...One of these arguments can be summarized by the following statement: enacting stricter gun control laws could block dangerous figures from committing violent acts with guns whilst still allowing reasonable gun owners to keep theirs for their own desired purposes. As Hillary Clinton states, “We can have common sense gun reforms that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals and the violently unstable while respecting responsible gun owners… The stakes are too high, the costs are too dear, and I am not and will not be afraid to keep fighting for common sense reforms, and along with you, achieve those on behalf of all who have been lost because of this senseless gun violence in this country” (ProCon.org, 1). As a matter of fact, according...
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...Recently, a huge debate has come up about whether there needs to be stricter gun laws. This debate was heavily impacted by the recent shootings. Some believe that there should be stricter gun control and others believe there should not be. Many people are blaming these tragic events on the weapons and others think that the weapons don't kill the people behind the weapon do. Thesis: There does not need to be higher restrictions on guns because if someone can't get a gun legally they will get one illegally, guns are used for protection, and criminals target unarmed people. Advocates of increased gun control laws believe that by making it harder for people to obtain guns will decrease the number of shootings. The author of "It's time to ban guns. Yes all of them" states that, “It’s not about dividing society into “good” and “bad” gun...
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...Gun Control Debate By Mary Dyke, Lindsey Kjer, Stuart Moneymaker, Christina Marquez and Josh Marr BCOM/275 April 15, 2013 Gun Control Debate Gun control is a heated topic for debate right now in the United States. Many people are pro-gun control while others are against it. One fact is: “The Second Amendment only restricts the federal and state governments from imposing gun control that would completely deprive citizens of the right to defend their homes and their right to take part in defending their liberties as members of a national militia” (Charles, 2013). There is always some level of gun control. It can rise of course, but they cannot be taken away to their entirety. There are many pros to debate as well as cons. As gun control is discussed, we will come across ethical, moral, and legal issues. The Pros of Gun Control Do we not have enough gun violence occurring in today’s society that we feel the need to grant Americans permission to bear arms? Regulation of guns is a necessary action that needs to be taken in order to save lives. Gun control is an effort to stop the rise in violent crime by strengthening laws on the ownership of firearms. “According to studies, 54 percent of Americans say stricter laws would reduce the number of deaths caused by mass shootings.” Terrorism, schools shootings and other modern circumstances cannot be prevented all together; however stricter gun laws will limit the access to firearms and decrease the rate of deaths. Many...
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...promoting new laws, requiring stronger background checks, and paying attention to the pros/cons of what the American people believe. First, to start controlling guns’ new laws are needed to be put in place to crack down on the violent in streets. There are many reasons why guns should be more controlled and more suggestion on how to make the gun laws stronger. Many people in the United States thinks that gun laws should be stronger because they think by doing this that laws will and can reduce crimes all over the world (“Gun Control Laws Reduce: Should”). Indeed, the strengthen of laws that already exist can “give law enforcements” the break they need to decrease guns being in “the wrong hands” of people (“Stronger Gun Control). People who...
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...Gun Control or Our Freedom Jill Sanders ENG/215 January 28, 2013 Sophia Hsia Gun Control or Our Freedom The pros and cons of gun control has been a debate over the years brings several issues to light. The myth of the Second Amendment is merely a reasoning clause for the right to bear arms, and people have the right to bear arms for their own personal use. The truth of the Second Amendment is “A well- regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state ” (www.guninformation.org/freedom.html). The legislative proposals are trying to restrict the availability of firearms to the public raise several questions. What restrictions on firearms are truly permissible under our Constitution? Does gun control constitute crime? Will the nation’s crime rates decrease with stricter regulation put on gun ownership? Last but not least would it hinder or impair the means of self-defense of citizens? (Krouse, March 2005) “First it is important to realize that the right to live is a very important right and a freedom”. If more gun control means lives saved then more gun control should mean more freedom. “The government has an obligation to protect the people’s rights such as the right to live. So the government has an obligation to place more restrictions on individual gun ownership. Do you as an American agree to the government is infringing on your rights?” We are going to explore the choices we have as citizens of the United States (www.guninformation.org/freedom...
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...crime. This has sparked the debate of whether gun control is necessary to diminish crime and many pro gun advocates, look at Switzerland as proof that it is false. To get into this heated debate, it is important to understand the term gun control. Gun control is defined as laws that control the selling, owning, and use of guns (Webster's Dictionary). Like in any debate there are always two very different stance on this topic. PRO Pro gun control advocates argue that having strict gun laws will decrease the nation's crime rate. They also point out that having tougher gun laws will save lives by avoiding any more public massacres. To the eyes of a gun control advocate, it seems like a no brainer. After all, the less guns on the street will result in less gun related deaths. In the United States, 33,636 people have died due to a firearm in 2013 (Alpers, Philip).That number accounts for murders, homicides and suicides across the country. Thousands of people that year lost their life due to a firearm incident and the number keeps growing each year. Many gun control advocates wonder why it is so difficult to implement stricter gun laws in the world's greatest democracy. The misinterpretation of the second amendment is what's holding back the U.S. Many people that are against gun control throw around the Second Amendment a whole lot. What many have failed to realize is that the Second Amendment protects the right of militias to own guns, not the individual. Let's take a look at what...
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...Gun Control Brian McMahon 02/02/2014 PH103 Informal Logic Colette Jung Gun control has been a controversial topic for quite awhile. The United states has set some gun restrictions in place already, and is trying to place more. Even though some gun laws can prevent people from being killed, they are not legitimate because they do not stop criminals from committing crimes, instead they restrict law abiding citizens and they violate the 2nd amendment. More gun restrictions will not solve the current issues at hand, however gun education could be affective in educating the public Gun Control laws make no differentiation between criminals and law abiding citizens. The purpose of gun control is to limit access to criminals getting a hold on weapons. "The ATF found that 'a small group of dealers accounts for a disproportionately large number of crime gun traces.' More than 85 percent of dealers in the U.S. had no crime guns traced to them at all in 1998, while about 1 percent of licensed firearm dealers accounted for 57 percent of traces that same year." Parnell, William (2009). Clearly that 1 percent is breaking several laws when it accounts for 57 percent of all gun crimes traced by the ATF. After the events happened at Virginia Tech Congress created the "NICS Improvement Act," which includes "provisions that encourage states, as a condition of federal funding, to update and make available disqualifying records on persons to be 'mentally defective' and convicted of misdemeanor...
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...American Government 3/14/2013 Gun Control The gun control debate is clearly one of the most contentious and controversial issues in America today and the battle over gun control is now being waged through intensive media campaigns from both sides of the political spectrum to influence public opinion and to assert pressure on policy makers. It is a debate that has not been resolved and will never be. “The right to bear arms”, an amendment prioritized by our founding fathers, which earned the very second spot on the list of birth rights as Americans. However, with constant tragedies striking the United States, such as massacres in public high schools and universities, mall shootings, and attempted assassinations on state representatives, it’s no wonder law makers are constantly debating the topic of gun control. Given the strong evidence that the level of gun violence is related to “relaxed gun laws”, why don’t we do more to enact stiffer gun laws? In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since its birth. Throughout history, the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, to hunt for food and to engage in sporting activities. Criminals on the other hand, they don't listen to laws, and will take advantage of the newly unarmed law abiding citizen. As shown in statistics and studies, cities with more gun control have more gun murders, due to the fact that a law abiding citizen can't carry a gun with him, but a criminal will...
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...people who want more gun control laws and the people who are against it. Gun control is where the “government policies influence the availability and the use of firearms to the general public or the distinct subsets of the population such as minors, convicted felons, and the mentally ill” (Brian Odom). It has been around for many years and it started with the first comprehensive federal gun law “Gun Control Act of 1968(GCA)” which enacted in response to the racial and other unrest of the 1960’s. It was mainly to keep a sharp restriction on the sale of guns and the ammunition across state lines. Now with a better insight and history over gun control, it will be easier to have a good understanding over it. There are also the people that want stricter gun control laws which in theory should decrease crime but also because the kids can get a hold of their parent’s guns which potentially can result in a deadly accident. Reasons for there to be less gun control is because taking guns away would just lead to the vast majority of people being unarmed when being robbed also the criminals can always get a hold of guns whether that be legally or illegally. The gun control laws should be less strict because the laws would not drop crime rates and it would make it more difficult for citizens to defend themselves. With the most deaths in the U.S having to do with guns it would make sense if you take guns out it would drop the killing ratio. Obama says that tightening gun control by banning assault...
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...Kairotic Moment of Gun Control On July 20, 2012, The Dark Knight Rises was formally released in the U.S. It could have been a grand festival for Batman fans, unfortunately, the tragedy happened. In the cinema of Aurora, Colorado, a man named James Holmes, who wore a gas mask and dressed up as the super villain in the movie, threw tear gas into the theater and shot at people during the showing of the film. Twelve people were killed and fifty-eight people were injured in the incident. As one of the most serious shooting cases in the U.S., the issue of gun control has once again attracted public attention, rushing people into pro and con camps. The controversy around the issue is whether it is better to strengthen the laws for gun control or not. Major media around the world have made extensive covers and reports of the Denver shooting case; they also joined the discussion of gun control because it has significant effects for people’s lives and safety. There are three articles from different media responses to the hot topic. The article titled “Gun-control, gun-rights groups’ ready for renewed debate after Colorado shooting” by Michael Martinez was published on CNN.COM. CNN is one of the most influential global media and authoritative news sites, which can be seen or read by over 100 million U.S households and viewers in over 212 countries. This article notes that both sides were engaged in a renewed debate about the issue of gun control in the aftermath of the shooting tragedy...
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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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...The topic on “Gun Safety Programs” was chosen for this paper, the reason I chose this is because I believe in not having a gun, but for those who need and have guns need to learn “Gun Safety” to use it for only good reasons. Some people like guns and some do not; it depends on people who believe in the need of having a gun or guns for protection, self-defense and/or hunting. Also, there are many people out there that have guns because it is required for work, war, peacekeeping and other reasons. Guns are often used for preventing intruders, criminal assaults, murders or suicide attempts than in self-defense since it’s available easily for people to purchase. There are some people who don’t need guns to protect themselves because we have police officers in each town, city, and state. They are there to protect and serve the community with the responsibility to take care and to protect good people from bad people. At hand are many reasons as to why they choose to have a gun to defend them in any effort to keep their themselves, families and friends safe. There are some who prefer not to have a gun at all. Therefore, I’ll expand to explain the reasons why it is important to know about “Gun Safety”. In the article, “Why Own a Gun? Protection is Now Top Reason” written by Michael Dimock, Carroll Doherty, and Leah Christian, mentioned about between pros and cons of gun owners and non-gun owners and they are concerns about the dangers of guns for safety reasons. Some people may have...
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...What is the purpose of Gun Control? Gun control is to regulate and control the sales of guns. It is an act that was passed in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson. Having possession of a fire arm can be taken as a sign of protection or a threat. A fire arm “…means any weapon (including a starter gun) expelling a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or silencer; or any destructive device” (The Gun-Control Controversy 1986). There are many controversial issues facing gun control in our society, such as: feeling protected in your own home, letting Veterans continue to carry firearms, and allowing retail stores to sell ammunition to the public. These issues, as well as other aspects of gun control, need to be further examined and brought to light in today’s society. Having a firearm in a household serves a purpose for people to feel protected. “A national survey finds that nearly half of gun owners (48%) volunteer that the main reason they own a gun is for protection; just 32% say they have a gun primarily for hunting and target shooting”(People-Press.org 2013). Having the authority to own a gun can be a good thing, but it can also be a downfall. For instance, a recent incident happened to the Senatore family in Toms River, NJ. The family was responsible for death of their neighbor. Unfortunately, their four-year-old son found the gun and pulled the trigger on his six-year-old neighbor. Later the police found out that...
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...Gun control issue There were 464,033 total gun deaths between 1999 and 2013. Five women a day are killed by guns in America. By adding more gun control laws, such as background checks, and simply assuring that guns fall into the right hands, we could reduce gun violence in America. In a nation where 88% of people own a gun, gun control may be a necessary strategy to regulate gun violence. More than 30 people are shot and murdered each day, including over 7 children and teens. More than 30,000 people are killed by firearms each year in this country, including over 12,000 homicides.We have a major problem that we are not even addressing. “When we look at this average death toll in relation to the Sandy Hook Shooting—a nationally shocking...
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...Crime and guns. The two seem to go hand in hand with one another. But are the two really associated? Do guns necessarily lead to crime? And if so do laws placing restrictions on firearm ownership and use stop the crime or protect the citizens? These are the questions many citizens and lawmakers are asking themselves when setting about to create gun control laws. The debate over gun control, however, is nothing new. In 1924, Presidential Candidate, Robert La Follete said, “our choice is not merely to support or oppose gun control but to decide who can own which guns under what conditions.” Clearly this debate still goes on today and is the very reason for the formation of gun control laws. Guns are extremely powerful weapons. They can cause destruction, harm or even death. They can be used to defend and protect or to threaten and kill. Any way you look at it, guns are powerful tools, not only physically but socially. As college students it is important to stay abreast of the current events and issues circulating our country today, one of which is the controversial issue of gun control. It is extremely important to pay attention to where gun control laws are headed. The directions they take not only affect our nation and society but our future as well as we all move to communities and begin to raise families. So why is gun control such a hot debate? Perhaps to answer this question it would be important to look at some key statistics concerning handguns in our society. In...
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