I’ve seen so many news reports of mass shootings, suicides, and other events related to casualties of firearms that I’ve been desensitized to the violence that accompanies these horrific events.

So, I was not surprised to learn that as of Aug. 1, a new law allows college students on Texas campuses are now allowed to carry concealed handguns.

This is an awful decision.

Most of us are aware of the saying, “Everything’s bigger in Texas.” This seems to include the liberties a Texan has when it comes to owning a firearm.

To give the state credit, they are allowing each campus to decide which buildings students should be allowed to carry firearms.

In the situation of a mass shooting, it would make sense why people would wish they have a gun, and the state sees this as the most rational way to combat the unlikely disaster.

But this new Texas law is just asking for trouble.

Texans with an ID who are over the age of 18 have already been allowed to buy long barreled gun, such as  rifles and  shotguns. Those who are 21 with an ID can buy a handgun.

That’s it.

There is no background check, waiting period, permit, or training required.  Nothing.

Now some people would think this is a good idea. If everyone has a gun, then everyone can protect his or herself, right?

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 60 percent of college students drank alcohol in the past month and two out of three of were binge drinking.

How can people like this be trusted with a dangerous weapon in addition to their partying?

In the environment of a college campus, irresponsibility is rampant. Parties and alcohol are everywhere as well as stress and depression.

Suicide rates in Texas average at about 11 per 100,000 young adults.

How will this not cause the rate to increase now that these students are legally allowed to have an object that can instantly kill them?

It cannot be assured nor assumed that those armed with guns are properly trained.

This new concealed handgun law on college campuses is an example of how America is extremely lax with rules about weaponry. We need to implement stricter gun control,  whether it be using background checks, requiring a permit or license acquired by training, or any other sort of system of control that other major countries have enforced.

All this may result in lower rates of gun violence and suicides.

The US has the 13th highest rate of gun violence in the world, according to gunpolicy.org.

We need to decide whether we continue with this business as usual mentality or if we want to change our increasingly violent society.

Should we try to arm more people, which has been shown repeatedly to not work, or perhaps join other proud nations by implementing stricter gun-control laws that could possibly save lives and make America a bit safer?