I agree with this article. A lot.

As published, The Ohio State Lantern, on Monday 10 May 1999, Page 5, Readers' Forum.

Fear the people who fear your gun

There has been a lot of talk about the advantages and disadvantages of banning firearms. Most of the debate has been based on crime and how it will go up or down depending upon your viewpoint. Another issue that I have read about is the need for a gun based on hunting purposes.

I have another viewpoint, which I know is much more valid. Suppose the U.S. government decided that in order to reduce crime, all the black people of the country should be disarmed and denied the right to bear arms? "What! That is racist!" you exclaim. How so? If disarming someone makes them safe, then the racism is being directed at white people whom the new law would not protect.

The reason you know this law is wrong is because you can sense that disarming blacks would leave them at the mercy of those who are still armed. Let us add homosexuals, Jews, women and the religious extremists (the government will let us know who they are) to the list of illegally disarmed people. Now all of these people can be more easily controlled and cared for (read oppressed) by those who remain armed. Don't worry. I'm sure those with the guns will look after the disarmed people.

Let's keep going and just put all citizens on the banned list. Much better! Now everyone, including the above-mentioned groups, are at the mercy of those who remain armed. Who would remain armed? The government and the people the government decides should be armed! Do you think these people should be trusted to take care of your rights? This is what the Second Amendment to the Constitution is designed to guard against. This amendment makes no menion of crime or hunting. It was written to protect blacks, homosexuals, women, Christians, Jews, you, me, everybody, from the oppressive "care" of the government.

If you "know" that disarming a particular class of citizens is dangerous, then why don't you "know" that disarming all of them is even more dangerous? I fear the person who fears my gun.

Robert J. Shea
senior
Electrical and computer engineering

Copyright 1999 The Ohio State Lantern