Picture this if you will: It’s a typical Friday or Saturday night in Ames, Iowa.

You’re driving along Welch Ave. when you stop for a red light at Lincoln Way. You notice the car across the intersection make an illegal turn on red. There is a DPS officer there and sees it also. The DPS pulls the car over and gets out to go ask for his license.

While the officer is walking to the car the driver gets out and aims a 9mm handgun at the DPS officer. The officer sees the gun and runs for the rear of his patrol car and tries to hide for the gunman.

The driver of the car knows that the DPS Officers on Iowa State Campus do not carry guns, so he walks to the back of the patrol car.

There he shoots the DPS officer at point blank range. The whole time you are sitting there watching it, terrified that something like this is happening.

Now how would this situation be different if the DPS were allowed to carry guns? It’s not as if he can take his pepper spray and hold it up saying, “Drop the gun or I’ll spray you.”

If the officer had a gun then he would have been able to protect himself. If he is married and has children then it will destroy a family. Does something like this need to happen before the DPS is allowed to carry guns? I sure hope not.

Why do some people take it as far as the do? Like Blackburn, who said she would leave the university if the DPS is allowed to carry guns.

Maybe it’s just me but in her letter that was printed in the Daily on Nov. 20, 1996, she seemed to be saying that our DPS Officers are racist to minor students.

People talk today about ending stereotypes and racist remarks, but they will not end if the are brought up over every little incident.

If someone saw a person of any color or race in a parking lot that may not look right it is his or her civic duty to report it. Then it is the DPS’ job to check it out.

This topic of DPS being allowed to carry a gun is just that.

So, lets keep the discrimination out of it.

Terry Curtis

Sophomore

Accounting