...the Second Amendment, the United States Constitution states that "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." People who are in favor of gun control and gun bans argue that the Second Amendment only applies to the "militia," by which they mean only the military and police. In other words, according to such an argument, the Second Amendment does not protect the right of an individual to own a weapon, but merely the right of the government to possess weapons. This is like saying people have the right to defend themselves, but only if it's the police or the army defending them; you can't defend yourself on your own. This argument is completely illogical. It is true that in exchange for living in a free country, individuals do give up certain things. For example, some would say people give up the right to determine whether or not someone is guilty of a crime on their own. Instead, people submit to the laws of their country, leaving this...
Words: 489 - Pages: 2
...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....
Words: 1268 - Pages: 6
...Argumentative Essay against Gun Control Argumentative Essay against Gun Control Since 1980, forty-four states have passed laws allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons outside their homes for personal protection. (Five additional states had these laws before 1980. Illinois is the sole holdout.) A federal ban on the possession, transfer, or manufacture of semiautomatic assault weapons, passed in 1994, was allowed to expire in 2004. In 2005, Florida passed the Stand Your Ground law, an extension of the so-called castle doctrine, exonerating from prosecution citizens who use deadly force when confronted by an assailant, even if they could have retreated safely; Stand Your Ground laws expand that protection outside the home to any place that an individual “has a right to be.” Twenty-four states have passed similar laws. Guns, therefore, are necessary in today's society for our protection There is no point to implement gun control considering the reality that criminals will still find a way to procure guns if they want to do so. Criminals will always make sure to have access to the guns that they need to execute their crimes successfully. They usually have connections to other influential people that can provide them with the guns and weapons that they need in order to execute their crimes. The bottom line is that if the criminals want to have access to guns, they will be able to get them even if there is a gun control policy in place. This law will not stop...
Words: 797 - Pages: 4
...Crime Trends Crime trends have changed drastically throughout the years. Criminal activity has always been a challenging task to evaluate and monitor. What is a crime trend? A crime trend is defined as a significant change in the nature of selected crime types within a defined geographical area and time period (U.S. Legal, 2001). Crime trends tend to increase and decrease for different reason throughout the years. The essay will discuss the crime trend in America and the reason for a decline in 1999. In 1999 there were several reasons that could be the cause for a decrease in crime trends. Unemployment rates were low in 1999, in fact at the time rates had not been seen as low since 1969. There was also an increase in new jobs; under President Clinton administration the economy added 245,000 jobs per month. When President Clinton took office in 1992 the unemployment rate was at 7.5%, by 1999 the rate had dropped to 4.0%. Employment showed a promising reason for a decrease in crime (The Clinton-Gore Economic Record, 2000). Throughout the years researchers have been noticing when the economy is good it seem to reduce the amount of crime that happens. In the article Crime and Unemployment, the author refers to a study conducted in the United States that showed unemployment as a reason behind higher homicide rates and suicides; the study was conducted from 1940-1984. The study included five socio economic variables unemployment rates, gross national product...
Words: 986 - Pages: 4
...The Great Gun Debate Introduction Among the more diverse issues in an already polarized society is a national perspective of guns (Hargrove & Perdue, 2015). The gun debate in the U.S. dates back to the 18th century, when the nation’s founders were crafting the Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to the Constitution, adopted in 1791 (Smith & Ross, 2013). All gun control debates turn on interpretations of the Second Amendment, the worst written and most bizarre part of the constitution (Eichenwald, 2015). The Second Amendment gave Americans the right to “bear arms;” however, for more than 200 years, people have disagreed over how to interpret the amendment (Smith & Ross, 2013). Heated debates over guns have created division among “we the people.” On one end of the divide are pro-gun extremists. On the opposite end of the divide are anti-gun extremists. Then, there is the rational middle—the group that is often left out of the debate. This group typically consists of average law-abiding citizens who do not believe that Americans should be stripped of their rights to bear arms, but, rather, that some laws should be tightened up to ensure that guns and deadly accessories, such as high-capacity magazines, stay out of the wrong hands. Over the years, numerous mass shootings in schools have forced lawmakers to assess and tighten gun-control laws, which has also reignited the fiery gun debate. This assessment will attempt to uncover a proper course of action via a rigorous...
Words: 3335 - Pages: 14
...Gun Control Essay 1 Gun Control Essay 06/14/2015 The right to bear arms is guaranteed in the constitution by the Second Amendment. Many politicians are looking to amend the constitution any way they can to ban handguns or at least Gun Control Essay 2 restrict sales. The argument between pro and anti gun control has been debated for years, both with valid points. Many studies and factual data shows that strict gun control only removes guns from law-abiding citizens, but does not actually help reduce crime. Studies have shown that gun control cannot stop people from committing the crime because if a handgun ban were issued, there is evidence that citizens would not comply with the law, strict gun control does not reduce homicide rates, and studies have found that high crime rates have stimulated purchasing of guns rather than high gun ownership stimulating crime. While the Founding Fathers of this country were developing the system of government, as set forth in the Constitution, many feared that a standing army controlled by a strong central government would leave them helpless. The Federal Constitution contained no provisions to prohibit a standing army or allow states to create their own militias. The Constitution was signed by thirty-nine men from the twelve states represented at the Constitutional Convention on September 17 1787; three delegates refused to sign because of the absence of a bill of rights. Two years later, the First Congress agreed on...
Words: 2074 - Pages: 9
...during election season. This essay will examine the gun control issue. It will provide a brief history, statistics, and quotes from gun control experts to describe the present state of gun control in the United States. In addition, it will offer a brief analysis of gun control efforts. This examination and analysis will demonstrate that stronger gun control is necessary to reduce gun violence and ensure the safe use of guns in the United States. “Since the American Revolution, when colonists went to war against Great Britain, the right to bear arms has been central to – and controversial in – American culture. Take a look back over milestones in America’s relationship with and regulation of firearms”. Following by U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, news reports. Gun control is nothing new in the United States, and neither is the controversy surrounding the control of gun ownership. According to an author , gun control has been an issue since at least 1934, when Congress passed a law restricting machine guns and sawed-off shotguns . An Author points out that after the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, a law was passed that banned the importation of inexpensive handguns called "Saturday Night Specials;" in 1993, the Brady Bill was passed, which required background checks for handgun purchases; and a 1994 law banned the sale of semiautomatic assault guns . Since 1994, there has...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...when it came to the issue of gun control. As an ex- policeman and paramedic, a man who personally had dealt with armed criminals, been shot at, and helped save the lives of shooting victims in the past (Dionne), he had a deeply personal connection with the topic, a perspective that endowed him with a unique resolve to fight for the safety of Colorado citizens. But following his gut and doing what he felt was best for his constituents, ironically, turned out not to be what his constituents demanded of him. Morse’s ardent support of five gun-control bills—including HB 1224, probably the most controversial of them (Stokols)—eventually led to Morse’s and fellow Senator Angela Giron’s recall, making the two politicians the first in Colorado’s history to be unseated in special elections (Healy). Morse was at the forefront of the successful effort in Colorado to pass sweeping legislation that tightened gun regulations and implemented extended background checks (Ferner, “John Morse, Colo.”) in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut shootings of 2012. For his efforts, he was pursued vehemently by pro-gun activists and organizations (Millhiser). Morse persistently fought for his beliefs despite knowing the political risk he was taking in the purple state of Colorado, where voters are sharply divided on the issue (“Colorado Voters”). With “no regrets” (qtd. in Ferner, “State Sen.”), Morse did what he 2014 Winning Essay: John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest for High School Students ...
Words: 1527 - Pages: 7
...“Stuff Is Not Salvation,” belongs to Anna Quindlen criticized the consumer culture. She talks on her essay about the people who buy some not need stuff and goods and waste their money on junk which is not need. The thing, which she argues with people in her essay that, we can be happier if we live simple without unnecessary items. Also, Quindlen shows at the end of her essay that happy people do not actually rely on material things at all but just a few which they really need. Quindlen does a really great job with her argumentative essay by supporting it in a lot of details, personal examples and statistics. She also gets some conversation which attracts the reader by asking questions and make them think more about her argument. She said, “The...
Words: 283 - Pages: 2
...Gun Control in America When I was in the military I had the opportunity to travel to many different countries in the world where gun control was either limited or fully enforced. In countries like Great Britain, which has strict gun control, the country has a very high miscellaneous crime rate due to even the law enforcement not carrying side arms (Kelley, 2012). Then countries like Switzerland where their gun laws are minimal, and their crimes are very low and they have access to guns (LaFollette, 2000). These countries with guns may have gun violence, but countries without guns tend to have more heinous crimes using other things as weapons (LaFollette, 2000). I have been around this world and I feel as Americans we don’t need gun control. Even though some Americans believe guns kill people and should be banned, I am completely against gun control, because it violates our Second Amendment Right, and guns also protect us and our families from intruders and individuals trying to commit a crime. Americans in today’s society want gun control to prevent foolish people and ones not all there in the head from owning guns. LaFollette (2000), thought that even though guns don’t kill people, people kill people so we should have gun control to stop these individuals from getting firearms. Such lunatics that have shot up schools like Columbine, Sandy Hook, and most recent the kid that shot up that church Charleston, SC. LaFollette (2000), said,” Availability of guns is also positively...
Words: 760 - Pages: 4
...Gun control in America Some gun control laws should stay the same because gun related deaths have dropped, it is our Second Amendment right, but some state laws should change to keep guns out of schools. Barrett (2013) discusses that gun violence is declining in the U.S. Figures from the United States Bureau of Justice and that gun related deaths have dropped 39% since 1993 (Truman, P.H.D & Planty, Ph.D., 2013). The author also states that handguns are mostly responsible gun related deaths and injuries, which raises questions on the emphasis of assault weapons of some gun control supporters. According to Barrett (2013), he states the government says nonfatal gun crime has dropped in the last twenty years by 69%. It is good that the rates have dropped that much. Singh (1998) focuses on an essay written by Jeremy Putley in January 1997, which criticized the American system of government and the assumed deficiencies of its constitution, highlighting gun control in the United States. The topics include the amount of Americans who have died from gun-related deaths yearly during the 1990s, identification of the two gun control measures which were padded by the Democratic 103rd United States Congress, and explanation of the gun crisis in the United States. The United States Bill of Rights (Madison) states, “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 Bill of Rights is...
Words: 1857 - Pages: 8
...The term gun control refers to any action taken by the federal government or by state or local governments to regulate, through legislation, the sale, purchase, safety, and use of handguns and other types of firearms by individual citizens. Gun Control is one of the most serious issue that America is facing today. It is very controversial and “polarizing issue”(Barrett, 2), which means it tends to divide people. There is very Mixed feeling about gun control. The question of whether gun control policies increase, decrease or have no effect on rates of gun violence turns out to be a difficult question. Gun Control is very complicated issue, it become more complicated as people try to discuss it. Some people have very strong opinions against guns,...
Words: 834 - Pages: 4
...Farah English 3 Part 2: Why gun ownership should be held more strictly: I, Omar Farah, certify that I have personally completed this assignment based on my own personal efforts. I understand if I use outside sources, I must properly give my source(s) credit using the APA format and my paper should not include more than 20% of direct quotes from other sources. I understand if I do not provide proper credit to outside sources, I will be documented for plagiarism and be required to resubmit a new assignment. I will not divulge the content of this assignment or any of my work, generally or specifically, to any current or future James Madison High School students. 1/4/2015 I chose the topic “Why gun ownership should be held more strictly” because most of our daily news flashes say at least someone was shot and killed or shot and injured. I don’t like this; it is senseless and very sad. We are losing people every day, because someone is using their gun recklessly or leaving it where someone else has access or easily found. I don’t get why people kill people it is just inhumane and against our morals. Guns have very high danger to our country as well as other countries. That is why I pick or chose to write about this topic for my persuasive essay because that is what I see in guns and want people to see it too. I have one question to my reader; do you think guns should be under a stricter law? Honestly, I believe that we should have more stringent gun laws that tell people; that...
Words: 894 - Pages: 4
...ARGUMENT ESSAY Gun Control in Canada The shooting at the National War Memorial and Parliament building in Ottawa, Canada, last month has led to considerable discussion of the country's gun laws. Unlike the U.S., Canada has some of the toughest gun regulations in the world and no equivalent to the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, which protects U.S. citizens' right to bear arms. In 1977, Canadian Legislation of Gun Control was passed by the Canadian Parliament regulating long guns for the first time, restructuring the availability of firearms, and increasing a variety of penalties. Canadian firearms law is primarily federal, and therefore national in scope, while the bulk of the firearms regulation in the United States is at the state level; attempts to introduce stricter legislation at the federal level are often defeated. The importance of this issue is that not all North Americans are necessarily supportive of strict gun control as being a feasible alternative to controlling urban violence. There are concerns with the opponents of gun control, that the professional criminal who wants a gun can obtain one, and leaves the average law-abiding citizen helpless in defending themselves against the perils of urban life. Is it our right to bear arms as North Americans? Or is it privilege? When looking at the 1977 Canadian Legislation of gun control, it is easy to see that there is some bias and assumptions present. For one, it assumes that left to its own devices the legislation...
Words: 540 - Pages: 3
...Gun control is becoming a more prevalent topic of discussion due to the increasing number of mass shootings each year. This article confronts the topic of gun control and delivers an interesting twist on someone’s liberal views. Most liberals believe guns should be outlawed or heavily regulated. The intriguing part of this article is the idea that a liberal owns a gun. Naturally, people with democratic views believe that guns should not be in the hands of the public. The argument has an interesting twist due to this unlikely scenario. The writer begins his essay stating he is “devoutly Democratic” and lives in Texas. He owns many different types of pistols and is looking to buy a shotgun. He states he loves to fire guns and exercise his rights as an American. Among the many reasons to own firearms, the author says the biggest reason is to protect his family. He was introduced to firearms while writing a novel where guns were used...
Words: 980 - Pages: 4
