Collegiate Times

After reading the article, ?Arming citizens could help security? (CT, Aug. 24), I can only be left with a feeling of disgust. That you?d use the platform of two people?s death so that you could jump up on your soap box and preach the good word about Concealed Handgun Permits is nothing short of disgraceful. But before we jump into the limitless argument of pro-gun/anti-gun let?s examine exactly what the purpose of a handgun is. The only purpose of a handgun is to kill another human being. That?s the cold hard fact. It?s not meant to hunt game, to feed ones family. It serves no other purpose then to snuff out another human?s life and leave a warm shell casing on the ground.

So, you want the right to bring these ?tools? designed to kill people onto Virginia Tech?s campus. But wait, you?re trained so it?s okay. The only problem with that is the only training you need to do is participate in any course taught by the National Rifle Association. After checking on their website, a four hour home safety course would satisfy that requirement. I hope you honestly don?t believe that four hours of watching an instructor point at various parts of a gun and perhaps firing a clip makes you remotely close to having any kind of expertise.

Also, you conveniently left out the law of reciprocity that Virginia upholds. Virginia, as of now, honors eight other states?s Concealed Handgun Permits and affords those rights to them, no questions asked. So even if our stringent process of obtaining a CHP satisfies your peace of mind, I only ask are you familiar with the other eight state gun laws? The answer is of course an empathic and resounding no.

I can only hope that the pen will always be mightier than the sword.