Utah state Rep. Walt Brooks, a Republican no less, is spearheading a push to outlaw open carry on public college campuses, dangling the carrot of permitless concealed carry as a compromise. This isn’t just another campus nanny-state measure—it’s a Trojan horse aimed at eroding Second Amendment rights under the guise of safety. Brooks argues that visible firearms spook students and faculty, citing vague incidents without hard data, while ignoring the mountains of evidence showing concealed carry deters crime without the drama. In a state like Utah, where constitutional carry is already law for those 21 and up, this feels like a step backward, trading the transparency and deterrent effect of open carry for hidden holsters that universities can still nitpick with sensitive places loopholes.

Let’s put this in context: College campuses have become liberal echo chambers, often run by administrators who view armed citizens as bigger threats than actual predators. Brooks’ bill echoes failed efforts in states like Florida and Texas, where open carry bans were sold as common sense but really just conditioned gun owners to hide their rights. Pro-2A data from the Crime Prevention Research Center shows permit holders are exponentially less likely to commit crimes than police, and open carry has zero causal link to mass shootings—those happen in gun-free zones. Yet here we are, with a GOP rep playing into the hysteria, potentially setting a precedent for K-12 schools or malls next. It’s classic incrementalism: give an inch on openness, and concealed carry gets regulated to death.

For the 2A community, this is a wake-up call—contact your reps, flood the capitol, and rally at Utah’s next legislative session. If permitless CCW is the consolation prize, demand it everywhere, not as a downgrade. This fight isn’t about campuses; it’s about preserving the full spectrum of carry rights against politicians who think they know better than the Constitution. Stand firm, or watch shall not be infringed become shall not be seen.