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At a federal hearing Feb. 19, the National Rifle Association (NRA) declared its non-negotiable stance on permitting possession of concealed weapons in public transit. The NRA sees it as a necessary safety measure and is unwilling to forgo the right to carry a concealed weapon. However, they have been met with a considerable amount of opposition from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).

“I don’t believe people who need public transportation to get around should be prohibited from exercising their constitutional right,” NRA lobbyist Todd Vandermyde told the Chicago Sun-Times. “Just because one is one economic status, they get rights. But because someone has to avail themselves of public transportation, they don’t get the right to self-defense? They’re supposed to roam around defenseless? Help me understand how that works.”

Legislators are largely divided on this matter, but the CTA’s position is clear: they demand that no weapons be allowed on public transit unless CTA employees are given proper training with weapons and, consequently, paid double as hired police officers. These measures are unlikely to succeed, though, as the CTA insists on banning possession of arms in all modes of public transit.

Chris Wernecke, president of the DePaul College Democrats, said that “the NRA … and its far-from-reality leadership refuses to see reason” when it comes to this heavily debated issue. Wernecke further said that there are no virtues to the proposal and he supports the CTA in its opposition. He added that an increase in weapons would only lead to an increase in death and violence, especially in this modern era.

Wernecke said that the proposal is a direct reflection of Chicago‘s deep-rooted problem with crime and violence, calling the debate a “vivid illustration of the opposing sides.” Additionally, he believes that the NRA’s proposition is not the solution to these issues.

“The cure is not more guns – the cure is more education and a focus on the family,” said Wernecke.

A DePaul student, who requested anonymity, echoed Wernecke’s feelings on the matter and stated that the NRA’s proposal, though intended to promote safety, “would be abused.”

“The only way to circumvent (abuse of the proposal) would be to have a law enforcement officer in every train car, which is impossible,” said the anonymous DePaul student.

Overall, the CTA has been receiving a lot of support in its decision to oppose the NRA’s proposition on the grounds that it would not increase safety for CTA riders or employees, but rather cause the opposite effect.

Nicholas Stanley, a DePaul commuter student, said that the NRA “has no right to push for less regulation and more pro-gun laws” because the Second Amendment was written during a time in America when there was no large, organized military. Stanley believes that the NRA’s proposal is particularly inappropriate in light of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre as well as the “continuing violence in the Chicagoland area.”

Additionally, as a frequent user of the CTA, Stanley is not pleased with the idea of needing to worry about concealed weapons every time he uses public transit.

“I commute to school every single day,” said Stanley. “Overall, I feel very safe on the CTA, but this gun law would make me feel uncomfortable and less safe.”