In response to Atsumi Shibata’s editorial where she states “a gun is one of the most useless things in the world,” I would have to disagree and say the estimated 20.1 million hunters in the United States would also.

The majority of the people who own guns in the United States and certainly in Texas are not “gangsters.” In fact, many people still use guns simply to obtain basic food requirements for their families needs.

For instance, “Hunters for the Hungry” is a program that has provided over 3.5 million quarter pound servings to those who could not afford to purchase meat to put on their tables since 1990 in Texas alone.

Programs like these, which reach out to the needy and the poorest of the poor, could not exist without guns and the ability to harvest this game. It is easy to point fingers and to exploit an accident that involves guns. However, before someone says we should “eliminate guns,” I think it would be wise to open our eyes to all of the uses of guns and the ways they do in fact benefit our society, including those in need right here in West Texas.

Luke Cochran
freshman finance major from Round Rock