2008 Woodie Awards
Gun control needs to be a matter of personal responsibility rather than be forced on gun owners. Basically, if you own a handgun, rifle or shotgun, one can only assume you are going to be using it. We assume that you are of age to purchase a gun, that you have bought them yourself and that you are a responsible adult.
The single biggest threat to American freedom is the disarming of law-abiding citizens. Yes, taking away our guns leaves us at the mercy of criminals, but even more importantly, taking away our guns leaves us at the mercy of our own government. Murderers are willing to throw away their lives to hurt people, so you can't stop them by taking away any single means of violence.
Whether it was driving the family car before I got my license, sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night or climbing on the roof at the age of 12, you could say I was a somewhat rebellious child. There were regular yelling matches in the Zanin household as I progressed through my adolescence.
The staff editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Murray State News. Many parents envision scenes from the classic college party movie "Animal House" when they drop off their wide-eyed freshmen at college. Toga parties, keg stands and lit couches being thrown off third-story balconies are just some of the nightmarish activities parents may imagine their children being swept up in.
In last weeks paper's "Face Off" on whether smoking in public should be illegal, both authors made valid points. But, I do disagree about smoking areas around buildings - it is not a matter of someone walking an extra 100 feet to get to the entrance away from the smokers, it's the fact that smoke particles are being drawn into the buildings.
