Campus Carry Interviews - Moreno

Campus Carry Interviews

By Michelle Moreno

Interview 1: Tammy Gonzales, Program Coordinator at the Center for the Study of the Southwest at Texas State University, from San Marcos, Texas, female, age 42.

Q: Were you on campus when the campus carry law was up for debate and what were your feelings about it then?

A: Yes, I tired not to think too much about it then and it wasn't until recently, until this past change that really scared me. In 2016, that they agreed with the law, that you can carry a concealed weapon and the president can make rules and regulations, but I don't think she did. Which is another issue.

Q: How do you feel about that? The administration's response?

A: I'm not big with the administration. I don't agree with a lot of the decisions they make, I don't feel they stand up for their students and their staff. It makes me feel unsafe and I generally keep the front door locked until someone else is in the building. It's locked if it's here until my coworker gets here or until my boss gets here.

Q: Do you think working in this department puts makes you more vulnerable to harassment or an attack?

A: Definitely. I think so - we had those "Blood and Soil" flyers on our doors last semester. And there were stickers on the lamp posts. I felt threatened and targeted with all of the individuals on campus or in the area that feel they can lash out at minorities and people of color.

Q: So we've had incidents like that, where there's been posters or things on social media, but there hasn't actually been a gun on campus yet, does that change your feelings at all?

A: No, because I'm even afraid to go to events that are outside. My anxiety gets so high that I'm not even paying attention to what is happening, I'm looking up at rooftops and trees and behind me. I don't bring my son on campus very much anymore because I don't feel that it's safe, I don't want us to get caught up in something.

Interview 2: Kristi Madden, the Administrative Assistant to Dr. Hartman at the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University, from Austin, Texas, female, age 45.

Q: Were you on campus when the ruling was changed?

A: No

Q: Do you remember reading about or hearing about it and what was your opinion then?

A: Yes, then I didn't think that campus carry should be an option because I feel like any school, university should be a safe place. That everyone that is there, student, faculty, staff, that you should feel safe in your environment. And I don't feel like letting people carry their own guns makes everyone safe.

Q: Now being on campus, knowing there are people on campus with their weapons, how does that make you feel?

A: I hate it. It gives me anxiety. When racial tensions are high, when we come to work and there are "Blood and Soil" flyers taped to our doors, I come into my office and I lock the door and I cry. Because I don't even want to be at work, it doesn't feel like a safe place. And I don't feel like I have an option, as a mother with a family, I don't have the option of just going and finding another job where I feel safer. I feel like I have to come to work everyday, despite there being campus carry and I don't have a choice in that.

Q: So if you did have a voice, if it came to a vote again, what would you do to help influence it in your direction?

A: I think that I would try to get more involved in spreading the word and maybe try to understand why other people think that it's a good idea. Because I think that me just shouting and saying my feelings of why I'm against it aren't good enough. I need to understand why someone else feels the need to carry, if that makes them feel safe and maybe try to come to an understanding so they know how I feel and I know how they feel and see if there's another compromise. I understand that a lot of people that carry guns, they do it out of fear. But I don't think that campus carry or even in the state of Texas, people having concealed hand guns, I don't think it's something that levels the playing field. I think that's kind of what everyone else thinks. Well, "if a bad guys going to have a gun, then we should all have guns," and I completely disagree.