The recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah university on Sept. 10 brings to the forefront the challenge of fostering an environment of open and controversial dialogue at colleges and universities, while maintaining safety in an era marked with intolerance and violence as responses to opposing viewpoints.
Indeed, a recent USA Today article renews the discussion on the balance between free dialogue and safety. It’s a “major dilemma” for schools around the country, said Ken Paulson, director of Middle Tennessee State University’s Free Speech Center.
“We don’t want campuses to be able to turn away speakers that don’t have the resources for security,” he said. “You also don’t want a situation where only the most tame and tepid speakers can come because they don’t provoke angry responses.”
Since this tragedy occurred, I have received inquiries from people who, knowing that I am associated with the window and glass industries, are asking the question, “Jim, in such situations, why don’t they just put the speaker behind a window made with bullet proof glass?” That would surely protect the speaker from any harm, right?
Well, I am a watch collector, and I know that there is no such thing as a “waterproof watch,” even though I have one that is rated for depths of up to 500 meters. So, I suspect that something similar applies to the concept of “bullet proof” glass.
So, before answering, I decided to use my “phone a friend” option, as I have a friend who is CEO of a company that fabricates ballistic-rated glass. My friend confirmed that there is no such thing as “bullet proof” glass. However, bullet-resistant glass can be extremely effective and can help buy critical time in such situations.
Bullet-resistant glass is fabricated by laminating multiple layers of glass and/or polycarbonate with thin plastic interlayers, such as polyvinyl butyral (PVB) or polyurethane. These layers are then bonded under high heat and pressure to create a single, strong unit. When a bullet hits the outer glass layer, it cracks and absorbs some energy, which then gets absorbed and dissipated by the plastic layers, preventing penetration. But not all bullet resistant glass is created equal. Factors such as expense, weight, thickness of the overall glass unit and the calibers of the bullets that are to be encountered all come into play. The reason, he says, that totally bullet-proof glass does not exist, is that, if one keeps shooting within a concentrated area of the glass, then it can eventually weaken, allowing a bullet to finally get through. Therefore, one cannot guarantee the product as totally “bullet proof.” However, it is all about buying time, thereby allowing additional time to react and retreat to a place of safety and not to be hit by flying glass shards or fragments from the initial impact.
Now, the level of bullet resistance can be tested and rated using the UL 752 test standard. Bullet resistant glazing products are rated from Level 1 to Level 10, offering protection from handguns (Levels 1-3) to various common caliber rifles (Levels 4-9) all the way to Level 10, which is a very heavy and powerful 50-caliber rifle. Shotgun levels are also included. I found a table describing these levels posted on the Architectural Armour website.
So, where does this leave us on the balance of free speech versus safety concerns. Is it simply a matter of promoting the values of the First Amendment at college campuses? Well according to the USA Today article, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) published a report that found one in three college students accept, at least to some extent, violence as a means of stopping a campus speech, which I find shocking!
So, yes, I believe our college campuses should invest in some bullet-resistant glass, among other measures, to help protect future speakers, thereby fostering an environment of open, honest and safe debate. I believe that Charlie Kirk was a brave and brilliant person who exemplified the spirit of individualism while working to help young people become critical thinkers as they listened to diverse opinions on a variety of topics. If a Level 9 piece of bullet-resistant glass could have stopped that one bullet from taking his life, then this tragedy could have been prevented.
Rest in peace Charlie Kirk.