Not To Carry

893 Words4 Pages

Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses? Campus safety is a current issue in the news; the debate is whether or not concealed weapons should be permitted on campus. The Arkansas Traveler, student newspaper of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, wrote a fairly compelling argument on the consideration of college students and faculty to be armed on school grounds. In the article “To Carry or Not to Carry: That Is the Question”, The Traveler Editorial Board makes an ineffective argument through the misuse of logical analogies, overuse of pathos and rhetorical questions, and the faulty credibility of outside resources. While many people may agree with what was written, there are many things that can be used as counter-arguments …show more content…

The Arkansas Traveler has the right to argue that accidents may happen even to the people who are legally certified to handle a gun. However, they are exaggerating when they make a claim comparing guns and automobiles. According to the article, “people who have [gun] permits generally know how to use a gun, but accidents happen. People who drive supposedly have state licenses and know what they’re doing; yet the No. 1 killer of young people is automobile accidents.” In making this comment, the editorial board urges readers to believe guns and cars are one in the same. Comparatively, vehicles and handguns have many dissimilarities. A vehicle has a totally different purpose than a gun; it was not made for self-defense. The article made another insufficient use of logos stating, “[a license] doesn’t guarantee a person is going to use it [gun] correctly…someone with a gun could snap at any time and shoot someone.” In other words, the editorial board believes that anyone with a handgun has the potential to lose their sanity and commit manslaughter. This claim does not follow the previous premise about the proper handling and use of a gun. Besides, sane people do not simply “snap” and become violent people; there is no evidence to support the editorial’s claim. Altogether, the editorial board does not supply an acceptable amount of accurate appeals to logos, which eventually weakens the