On February 17th,
2016, The Editorial Board of The Fort Worth Star Telegram posted an article
about a new law that allows students on public universities in Texas to carry a
concealed weapon on campus. On August 1st, 2016, this new law will
go into effect for four-year public universities. An Editorial article is
basically a majority opinion of the newspaper’s editors and business managers
on an issue.
We do not know much about the author(s) of this article so the credibility is limited in that sense. What we can analyze is the argument that is being made.
The Editorial Board references Physicist Steven Weinberg, a Nobel Prize winner and professor at UT Austin. Weinberg claims he will ban guns from his classroom and even goes as far to say he may retire instead of facing the university administration. The article also mentions other UT professors who have formed a group called Gun Free UT, whom has hired lawyers to investigate a possible lawsuit. The evidence given indicates that the Editorial Board is clearly against the new rule and efforts are being made in protest.
The author(s) briefly states that some proponents say students will feel safer because they can defend themselves. Quickly after, the author(s) state in return that faculty members fear an armed student who receives a failing grade poses a threat in the classrooms. Parents and students that read the article could potentially change their decision to attend UT Austin, which will lead to the loss of top recruits.
In effort to persuade the reader in opposition of the law, the author(s) identifies UT Austin’s President, Gregory Fenves. Fenves is described negatively by saying he will sit back and wait to see what happens. Then, he will address the issues as they arise. What the author(s) fail to note is the reasons for enacting the bill.
School shootings have become an epidemic and now the students feel unsafe on college campuses. At least Texas legislators are discussing the problematic situation and are making modifications. College student deaths are in no way an easy problem to solve and disputing views could lead to an even worse outcome. Texas has a long history with guns and I am optimistic that our leaders with straighten out the kinks in Senate Bill 11.
We do not know much about the author(s) of this article so the credibility is limited in that sense. What we can analyze is the argument that is being made.
The Editorial Board references Physicist Steven Weinberg, a Nobel Prize winner and professor at UT Austin. Weinberg claims he will ban guns from his classroom and even goes as far to say he may retire instead of facing the university administration. The article also mentions other UT professors who have formed a group called Gun Free UT, whom has hired lawyers to investigate a possible lawsuit. The evidence given indicates that the Editorial Board is clearly against the new rule and efforts are being made in protest.
The author(s) briefly states that some proponents say students will feel safer because they can defend themselves. Quickly after, the author(s) state in return that faculty members fear an armed student who receives a failing grade poses a threat in the classrooms. Parents and students that read the article could potentially change their decision to attend UT Austin, which will lead to the loss of top recruits.
In effort to persuade the reader in opposition of the law, the author(s) identifies UT Austin’s President, Gregory Fenves. Fenves is described negatively by saying he will sit back and wait to see what happens. Then, he will address the issues as they arise. What the author(s) fail to note is the reasons for enacting the bill.
School shootings have become an epidemic and now the students feel unsafe on college campuses. At least Texas legislators are discussing the problematic situation and are making modifications. College student deaths are in no way an easy problem to solve and disputing views could lead to an even worse outcome. Texas has a long history with guns and I am optimistic that our leaders with straighten out the kinks in Senate Bill 11.
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