...Being able to carry a gun openly means that a person is able to carry an unconcealed weapon. This open carry gun law is a new law being applied in several states. This handgun law varies state to state. Thirty one states allow open carry without any permit or license, but fifteen states require some form of permit or license. Open carry is a fresh topic that promotes a tremendous amount of controversy. Open carry should be allowed because it is a constitutional right, it provides protection, and allows others to be protected by those carrying. First of all, bearing arms is a constitutional right. The second amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right of every American citizen to keep and bear arms. This means that every registered citizen of the United States of America can keep guns in their house or on their person. With this constitutional right, it is a person’s choice whether they want to carry a gun or not. If a citizen of the United States wants to have a gun and carry it on their person, that person has the constitutional right to do so. On the other hand, if a person does not want a gun, they have the right to not carry or own a gun at all. The second amendment is a very arguable subject...
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...Gun control will not alleviate violence Individuals who fight for gun control focus on extinct items that are not the true issue.. Society needs to protect themselves due to recent cuts in public safety. If there is an emergency, the response time could mean life and death. The current gun control laws are vague and open up debate for interpretation. A segment of society is not supposed to bear arms because of their past transgressions but we should not base our argument on an irresponsible people who have unauthorized access to firearms. Since 1997, New York has had a 20% decrease in crime since implementing their crime tracking system. This system requires police to attend local meeting to discuss how to combat crime. (Gardiner, 2011, p. A.21). Individuals are responsible for these crimes and responsible adults should have the ability to own firearms. Increased gun safety education as well as training is more important to decreasing violence. Restricting the criminals and not the firearms will go further to resolve this issue. Everyone has the right to bear arms as stated in the US Constitution. In January of 2008, President Bush signed a measure to include the criminal mental health records when doing back ground checks (Schumer, 2008). A gentleman bought a gun at a gun show and shot a Priest and parishioner...
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...I think the open carry law should be allowed because if you are carrying a handgun, somebody attacks you, and you shoot them then you are stopping crime at its peek. The open carry law of Texas states that you are allowed carry any handgun as long as you have a license, but the handgun must be carried in a shoulder or belt holster, and you must be 21 years of age or older to get a license. This means handguns will be in the hands of an adult, and not a kid which is one good thing. Another good thing about the open carry law of Texas is that if someone sees that a store is getting robbed then that person can stop the robber with his handgun from stealing from the store. That way the other people that was in the store is safe from the robber,...
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...Gun Control Texas and Washington State COM/220 March 31, 2010 Gun Control Texas and Washington State Many people do not know that 67% of all homicides in Texas were caused by firearms and 56% in Washington State? This is why, not only in these two states but the entire country, has debated countless years over the controversial issues of gun control and the laws. In the comparison and contrast in gun control stances in Texas and Washington State, the attitudes are very similar. It will discuss and cover many views and will teach about each states laws, statistics and stance on the gun control issue. These issues will be viewed side by side in comparison and contrast with each other to see all the facts. This way you will be able to decide your stance for yourself in the infamous controversial gun control issue. Washington State’s stance on gun control is in support of the gun owner and carrier and allows the owners to have numerous freedoms in owning and carrying guns. The stance against gun control is about 70% and lots of gun owners would like to keep the freedoms they already have. As RCW 9.41.050 states “Except in the person's place of abode or fixed place of business, a person shall not carry a pistol concealed on his or her person without a license to carry a concealed pistol” (Washington State Legislator, 2010). What this means to not just legal gun owners, but to anyone who possess a firearm, is that they are able to legally open carry their...
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...Texas firearms laws pretty much mirror those if the Federal laws. Long barrel rifles and shotguns can be legally purchased by a person 18 years of age or older. They must not be charged with or convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. They also must be of sound mind. You must be 21 years of age to purchase a handgun in the state of Texas. It also carries the same restrictions as purchase of a long rifle. To carry a handgun in Texas outside of your home, car, or watercraft you must have a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) issued by the state of Texas or one of the states that Texas has reciprocation with. Reciprocation means that Texas allows a person licensed in their state to carry a concealed weapon in Texas and Texans with a CHL issued in Texas can carry their weapon in that state. Texas is also a state that has the Castle Doctrine. The latest version of this law was passed by on March 27, 2007 by Governor Rick Perry. This law states that “Residents lawfully occupying a dwelling may use deadly force against a person who unlawfully, and with force, enters or attempts to enter the dwelling, or who unlawfully and with force removes or attempts to remove someone from that dwelling, or who commits or attempts to commit a qualifying felony such as aggravated kidnapping, murder, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, robbery, or aggravated robbery (TPC 9.32(b)).” Texas also is a “Stand Your Ground” state. This means you do not have to attempt...
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...teens and young adults. The perception is that the Campus Carry Law will not be very effective and could quite possibly back fire on innocent faculty and student body members, victimizing anyone who may come in contact with one of these radically violent individuals intent on harming people. (2015) Arrigo Bruce and Acheson Austin Contemporary Justice Review, Concealed carry bans and the America college Campus. Statistically numbers are down when looking back over the past couple decades. Since 1990 there have been 143 school shooting related instances and over 450 deaths and injuries. (2006) Norton Elia and Jennifer Ansier, USA Today, Behind the Bloodshed. The very fact any person could possibly be murdered or injured by another person at any moment in America has always been known and terrifies the majority of citizens. Like many Americans I have to ask, what we can do as a Nation, one unit, to better insure the public safety of every individual. To understand this problem we must go to the root. The American System and its five sets of institutions which ultimately control American way of life. The five institutions are legal, political, economic, educational and sociocultural. All of which too often combine to leave our efforts short of progression. Introduction The issue with gun laws and the legal system have to do with the loop holes and corruption among the producers, sellers and buyers of guns. There are no laws to stop people with mental illnesses from purchasing a weapon...
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...protects the Americans right to keep and bear arms. Gun control is a law suggesting regulation and restriction of the possession of guns. But is it really protecting society? Gun control only keeps law abiding citizens from obtaining firearms. Criminals will always have ways of getting weapons; whether it be from the black market, across borders, or illegal street sales. If a person cannot follow the sacred laws of the land, new gun laws won’t do much to stop them. After all, they are known to break the laws. As the saying goes; where there’s a will, there’s a way. Gun control laws should not be implemented because they will not stop crime, they will only disarm those who are not inclined or determined to commit crimes. The Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791. The 2nd amendment states “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed“ (Mount 1). Why would the founders of our country go through the trouble of adding an amendment to the Constitution, the governing document for the country, if they didn't intend for it to effect government action? The whole point of the Bill of Rights was to limit government action and power. Those who support gun control laws are interpreting the 2nd amendment in their own way, while firearm enthusiasts think that their freedom is being attacked (Mount 2). In 2008 in the District of Columbia, The Supreme Court ruled that the amendment explicitly protects Americans’ right to own guns for self-defense. The court mentioned that it is...
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...Why do people carry Weapons? Reynaldo L. Bautista ENG/147 February 19, 2015 Kathy Kraus Why do people carry Weapons? Have you ever wondered why humans carry and use weapons? Since Homo sapiens became earth's dominant species, they have built a variety of tools. One of those tools are weapons, which in modern times have evolved to a gun. Guns are today's tool of choice for independent people who choose to own a gun and use it responsibly, if necessary, in the world. Typically, in the United States people carry weapons for two reasons; self-defense and as a constitutional right to bear arms. In addition to these reasons, through new research, many scientists claim, that gun ownership may be linked to a genetic factor. The United States Supreme Court has ruled several times that police officers do not have a legal responsibility to safeguard citizens from violent crime (Greenhouse, 2005). The Supreme Court ruling only recognizes an individual's right to self preservation. This ruling is a factor influencing more states to permit their citizens to carry their weapons visible or concealed for self defense. While opponents of carrying guns argue that citizens are safer without weapons there are many who disagree. According to Smith (2001), "a 2001 study by the National Opinion Research Center, 59% of people who carry a gun outside the home do so because it makes them feel safer.” (Gun Carry Behaviors and Characteristics). Adversaries of legally carrying a [concealed]...
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...Guns and Violent Crime “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (The Charters of Freedom, n.d.). The National Rifle Association (NRA) is widely recognized as America’s foremost defender of the Second Amendment. Wayne LaPierre executive vice president and CEO of the NRA made the statement, “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun” (LaPierre, 2012, p.5). Is LaPierre correct? Do more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens reduce violent crimes? Moms Demand Action (MDA) states that stronger and more sensible gun laws are needed to protect children, and loved ones (MDA, n.d.). There are only eight states left that are considered rights restricted or very limited issue by the NRA in issuing concealed carry weapon (CCW) permits (NRA, n.d.). Florida alone issued 251,882 CCW permits in one year (Florida Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 2014). The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) performed over sixteen million background checks for the purchase of a firearm in 2011 (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 2011, p.8). Record numbers of law-abiding citizens are choosing to get concealed carry permits than ever before, and gun sales have reached an all-time high. Violent crimes, however, have almost steadily declined over the last 19 years (FBI, 2012). Carrying a Firearm Law-abiding citizens of...
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...Concealed carry on campuses ranges from any building that is owned or leased by a institution for higher education, according to Section 61.003 of the education code. An act of carrying handguns on campuses was enacted by the legislature of the state of Texas in 2016, however, before this was passed there was years of consideration and minimal action. Leading up to this bill there were numerous occurrences of fatal campus shootings and massacres, passing this bill would in hopes allow students to protect themselves if a situation arises and/or help stop the progression of a shooting. Although the students on campus could potentially lesson the number of victims injured or worse, there was also the potential of the opposite to happen, more guns...
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...Gun Control Gun control is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as the regulation of selling, owning, and use of guns. Gun control has been a very controversial topic on Capitol Hill for a long time. Although, within more recent decades gun control has been a more heated topic of discussion. This is due to higher gun related death rates and an uprise of mass killings such as the Columbine highschool massacre which left 23 injured and 15 killed (CNN Library) and the recent Las Vegas shooting which left 58 killed and nearly 500 injured (Gomez and White). Gun control activist heavily support the controlling of firearms while Gun rights activist oppose heavy regulation. Gun control activist argue arms limitation is the answer and believe...
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...Starbucks has a policy of letting people walk into their shop with weapon strapped around you. Forty-three states have instituted open carry weapon laws. These laws permit gun owners to carry a fireman in plain sight when in public. In some of these states, businesses reserve the right to declare their stores gun-free zones. Starbucks, however, allows customers to carry guns in all states where it is legal. Many people have their own point of view on a situation like this. Some believe that Starbucks should ban guns in their shop as it can be great danger for those who buys coffee from their. Some also say that Starbucks is putting their workers in harm's way by allowing people to carry guns into their stores , especially open carry. While...
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...your or behind you or anywhere could have a gun on them? Well Because in 1791 the Second Amendment was created and added to the Constitution. It says that humans are allowed to carry a weapon (Smith, 1). In the 90´s there was an assault rifle ban which gave manufactures a virtual blueprint of how to change their weapons slightly to make them “legal¨ (Hamilton,2). In 1994 the Brady Law went into effect. The law was named after James Brady, the secretary of president Reagan who was badly injured in the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan (Smith, 1). The law made it so that you need to get a background check inorder to buy a gun, just to be a little more safe (Smith, 1). Today there are about 280 million firearms in the private hands of the U.S, and ⅓ of american households claim to own a gun (Smith, 1). Today gun control has many social, economic, and political impacts. Within the gun control laws there are many social...
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...carrying a gun? Some students may feel more protected while others might feel threatened. In the summer of 2015, the law was passed to let students open carry a gun on college campuses. Students should not be allowed to open carry a gun on campus because a gun is known to be unsafe and could always end up in the wrong hands. Guns could end up in the wrong hands. A person with a history of mental illness can easily get their hands on a gun. In “Is There a Link Between Mental health and Gun Violence?” the author points out that a young boy, Jaylen Fryberg, in Marysville, used a gun killing four students and then himself. Reports stated that “he just wasn’t in the right state of mind.” Although, a gun may end up in the hands of a mentally unstable person, one may argue a background check is required for anyone to be allowed to carry a gun. According to “Students Debate Guns on Campus-Pro,” Tina Divara declares, “Texas has strict regulations on who can and cannot carry concealed weapons.” Meaning you must be 21 years or older and have a clean background just to apply for the gun license. It may be true that Texas has strict regulations on getting a gun license. However, a gun could end up in the wrong hands of a person with a history of mental illness. For Example, in 2007, at Virginia Tech University, Seung Hui Cho, a student at the school, opens fire leaving 32 people dead. This student had a background of mental health problems, but was still able to purchase the gun he used...
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...Gun Control is a set of laws or policies that limits the making, sales, trade, possession, modification, and use of guns. Gun control first became an issue in 1934 with wars of gangs. Because of this the first gun control act was passed. The national firearm act of 1934, this act is a long series of measures trying to stop the spread of increasingly destructive firearms in gang violence. Gang violence is a big cause of gun control now. An article found on reuters.com stated,” The study also found that in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City, nearly a fourth of gang killings occurred in drive-by shootings. What's supposed to help or stop the use of guns in gangs are not working at all. This act was not really enforced enough, gangs then and today...
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