North Texas Daily

The Editorial Board

Thinking back to the actions of college students over the last 50 years, is anyone actually surprised that the last line of defense against campus carry is a whole mess of dildos?

According to an organized Facebook event, on the first day of classes for fall 2016 semester, students at the University of Texas at Austin “are strapping gigantic swinging dildos to our backpacks in protest of campus carry.”

Despite the occasion being 10 months away, more than 4,200 students have already pledged to participate as of Monday. While it’s true this is a small fraction of the university’s total enrollment of over 51,000, if the events ensuing press coverage have proven anything, it’s that size doesn’t always matter.

The Facebook post warns those who agree to participate do so at their own risk. The act of attaching a dildo to one’s backpack is a violation of some obscure obscenity law and could be considered public indecency.

It’s difficult to decide what is more troubling: the obvious disconnect existent between lawmakers and their constituents, or that the Penal Code of the State of Texas specifically cites a dildo as an “obscene device” that is illegal to carry on the street. That means someone had to have done something with a dildo to warrant the clause. Huh.

Beyond its satirical surface and the entertaining media coverage, this call-to-action sheds light on a deeper issue. Though not everyone is opposed to allowing guns to be carried on college campuses, there are enough people who feel their concerns are not being addressed that this demonstration has been made possible.

This rally is a direct result of legislators judging issues through the lens of their own political party rather than their conscience, all the while allowing legitimate concerns to fall on deaf ears.

And while the Dildo-carry protest can certainly be argued as a silly, knee-jerk reaction typical of college students wanting to lash out at the establishment, a valid argument exists beyond its offensive nature.

Those who have organized this event know this protest will have no effect on the law itself and will do little more than infuriate anyone who doesn’t immediately laugh at the sight or mention of a dildo. The students’ message is clear: Listen to us.

With concerns over the new law being raised across Texas, it is only a matter of time before controversy reaches UNT. With local town hall meetings on campus carry now taking place, students should ask themselves one question: Is this the tip of something bigger?

Featured Image: Courtesy | Wikimedia Commons