...The future safety of our children There has been 74 school shooting in American since the sandy hooks shooting, that means one every week (O’Conner Molly, Carrol and Lauren). Would schools be safer if the professors or teachers carried a hand gun? Yes they would. School shooting are happening more and more. Just in the last couple of weeks there have been about three shooting at colleges where people were injured or killed. Some parents from a school in Texas think it is a bad idea because they said “the teachers are trained to teach our children not carry a gun” (Gainesville SunAug 26 2008), but others said that they felt that their children were safe with their teachers carrying a fire arm (Gainesville SunAug 26 2008). In cases like the Sandy Hook shooting, if the teachers in those class rooms would have had a gun to protect the students and themselves, then there might have been less deaths. The teachers that carry the weapons should be psych tested every six months so that authorities can know if they will endanger the children....
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...Gun control and the Second Amendment The United States Constitution says that U.S. Citizens have the right to bear arms. Even though this guarantee was written with no constraints, there are now laws that limit certain aspects of gun ownership. The reasons for gun control fall under the flag of public safety. Though there are many safety reasons why private ownership of firearms should be banned, these arguments are outweighed not only by the need for protection, but because the limitation of ownership rights could become dangerous to personal freedom. When the U.S. Constitution was written, some delegates thought Militia was military forces because the Federal Government had its own army to protect the people. The second amendment was made in response to the fear of being helpless before a standing professional army. "Aristotle said that decisions of a leader 'backed by a standing army' would be different from those made by a leader 'awed by the fear of an armed people'" (The Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, 28). Elbridge Gerry, a delagate to the Constitutional convention from Massachusetts, was an activist for the right of the Militia to bear arms. When asked what use a Militia has, he responded: "What sir, is the use of a Militia? It is to prevent the establishment of a standing army, the bane of liberty" (The Commission of the Bicentennial...
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...The Truth about Guns and Rights Christine Tarver COM220 February 17, 2013 Lori Pash Amendments amend provisions to the Constitution. The Second Amendment’s provisions are in regard to a militia with the right to bear arms. The word militia is not specifically defined in the Constitution or within the Second Amendment. With no specific definition, this brings about many debates of whose rights these documents protect. The word militia in these terms can be defined as a “general” militia, made up of all able bodied men. This was a check on governmental entities and the belief that people could be protected by individual rights. In 2008, for the first time in American history the Supreme Court defined the right to bear arms. This took place in District of Columbia v. Heller. The Supreme Court stated the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to possess firearms independent of service in a state militia and to use firearms for traditionally lawful purposes, including self-defense within the home. Gun control laws in America are responsible for the possibility of who can or cannot purchase and possess guns; laws also give valid reasons to gun ownership. The right to bear arms has limitations and debates. The second amendment does not protect people against any and every weapon readily available. In fact there are obstacles one must cross before they legally have full ownership of a gun. The rules, regulations, and laws according to this process vary greatly from state...
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...Gun Control: Who Does it Protect? Gun control is a very controversial topic in the United States. Merriam-Webster (n.d.) defines gun control as the “regulation of the selling, owning, and use of guns.” The regulation is meant to protect citizens from harm by limiting or eliminating the ability to purchase or own a firearm. The one fact that many gun control supporters forget is that criminals commit crimes, and laws do not apply to those who choose to not follow them. It is a problem that they believe that more people owning guns means more crime. Another issue is that they believe Congress should pass stronger gun control laws. The gun control supporters are also misinformed as to whether concealed carry states have better or worse violent crime rates. Gun control is unsatisfactory, even though it is meant to protect against violence. It only disarms law-abiding citizens, therefore putting them at a disadvantage against criminals using illegally obtained weapons. History of Gun Control and Rights The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution states that citizens have “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (U.S. Const. amend. II.). Following the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Congress passed the Gun Control Act. This law was meant to strengthen “the firearms licensing process to limit foreign and interstate transport of firearms, prohibits the interstate shipment of pistols and revolvers...
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...U.S. Many people support this amendment, arguing that it allows people to protect themselves. However, others disagree with this claim because guns are a safety issue themselves. I challenge the second amendment because presented by allowing guns outweigh the potential safety they provide. The founders of America created the second amendment to protect colonists in a time of war. These people had no other choices than to fight or be enslaved under the monarchy of Britain. Their situation encouraged the creation of the right to bear...
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...Gun Control what’s The Point Sondra Miller Dr. Kimberly Stanley December 8, 2013 Gun control in America is a debate that is a constant concern about the 2nd Amendment or the right to bear arms. Having the freedom to carry a gun is a very controversial issue in society today. There are many people who feel that guns has been a problem and part of the reason there is so much crime. In 1994 a crime bill was passed by President Bill Clinton that would prohibit just anyone from owning a gun (Washington Times vol0). As long as guns are made readily available for Americans to own them, tragedies such as the 1999 columbine school killing that 13 people were killed and wounding countless of others (Cullens2000,p 439) will continue to happen. Gun control policies should be stricter for people who wants to own a gun and for the store owners who sale them. The Hoffman Gun Center and Indoor Range require that gun owners have pistol permits that want to buy assault rifles. According to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Safety the law requires that a person who wants to buy a gun be at least 21 years of age, no convicted felonies, background check, and take a safety and storage course (Hoffman, 2001, newspaper). In America at least 400 children will die...
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...Guns in Schools With the number of mass school shootings and incidents of violence in schools that have been reported since April 20, 1999; the public is crying out for stricter laws to help protect our children. In direct response to the Columbine High School shooting, schools across the country adopted a variety of “safety” measures that included mandatory uniforms to prevent the wearing of gang colors and allowing faculty to more readily identify intruders, installation of metal detectors and security cameras, ID badges to be worn at all times, and the increased presence of armed guards on campuses. While these measures are all intended to protect our children the fact that we are still experiencing violence in our schools say that these measures are not enough. While metal detectors and armed guards in our schools are a step in the right direction, not all school districts can afford to employ them. Palmer ISD, in Palmer, Texas, with its school population of 1,100 students is approaching this dilemma by allowing a select few teachers and staff to be trained and cleared to carry concealed weapons. Only Kevin Noack, school superintendent, and the local Police Department will know who is carrying. (pp3) This policy will go into effect as early as this coming school year. With children being our greatest hope for the future, I support training and arming our teachers to protect this precious resource. Schools are generally viewed by terrorists...
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...Why Citizens Should Have Guns Those in agreement with strict gun control laws argue that guns are too easy to purchase. One can purchase a firearm at a gun show relative easily. The Bureau of alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reports that 30 percent of guns involved in federal illegal gun trafficking investigations are connected to gun shows (Project of the City of New York. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. Copyright 2009). It also a fact that guns kills, especially children. Every day, eight American children and teenagers die from gun violence. More than 29,000 people are killed by guns in the U.S. each year. One major reason for these deaths is easy access to guns (Marian Wright Edelman President, Children's Defense Fund). These are very good reasons for stricter gun control laws; however, there are arguments that support the other side of this argument. Data show that the areas of our country with the most draconian restrictions on firearms have the highest levels of crime. Criminals, by definition, break the law. Excessive firearm laws only restrict the rights of law-abiding citizens (New York Times upfront Magazine —U.S. Senator Larry Craig Republican of Idaho). Gun control laws are written to protect the innocent and the law abiding citizen, stricter laws may prove to hurt the very citizens it is designed to protect. We are fortunate to live in a country who’s Founders valued this critical right enough to protect it. They were able to bear arms...
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...Gun legalization benefits and disadvantages in the USA Introduction The question on whether violence and crime could be tackled effectively and consequently minimized by ultimately legalizing guns in the United States has remained a hard nut to crack over the past decade. On the other hand, ardent debate has been going on getting the guns off the streets. There are valid points on both sides of the issue where legalizing of guns will have benefits as well as disadvantages to the American society. In states where legalization of guns has been effected, citizens have realized numerous benefits. However, the legalization of guns has not been without disadvantages because when the guns find their way into the hands of gangs and children owing to the availability, high rates of crime and deaths are witnessed. Therefore, gun legalization in United States is an issue which has come to the forefront and should be accorded all attention bearing in mind the benefits as well as the disadvantages (Blek 121). Cook, Molliconi and Cole (60) state that guns are weapons that can be used to mitigate crime or violence but can be used to perpetuate violence and crime. It is true that guns do not do the real shooting: people do the shooting. It is the person who possesses the gun and the intent to do harm that we should be worried about. The pride of a person with a gun can actually make him or her to impose his or her will upon other people. This aspect is what puts the legalization of guns...
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...Gun related incidents have become a huge problem in America, and too many US citizens are losing their lives to guns. Guns take the lives of American citizens every day, from shooting massacres, to a child playing with a gun he had access to in his house. More people in America are killed by guns than terrorists. In fact over 30,000 people are killed by guns each year. Last year, only 17 people were killed by terrorist attacks (Terror). You can see that correlation on a daily basis as well. 3 people died in the Boston Marathon because of the terrorist attack staged there, that same day, in the U.S., 11 people were killed by guns (Terror). More American citizens are being killed by other American citizens armed to the tee, than by America’s common enemy. If you look at it that way it’s like we are doing the terrorist’s work for them. Every time there is a push to end gun violence there is an equal push back to keep things the same which...
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...bear arms or the means to keep a weapon. President Barack Obama recently stated that, “We know that states with the most gun laws tend to have the fewest gun deaths. So the notion that gun laws don’t work, or just will make it harder for law-abiding citizens and criminals to still get their guns is not borne out by the evidence.” This thus shows that there are issues disregarding whether fire arm restrictions have an impact on American citizens. As a result...
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...Pro removal of the second amendment The removal of the second amendment is a very controversial topic because most people can’t seem to agree on what laws should be put into place for firearms. Like you see here, we have pro and con on this matter but some things are arguable when it comes to this topic. For example, quite a few pro-gun activists believe that everyone should own a gun… including people with mental illnesses. Yes, everyone has a right to protect themselves but does everyone really need to have a gun? No, not everyone needs to own a firearm because that is how accidents happen. Last year during Obama’s tenure, he set a rule saying that people with mental illnesses, from anxiety to schizophrenia, could not purchase firearms....
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...“So why is the idea of a gun good when it's used to protect our president, our country, or our police, but bad when it's used to protect our children in their schools?” (LaPierre.) The context for this is that LaPierre explained that it is the duty of adults to protect children. The flaunting of the idea that school campuses are fire-armless makes them an easy target for psychopaths that would dare shoot up or harm a student body at a school. This idea that gun-free campuses make schools less likely to be shot up is one that he debates as well. The numbers back up the claim that flaunting the idea of the zones being firearms makes them inherently more dangerous, as proven in ammo.com’s database: “There have been 2,646 school shooting incidents in the U.S. since 1966. Of those, 2,205 (94%) occurred after the 1990 School Zone Safety Act (amended in 1995).” The statistics show that the passing of the act led to far more shootings than it actually prevented. He makes the point that if society uses guns to protect some of the most important members, why is it not used to protect the lives of children who will make up the future of the world? This testimony is important as the vice president of a company whose intention is to sell firearms knows who is using and purchasing these weapons. He imply the idea that firearms are used to protect the most important people and places in the world. He declares that a school is one of...
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...illnesses and some say it is because of gun control. These violent acts would have never happened if there wasn’t a gun involved. Guns are dangerously powerful weapons of mass destruction that take lives. Lives are not something you can get back, once your dead your dead and that’s why America need gun control. The lives taken everyday by that act of gun violence are hideous. School shootings are becoming more and more common today. School shootings are horrible and shouldn’t be happening. School shootings would not be happening if there wasn’t a gun involved. According to German Lopez, who wrote the article “I’ve covered gun violence for years. The solutions aren’t a big mystery.” “The US makes up less that 5% of the world’s population, but hold 31% of global mass shooters”. That is unacceptable and inconsolable, such a small portion of the world shouldn’t hold that high of a percentage of global mass shootings. Lopez also states, “The Marjory...
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...Gun control has been a series topic of debate in recent years. People should not be able to purchase firearms. There are many reasons why people should not be able to buy guns. One reason is guns are not safe, there have been far too many accidents involving people being killed by firearms. Criminals can purchase guns to commit a crime. Semi-atomic weapons and automatic weapons are for military purpose only, and not to be used by civilians. Children can gain access to a gun and harm someone or themselves. There also would be less mass and school shootings if the government would make ban the purchase of guns. There are people who believe that there should not be a gun control law. They believe that guns protect the rights and freedoms of...
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