There is a nagging issue that still seems to rear its ugly head every once in a while.
This, of course, is the issue of gun control.
I'm not one to suggest that Uzis and M-16's be put in the stores for sale to all, but I still believe in the second amendment and the right to bear arms.
Nevertheless, there are some fanatical wackos out there who literally think that guns are the root of all evil.
They parade around with their "ban all guns" theme, citing the multitudinous instance where some innocent person was needlessly killed by a gun-wielding maniac.
"It is necessary," they say, "to ban all guns so that people won't get killed."
Naturally, they think this concealed weapons law is stupid and will only cause more people to get killed.
Why?
Because guns are the root of all evil.
I, however, would like to propose a new theme to these anti-gun moguls — guns are only the beginning of evil.
Many of you are already a bit confused.
Bear with me, and you'll begin to see where I'm headed with this.
Now, I can see all you anti-gun people licking your lips thinking of how you can take this new idea and run with it.
Please allow me to expound on it for you.
Why stop with the banning of guns?
Sure, a lot of people die from fatal gunshot wounds each year.
However, it only accounts for a fraction of the number of total deaths each year.
As bleeding-heart liberals, our goal is to eliminate as many needless deaths as possible each year, right?
In that case, along with banning guns, let's also ban alcohol.
Think of how many people die needlessly in alcohol-related deaths, whether it be alcohol poisoning, a fatal car accident, or just some drunken sot who decides to kill someone — perhaps, with a gun.
How does this grab you?
Do you anti-gun people think that you can take this alcohol theme and run with it?
It sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Think of all the lives you'll be saving.
How about this theme: ban all automobiles?
Just look at the national statistics on automobile-related deaths each year.
Why, if we banned cars we'd be saving thousands of lives!!
What do you think?
Do you anti-gun folks see how you could easily take this "ban all cars" theme and run with it?
I see a lot of possibilities for this theme.
Again, think of all the lives we'd be saving if we banned all automobiles.
Some of you are now beginning to think that this is a bit ludicrous.
"Ban all cars?" you ask. "How would we get around?
"Transportation is vital to the livelihood of this society. Banning cars, though lifesaving, would create an entire universe of problems. Besides, cars and guns are totally different. We need cars for transportation. That is important. So, that was a dumb idea."
Hmmm.
Maybe banning cars is a dumb idea because transportation is important.
What about the alcohol idea?
"Ban alcohol?" you ask. "They've already tried that and it just created all kinds of problems. That can't possibly work. Besides, alcohol has many medicinal purposes."
Really?
I can imagine that Joe Stud was using alcohol for medicinal purposes when he tanked up and got drunk at last Friday's keg party, right?
Hmm, the medicinal uses of alcohol on display right there.
Sadly, the most common use of alcohol these days is for mere entertainment.
Guns have their importance — they are certainly more important than alcohol.
Many people own guns for personal security which I think we'd all agree is pretty important, but there are also those who own them for leisure activities such as hunting.
Banning guns won't eliminate any problems.
It would only create problems.
Perhaps, some readers pored over the car example described above and thought to themselves, "Hey, it's not the car that gets in an accident and kills someone. It's the idiot behind the wheel who just doesn't understand the implications of operating a vehicle."
Likewise, the same is true with guns.
It's not the gun that kills, but the idiot who is operating the gun with little understanding of proper usage of the machinery.
Think about it.
david roberts is an aerospace mechanical engineering senior from okmulgee.