed “a proprietary blend of Type II body armor and school pride”, it is a ridiculous way of making a serious point – much like the Cocks Not Glocks demonstration last August at the University of Texas at Austin, when activists distributed thousands of dildos as a critique of Texas’s new law allowing licence-holders aged 21 and over to carry concealed handguns in most places at public higher education institutions.
The aim was to highlight the perceived absurdity of rules that make brandishing sex toys potentially illegal, while the state’s Republican-dominated legislature has given its blessing to young people attending classes or entering a dorm room with a holstered revolver.The aim was to highlight the perceived absurdity of rules that make brandishing sex toys potentially illegal, while the state’s Republican-dominated legislature has given its blessing to young people attending classes or entering a dorm room with a holstered revolver.
It is about “absurd branding that makes people just slow down for a second and question what they value as acceptable in day-to-day life”, said Jessica Jin, a former University of Texas student who founded Cocks Not Glocks.It is about “absurd branding that makes people just slow down for a second and question what they value as acceptable in day-to-day life”, said Jessica Jin, a former University of Texas student who founded Cocks Not Glocks.
In addition to the nine states that generally allow concealed weapons on public higher education campuses, there are 23 others that allow individual institutions to make their own decisions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.In addition to the nine states that generally allow concealed weapons on public higher education campuses, there are 23 others that allow individual institutions to make their own decisions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Amid Republican success in many statewide elections in recent years, the number of states that allow some form of campus carry is growing: it will come into effect in Arkansas in September, while a bill in Georgia is awaiting a decision from the governor, Nathan Deal, who vetoed similar legislation last year.Amid Republican success in many statewide elections in recent years, the number of states that allow some form of campus carry is growing: it will come into effect in Arkansas in September, while a bill in Georgia is awaiting a decision from the governor, Nathan Deal, who vetoed similar legislation last year.
“They just keep popping up like Whac-A-Mole, state after state, and we have to stay super-vigilant about this,” Jin said. “They just keep popping up like Whac-a-Mole, state after state, and we have to stay super-vigilant about this,” Jin said.
The liberal-leaning Austin campus has been the epicentre of resistance to the Texas law, which expands to include community colleges from 1 August. Private universities can opt out and almost all are opposed.The liberal-leaning Austin campus has been the epicentre of resistance to the Texas law, which expands to include community colleges from 1 August. Private universities can opt out and almost all are opposed.
Gun-Free UT, an anti-campus carry group, has compiled a list of 21 prospective or current faculty members, students, guest speakers and performers who have left or decided not to attend Texas campuses because of the law, which critics say risks harming safety, discouraging recruitment and provoking intimidation that will stifle the free and frank exchange of ideas.Gun-Free UT, an anti-campus carry group, has compiled a list of 21 prospective or current faculty members, students, guest speakers and performers who have left or decided not to attend Texas campuses because of the law, which critics say risks harming safety, discouraging recruitment and provoking intimidation that will stifle the free and frank exchange of ideas.
Proponents argue that license-holders should be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms on a campus just as they can elsewhere, that only a small number of students are likely to be carrying and that security and free-speech concerns are exaggerated.Proponents argue that license-holders should be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms on a campus just as they can elsewhere, that only a small number of students are likely to be carrying and that security and free-speech concerns are exaggerated.
A Houston Chronicle examination of the first six months of the law found three firearm discharges on Texas college campuses last fall: a suicide at the University of Houston, three shots fired at Texas Tech University without injury or property damage and the accidental firing of a gun in a dorm room at Tarleton State University by a licensed student which caused limited property damage.A Houston Chronicle examination of the first six months of the law found three firearm discharges on Texas college campuses last fall: a suicide at the University of Houston, three shots fired at Texas Tech University without injury or property damage and the accidental firing of a gun in a dorm room at Tarleton State University by a licensed student which caused limited property damage.
“I think that campus carry is spreading across other states simply because people realise that you have an individual right to self-defence,” said Brian Bensimon, a student at the University of Texas and regional director for Students For Concealed Carry. “If you have an area nearby, let’s say it’s a grocery store or a restaurant, that does allow concealed carry… what is so qualitatively different about the college campus that you can’t allow it there?” “I think that campus carry is spreading across other states simply because people realise that you have an individual right to self-defence,” said Brian Bensimon, a student at the University of Texas and regional director for Students for Concealed Carry. “If you have an area nearby, let’s say it’s a grocery store or a restaurant, that does allow concealed carry … what is so qualitatively different about the college campus that you can’t allow it there?”
Gun rights on campus may be significantly enhanced if the Texas legislature passes a so-called “constitutional carry” bill under consideration that would allow the open carrying of guns without a permit.Gun rights on campus may be significantly enhanced if the Texas legislature passes a so-called “constitutional carry” bill under consideration that would allow the open carrying of guns without a permit.
For Jin, the matter goes beyond any statistical analysis of risks and frequency of incidents. “I think the issue is the normalization of violence. Rather than actually taking any serious steps towards addressing why students are so scared to go to school every day without a gun, we’re just talking about creating more violence, which is not a transformative or restorative solution whatsoever,” she said.For Jin, the matter goes beyond any statistical analysis of risks and frequency of incidents. “I think the issue is the normalization of violence. Rather than actually taking any serious steps towards addressing why students are so scared to go to school every day without a gun, we’re just talking about creating more violence, which is not a transformative or restorative solution whatsoever,” she said.
“What we’re going to continue to do with Cocks Not Glocks is go wherever this legislation goes and say hey, students, do you want to be part of a movement that is here to change the narrative around the culture of this ‘guns everywhere’ society, a society that expects violence in day to day situations? Like, should you go to class expecting violence? Should you go to class expecting to witness violence? And is that something we’re OK with? Or is that something we’re going to fight?” “What we’re going to continue to do with Cocks Not Glocks is go wherever this legislation goes and say hey, students, do you want to be part of a movement that is here to change the narrative around the culture of this ‘guns everywhere’ society, a society that expects violence in day-to-day situations? Like, should you go to class expecting violence? Should you go to class expecting to witness violence? And is that something we’re OK with? Or is that something we’re going to fight?”