Chronicling Rising Campus Crime Rates, Auburn Students Want To Be Able To Carry Weapons On Campus

A group of young conservatives at Auburn University is fighting for their right – but not to party.

Instead, it’s to be armed.

The College Fix reported that Auburn’s chapter of Young Americans for Liberty is petitioning the administration to overturn a ban on Tasers and knives in the interest of self-defense.

According to The Fix, Auburn banned a slew of weapons in 2013.

The policy included guns “non-culinary” knives, stun guns, Tasers, or any instruments of “like-kind.”

But the college also outlawed air guns, archery equipment, slingshots, swords, crossbows, brass knuckles, and fireworks.

The students’ petition notes that between 2014 and 2019 the university’s own crime report showed an annual average of 10 rapes and 14 aggravated assaults. Between 2018 and 2020, those numbers were actually up, to a about dozen rapes each year and 18 aggravated assaults.

“The lack of ability for students to have basic self-defense methods will only cause this average number of cases to rise,” the petition maintains.

The petition, which has more than 1,200 signatures as of Monday, also says students should have “unrestricted access on campus to arm themselves with non-lethal self-defense tools, such as tasers” and “unrestricted on-campus access to carry either fixed or unfixed blades 4-inches or smaller without the handle, for the purpose of self-defense.”

They want to be allowed to carry them in “all campus facilities.”

“Auburn University has failed to protect its students against theft, violence, and even rape on campus,” Ava Marano, a student activist supporting the ban repeal, told The Fix.

“Defending oneself is the most important right we have, and Auburn University students should unquestionably be permitted to defend themselves on campus at the most basic level. This policy needs to be changed now.”

The Fix noted that the administration has not responded to the YAL chapter at all so far.

In a statement, the national YAL group told The Fix, “The University believes our chapter is a student group that can be waited out, that will go away given enough time.”

“Unfortunately for the Auburn administrators, YAL trains its activists to be relentless and goal-oriented. Our Auburn chapter is identifying the methods that will take down this policy and organizing themselves to take action and get the job done.”

Visit Tampafp.com for Politics, Tampa Area Local News, Sports, and National Headlines. Support journalism by clicking here to our GoFundMe or sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here. 

Android Users, Click Here To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook Here Or Twitter Here.