One week ago, Missouri’s Republican-controlled legislature voted to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of a bill allowing statewide decreased gun control regulations. The new bill allows concealed carry in public without a state gun permit, a criminal background check or any firearms training. Additionally, it expands the “stand your ground” precedent in the state, a rule that allows gun owners to aim, shoot and claim self-defense solely based on their own interpretation of a situation.

This change, referred to as a “wholesale retreat from gun safety” by the New York Times, weakens the power of local law enforcement officials to protect innocent, unarmed citizens. People found guilty of domestic violence, or other high-risk individuals, can no longer be denied a firearm—including those that may have previously applied and been denied under past legislation.

Just two days ago, an unarmed father of seven was shot and killed by police in North Carolina. This situation, eerily similar to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014, demonstrates the danger of a concealed carry law; without the knowledge of who has a gun or not, officers use discretionary policy on a case by case basis, potentially ending with fatal consequences. As regulations decrease, the chances that more people will carry concealed weapons increases, raising the possibility of accidental shootings.

The effects of concealed carry extend past accidental shootings when guns land into the hands of potential threats. When Trayvon Martin was shot in 2012, it was due in part because of the tenets of Missouri’s bill—George Zimmerman claimed self-defense under the umbrella of the “stand your ground” law and perceived Trayvon as at threat due to the possibility of a concealed weapon.

Federal gun laws still require background checks on buyers, but only at federally licensed dealers. This opens up loopholes in the system, namely, gun shows or the sellers over the internet that allow people to purchase guns with little to no governance. A simple search on Amazon or Walmart.com reveals hundreds of easily accessible choices at a variety of prices—all without regulation.

While not applied to college campuses specifically, the new regulations (or lack thereof) affect the general well-being of any student that travels off campus (i.e., everyone). From the Delmar Loop to downtown St. Louis—even just to the student houses on the other side of Forest Park Parkway—the lack of rules forever changes the way community members perceive the safety of their surroundings.

The Student Life editorial board previously urged Student Union to focus its time and ability to galvanize the student body on a more sensitive issue, and this provides a perfect opportunity to do just that. Additionally, in light of the shooting on campus last semester, we implore the academic community at Washington University to utilize our collective resources to enact tangible change in our state.

We believe these new changes represent a reversion to a much older time, and must be brought back to the present. Prior to 2007, Missouri had one of the strictest sets of gun control legislation in the country: All handgun buyers had to receive a background check in person at their local sheriff’s office. This reversal represents an even further devolution of dynamic gun control. Now, in our rapidly advancing world, moving backward is counterproductive and, in this case, downright dangerous.

Opening the door for new legal loopholes sets a flimsy threshold for lawmakers nationwide—an especially risky move in a swing state within a nation with an upcoming presidential election. However, this unfavorable modification presents the possibility of positive change—it has the potential to act as a statewide wake-up call. When Washington University experiences the privilege of hosting an international stage next month, the spotlight will be on us, and now is the time to enact real change.