When May I Shoot A Student Analysis

“When May I Shoot a Student” by Greg Hampikian is a satirical essay criticizing the allowance of guns on college campuses in Idaho, in response to the passing of a bill proposing the idea. Written on February 27, 2014, from Boise, Idaho, this essay is written to the Idaho state legislature, and directed at an audience of adults and young adults who may share his opinion. An example of this satire, more specifically exaggeration, can be seen in the fifth paragraph, when Hampikian says; “For example, if I am working out a long equation on the board and several students try to correct me using their laser sights, am I allowed to fire a warning shot?” This is a clear example of exaggeration, because it is not a feasible situation for someone to use a laser sight to correct a math problem. While amusing to think about, he does make a point here, saying that if guns were allowed in a classroom environment, he would not feel safe. He seems to say “What’s stopping a student from pulling a gun on me for giving a bad grade? How am I supposed to protect myself? Have a shootout in the middle of the classroom?” Through the exaggeration he points out
That’s easy to see in paragraph seven, where Hampikian states; “While our city police chief has expressed grave concerns about allowing guns on campus, I would point out that he already has one. I’m glad that you were not intimidated by him, and did not allow him to speak at the public hearing on the bill (though I really enjoyed the 40 minutes you gave to the National Rifle Association spokesman).” The author’s discontempt for the bias that occurred during the hearing for this bill is plain to see. He attacks the legislature with bitter sarcasm, giving mock praise to the forty minutes that were given to the NRA spokesman, while also pointing out the fact that the other side didn’t get an equal opportunity to present their