...Gun control is one of the most contentious issues in the United States. The main cause of the debate is the rising cases of gun violence in the country. Over the past decade, reports indicate that criminal activities involving guns have increased. As a result, there has an intense debate on whether the country should develop strict gun laws. The idea of gun control laws has created the allusion that the United States has been divided into two separate groups. However, according to LaFollette (236-281) there are many alternatives, and ultimately any side of the argument are focused on the safety of the people. The views provided by both sides, one being absolute restriction and the other no restriction, can be evaluated to determine whether...
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...Stick to the USA, as we're not trying to ban guns in Indonesia. Further, not one single politician is trying to ban guns. Regulate? Sure. Introduce waiting periods and background checks? Sure. Adam Ulbricht's argument about "If you look at some of the worst areas for gun violence/murder rates, you'll notice they have more restrictive weapons laws" doesn't really stand up to scrutiny. Law Enforcement reports indicate that guns used in such areas flow like water from municipalities that have lax gun laws. The argument that prohibition doesn't work is true, but you can easily see that we do, in fact, regulate and otherwise restrict things like alcohol and tobacco (things that tend to be considered for prohibition) to keep them out of the hands of minors, and in some municipalities, create convoluted scenarios to attempt to keep 40 oz malt liquors out of the hands of chronic alcoholics....
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...Gun Control 20 elementary school students and six staff members are lost to a gun shooting in Newtown, Connecticut (Caldwell, 2014). These type of incidents are what persuade people to either push for gun-control, or fight against it. Needless to say, gun-control is a very controversial topic here in America. Actions should certainly be taken to keep guns out of the wrong hands. Unfortunately, gun-control wouldn’t really ensure that guns will be kept out out of harmful hands, seen as it seems like an unreachable goal. Many of the gun-control laws being proposed are intended to decrease gun related tragedies. One of Obama’s gun control proposal requires background checks for all gun sales and strengthens the background check system. Another proposal would ban military-style assault weapons and limit magazines to a capacity of 10 rounds. Banning high-capacity magazines would prevent incidents like the one in Aurora where a gunman was able to shoot seventy people in...
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...massacres, gun control has once again been thrust back onto the main stage in the United States. In a New York Times op-ed titled, “How to Win an Argument About Guns”, Nicholas Kristof takes on this very issue. According to his bio, Kristof has been a foreign correspondent and columnist for the New York Times since 2001. However, his bio says nothing about any involvement with firearm related topics. This makes his opinions less trustworthy than that of an actual expert on the issue. Kristof is very pro gun control and dispels five main myths from those that oppose his views on gun control. The author believes that greater restrictions and laws concerning firearms will lead to a safer country and far less casualties....
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...own firearms and enjoy their recreational uses. Due to the multiple conflicting arguments for and against the owning of guns many turn to powers above themselves such as the government to regulate gun use. When a cause that is so vast in the distance between its’ opposing sides we must ponder, does legislation for or against gun control really obtain its intended effect. In a literal sense, gun control and legislation does not have enough effect on overall crime rate to be the number one focus in the reduction of crime. The debate on gun control is an ongoing battle which has continued to span many decades. Some feel they need more gun laws to protect us while others feel that they need more guns in our possession to protect us. There has been very limited data available to determine whether gun laws or guns themselves that positively impact crime statistics. There is a school of thought that states that have passed conceal to carry laws would lower crime rates. Over the last twenty years there have been 10 states to pass new CCW laws. Oddly enough the intended overall impact of CCW laws has had very little effect on gun ownership. In a 2001 study by Mark Duggan takes an in-depth look at perceived fallacies regarding gun control and their effects. In regard to CCW laws and their effect Duggan states, “If the option to carry a firearm increased the perceived benefit associated with owning a gun, then one would expect to find an increase in the fraction of...
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... Agresti, James D., and Reid K. Smith. "Gun Control Facts." 11 Feb. 2013 Web 18 Sept. 2014. http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp. This is a web document in which the authors cover pure statistics and facts. Graphs, tables, quotes, and statistics are all that this piece contains. This resource is useful since it was updated a little more than a year ago with the most recent data and continues to be updated as new stats and facts become available. It is also neutral in nature, giving just the facts and referencing both the affirmative and negative sides of the argument. 2. McEntee, Peg. “Utah Teacher Shoots Herself in Leg With Concealed Weapon.” Huffington Post 11 Sept. 2014 Web 18 Sept. 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/11/teacher-shoots-self-concealed-weapon_n_5807826.html?utm_hp_ref=gun-control The Huffington Post is a news site with an entire section dedicated to news surrounding gun control, both recent and past. This article is helpful because it outlines the concealed carry laws in Utah schools, a state which has closely modeled it’s laws after Colorado’s. This article is useful because it describes some of the negative effect that concealed carry on campus has for the person carrying as well as the student population/their parents if they find out about the firearm. 3. Students for Concealed Carry. “Common Arguments Against Campus Carry.” Concealed Campus 2011-2012 Web Sept. 18 2014 http://concealedcampus.org/common-arguments/ Students for Concealed Carry is...
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...Gun Control Team Debate Paper BCOM/275 May 7, 2013 Gun Control Gun control is a hot topic in the United States with primarily two sides of the conversation advocating for either more control of guns or more freedom of guns. The current laws on gun control or gun rights are disagreed upon by these individuals essentially based on the interpretation of such gun control laws. Firearms and the effects of gun rights has many cases that call for the strictest form of gun control. Some of these instances involve elementary school shootings, shootings at theaters, and even shootings on military installations by military members. The 2nd Amendment in the constitution has long been the proof of rights for citizens to bear arms to defend themselves from tyranny. Gun rights supporters say firearms should be unrestricted as it allows for self-defense in the case of another individual holding a weapon. Gun control supporters state that less regulation on gun control does not allow the government to provide its role of security because of it. The statistics for gun ownership in America are interesting to look at. For example, in the United States the average gun ownership per 100 people is 88.8, the highest of all other countries. Both sides of the argument have valid points, however it is important to dive deeper into each argument to analyze the logic and statistics involved in each argument. Major Gun Control Arguments Every day there are a countless instances that show that...
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...shocked the entire world when he took the lives of twenty students and six teachers at an elementary school in Connecticut (CNN). Horrific, terrifying, and saddening all describe the above-mentioned events. And as would be expected, each one of these events brought forth the question, “Where does the America draw the line between personal freedoms and the safety and well-being of her citizens?” The Second Amendment promises, “[…] the right of people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” But, the recent shooting in Connecticut has caused the extremely emotionally charged arguments both for and against the ban of assault weapons to resurface within the United States Congress. This paper will provide an unbiased presentation of both arguments for and against the ban of assault weapons. Upon objectively presenting both sides of the argument, the paper will then proceed into developing a stance against the ban of assault weapons through the further discussion and elaboration upon the ideas As mentioned before, the Second Amendment specifically states...
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...Arguments on Gun Control Arguments on Gun Control Introduction Gun control is law and policy which has been developed for the purpose of restricting the import, production, shipment, possession, use and sale of the firearms. There are variations in the laws and policies of gun control around the globe. There are strict gun control policies in United Kingdom. On the other hand, the gun control policies in United States are modest. Many people claim that the gun control policies are very effective and there should be strict control on the implementation of these policies. On the other hand, a group of people thinks that the gun control policies are not so effective and there should be no strict policies on the firearms. Thus, the both sides provide their arguments on the issue of gun control. The main aim of this paper is to persuade against the policies of gun control. The paper is comprised of both the arguments in favor and against of the gun control policies. Discussion It is so easy to understand that without guns or rifles, killing of criminals would have been much more difficult to consummate, which is sometimes hard to explain how it is possible that guns are legal in the largest and most powerful democracy in the world. But it is undeniable that easy access to firearms greatly facilitates this sinister task (Amo, 1989). The criminals have committed one of the latest killings with firearms that shook Americans, 14 Dead Colombine students in 1999...
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...critically analyzes gun rights in the United States and the economics of gun centralization. The phrase, “gun rights” refers to the second amendment in which it states that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The term, “gun centralization” is what is most commonly referred to as “gun control,” which is refusing citizens the right to keep certain or all firearms and keeping them solely in the hands of government. There are many different points of view on the issue of gun rights, coming from all political and religious views. It is near impossible to find the truth on the issue while wading through an ocean of loud, boisterous opinions on the extent of gun rights and whether people need guns at all. This paper critically assesses the Republican and Democrat points of views on the two issues, and draws a conclusion to the legitimacy of gun centralization, better known as gun control. Ethical Dilemma Research Paper Gun Rights and the Legitimacy of Gun Centralization Gun control has been the highlight of the news lately. Politicians and caring people all across the United States have seen the tragic events, such as the Sandy Hook shooting, and are now demanding a government takeover of firearms. The dilemma occurs within the right-left political paradigm, two differing ideologies, where the labeled “left” are strongly for gun control, and the labeled “right” are strongly against it. Background ...
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...Debate Paper: Gun Ownership versus Gun Prohibition Mark Mitchell XBCOM-275 April 27, 2014 Daniel Anderson Debate Paper: Gun Ownership versus Gun Prohibition Gun control (prohibition) is one of those matters on which practically every person has a view and those views are deeply maintained. Whether a person is pro-gun or anti-gun is based on each's opinion and are repeatedly established not on real details but rather on crude passions driven by extensively broadcasted distortions regarding the use and misuse of guns. Additionally, most people have the same opinion that gun-related injuries or death of unintended person should by no means tolerated, although there is a wide range of opinions on what the course of action to take in an attempt to obtain a proper solution. So in the interest of clarifying this subject of which is right and proper, whether it is the Private ownership of guns or the prohibitions of guns (or if the answer lies somewhere in the middle) is truly right for the country; enter the debate. As to reasons in support of pro-guns ownership for private citizens, comes from one of the founding fathers Thomas Jefferson (n.d.) who eloquently stated “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." He also said," No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” This belief was not his alone but that of all the founding fathers. This belief was so...
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...Gun Control: American Gun Laws Need Reform Roderick D. Harris Capella University Gun Control: American Gun Laws Need Reform At the national level, the issue of gun control has been in the spotlight for the last 50 years. The conversation seems to pick up or lose steam depending upon current events. In more recent years, the barrage of mass murders carried out with the use of assault-style weapons have fueled the fire and reopened the public debate. In 2012, President Obama and his administration made a strong push toward reform of current laws on gun control but were met with hard opposition and their efforts failed. Many states have developed their own gun controls in the absence of federal statues, but these new reforms do not go far enough in most cases and the variances between state laws add to the confusion around developing comprehensive reform at the federal level. Strict gun control should at the least consist of full background checks, a ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines for ammunition. Congressional leaders should take the first step toward reform with a bi-partisan approach to a sweeping legislation. Strict gun control with a ban on assault-style weapons will reduce violence and shootings of mass murder in the United States (U.S.). The fewer the assault weapons and large-capacity magazines in our society will provide a greater opportunity for survival and reduced by-stander casualties during random acts of violence and mass shootings...
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...& Business Ethics Gun Control vs. Gun Violence The debate over gun control in the United States has been a topic of controversy over the years. In particular, the killing of twenty schoolchildren in Newtown, Connecticut. In December 2012 this mass shooting fueled a national discussion over gun laws. However, compromise legislation would have banned semiautomatic assault weapons and expanded background checks was defeated in the senate in 2013, despite extensive public support. Arguments for more restrictive gun laws http://gun.laws.com/gun-rights/gun-control-versus-gun-rights As society continues to diversify and human beings become more individualistic, we drift further apart from understanding each other. The gun control debate is not directly effected by this, but psychologically human beings fear what we don't understand. In a society with hundreds of cultures, differences and arguments can arise out of nothing. Words are one thing but the use of firearms is an entirely different topic. With less restrictive laws on purchasing and ownership a seemingly pointless feud could intensify into murder. Guns give a man power, with power inevitably comes abuse. There is a high rate of gun-related violence http://gun.laws.com/gun-rights/gun-control-versus-gun-rights The United States leads the world in gun violence and ownership. There is a direct correlation. This is perhaps the most obvious argument made in the gun control debate-guns kill people, most of...
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...Gun Control COMM 215 October 14, 2013 Gun Control The United States is in a controversy of whether or not the Second Amendment is protecting the country or killing it. The United States owns approximately 250 million guns, nearly one for each citizen, and increases about seven million more each year. Numerous experts believe that the Second Amendment in the Constitution is rational and legal. However, they do not condone maliciously shooting people. Many lives could be saved with stricter gun control laws and educational requirements legislated. A well-intended and justifiable right during its era, the “right to bear arms” today needs common sense reform. During the late 1700s, founding fathers were not certain about the future success of the “Union,” nor did they have the legalities fully worked out. Trusts between the states were hit and miss and few if any trusted “big” government. The possibility of invasion was frighteningly real; the Second Amendment was put in place to make sure that a citizen’s militia could defend the principles of the Constitution (10- arguments for gun control, 2013). However, they did not say that citizens could go around shooting people and claiming that the Second Amendment protects them. Society’s problem is not the guns; it is the people handling them and the laws that surround their use and ownership. The bottom line is simple; nations with zero to few requirements/laws in force to regulate gun ownership will have more...
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...violent crime is fraught with difficulties, associated with limited data on gun ownership and use, firearms markets, and aggregation of crime data. Research studies into gun violence have primarily taken one of two approaches: case-control studies and social ecology. Gun ownership is usually determined through surveys, proxy variables, and sometimes with production and import figures. In statistical analysis of homicides and other types of crime, which are rare events, these data tend to have poison distributions, which also presents methodological challenges to researchers. (Just Facts, 2010) Americans own an estimated 270 million firearms, approximately 90 guns for every 100 people. In 2009, guns took the lives of 31,347 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. This is the equivalent of more than 85 deaths each day and more than three deaths each hour. 66,769 Americans were treated in hospital emergency departments for non-fatal gunshot wounds in 2009. Firearms were the third-leading cause of injury-related deaths nationwide in 2009, following poisoning and motor vehicle accidents. Between 1955 and 1975, the Vietnam War killed over 58,000 American soldiers – less than the number of civilians killed with guns in the U.S. in an average two-year period. In the first seven years of the U.S.-Iraq War, over 4,400 American soldiers were killed. Almost as many civilians are killed with guns in the U.S., however, every seven weeks. (Just Facts, 2010) Over the past...
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