...Gun Control Political Science 1333 Dr. Garrison December 3rd, 2009 The Gun Control Debate Gun control and the supposed right to a gun have been at the war for many decades. The term gun control refers to policies which seek to regulate the manufacture, sale, ownership, and the use of guns. These policies or the lack there of, are reinforced and intensified ever so often when an unfortunate tragedy occurs. For instance, after the April 16th, 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech University, in which left thirty-three persons including the gunman died, many persons were of the opinion that such an incident could have been avoided through effective gun control measures. However, the issue of gun control is a very sensitive topic in the American society. Many Americans view control gun legislation and policies as an attempt to refute and violate a constitutionally enshrined liberty, which guarantees them a right to own a gun. This liberty to own and possess firearms stems from the Second Amendment which many believe affords the ordinary citizen the right to be armed. On the contrary, there is the other sector of American society who argues that the Second Amendment does not afford or protect and such a right. Moreover, members of this group also argue that if the Constitution does in fact afford such a right it needs to be revisited or repealed since it is not applicable to the present American society. Both sides of the spectrum are heavily represented...
Words: 4741 - Pages: 19
...The gun control debate is one of the hottest topics of current media - and it will be discussed further in this paper. This research paper will be oriented against gun control, therefore being for gun ownership. Many aspects of gun control will be discussed, and the argument of this this research paper will be for gun rights and ownership. A lesser-known but important topic in the larger scale gun control debate is handicapped individuals owning a firearm and permit for self defense. Handicapped citizens are more opposed to gun control laws than most, due to the fact that some grips and stocks that are illegal are more necessary (Ennis, 2013). Assault-style weapons, such as AR-15’s, are very customizable, and such customizations could compensate for an individual’s disabilities. Banning that genre of firearms would remove the broad personalization options, and therefore making it more difficult for handicapped shooters to modify a gun to their needs. Also, some disabled shooters may have certain conditions that prevent them from assuming a normal shooting stance. If accommodations can made for the shooter to use their gun effectively, such as a lighter weight gun or laser...
Words: 1403 - Pages: 6
...Introduction The Watts Riots were caused by a roadside argument when a black man, Marquette Frye, was arrested for speeding. Frye had been drinking, and was driving with his brother, Ronald, in the car, when the two were pulled over two blocks from their home. While Marquette was being arrested, Ronald retrieved their mother from her house. When Mrs. Frye saw her son being forcibly arrested, she fought with the arresting officers, tearing one officer’s shirt. An officer then struck Marquette’s head with his nightstick, and all three of the Frye’s were arrested. By the time the Frye’s were arrested, hundreds of onlookers had been drawn to the scene. Anger and rumors spread quickly through the black community, and residents stoned cars and beat...
Words: 637 - Pages: 3
...to the article this practice was disclosed by the NSA’s former contractor Edward Snowden who demands extensive checks to guard against misuse (Washington Post, 2013). According to the article, a taskforce was formed and was to submit a report to President Obama, in their report they would like to see a higher legal standard applied in accessing phone records by government. The report proposed an end to the bulk collection of records, calling on the NSA to approach phone companies and ask for records as when investigators need them on a case-by-case basis. Government officials seemed to open in considering this arrangement but voiced concern that investigative speed may be lost in the interest of privacy protection (Washington Post, 2013) The article argued that for the NSA to make a strong case, it must demonstrate the national security benefit to the program. It further did mentioned of the U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon who issued an injunction to prevent the bulk collection of the data. His actions gives the government a chance to appeal and he ruled that the NSA phone-records database collection is likely in violation of the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment restrictions on unreasonable searches (Washington Post, 2013). The judge also rejected the applicability of the 1979 ruling that offered no constitutional protection to metadata, with the argument that Americans’ “relationship with technology has changed drastically now that cellphones and...
Words: 900 - Pages: 4
...association of WFJ, despite SF stating that she has no ambition to take any significant role in the company: “Wong Siu Foong shall be appointed to the Board of Directors for as long she holds shares in the Company, and shall not be removed without the approval of Wong Siu Long. As director, Wong Siu Foong shall be entitled to an annual remuneration amounting to $60,000 or 1% of the Company’s after-tax profits, whichever is the higher.” The issue presented in this question is whether SF can enforce the above provision against WFJ. Based on the facts, the general law can be applied to determine the effectiveness of the provision. S39(1) of the Companies Act (“CA”) states that the memorandum and articles shall bind the company and the members as if the respective parties had signed and sealed in a contract to observe all the provisions of the memorandum and the articles. Hence, the provision in the article is said to be effective. However, there are alternative arguments to this case. The Singapore court not only takes the Singapore CA into consideration during a ruling, but also relevant previous law cases. For this issue, the Hickman v Kent or Romney Marsh...
Words: 2900 - Pages: 12
...Do you know how the constitution guards against tyranny?A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. The constitution for the us was wrote on June 21, 1788 in Philadelphia at the Convention.Tyranny is the cruel and oppressive government or rule. The Constitution guards against tyranny by using four important practices: federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, and by ensuring representation of large and small states. Federalism divides power between a central government and the state governments. Our federal government has three parts. They are the Executive, (President and about 5,000,000 workers) Legislative (Senate and House of Representatives) and Judicial (Supreme Court and lower Courts). The President of the United States administers the Executive Branch of our government.The two bottom corners are the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch – also called Congress. Each part of the government is connected to the other. Each has its own responsibilities and powers. A system of checks and balances prevents one branch from gaining too much power....
Words: 506 - Pages: 3
...The Right to Keep and Bear Arms: A Right to Self-Defense Against Criminals and Despots by Robert Dowlut[*] If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. -- James Madison[1] INTRODUCTION A written constitution is a reminder that governments can be unreasonable and unjust. By guaranteeing 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," the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution provides the citizens a means of protection against the unjust excesses of government.[2] The Framers placed this guarantee in the Bill of Rights because they considered the right to keep and bear arms peculiarly important and also uniquely vulnerable to infringement. The Amendment's command protects individuals against even popular conceptions of the public good. In addition to this protection within the United States Constitution,[3] the constitutions of forty-three states guarantee the right to keep and bear arms.[4] Despite the constitutional authority for this right, legislators and judges have consistently attempted to devalue it. Methods such as giving misleading labels to select firearms like "assault weapons"[5] or "Saturday Night Specials"[6] have been used to justify incremental disarmament.[7] American jurisprudence has deliberately devalued the right...
Words: 7782 - Pages: 32
... Yi Jie Yang 40223109 Professor: Steven Hugh Lee Chinese culture has had great misunderstandings particularly in the western countries owing to the views represented by socio-cultural scholars, historians and literature writers. This paper reviews two books that explore the Cultural Revolution in China with a major focus on the Authors’ Writing Style and their views on Mao’s Era. Writing Style In the book “Born red: a chronicle of the Cultural Revolution.” The author, Yuan Gao, explores the first violent years of China’s Great Proletarian culture revolution. Gao provides an account of his own experience as a Red Guard in the Cultural revolution bringing out the readers as close as they can get to the political vortex that shaped the views of millions of teenagers behind the national movement that brought China to the blink of civil war[1]. Born Red entails more than the recollection of a political nightmare including a concise narrative of an adolescent torn by conflicting loyalties as the author is called upon to participate in the destruction of the world that has nurtured him. The author’s story provides tribute to the durability of cultural traditions at a time when nihilism was at its best. Gao clearly outlines the Cultural Revolution in China in an attempt to create a way for a more egalitarian and participatory society[2]. According to Gao, through the mass political struggle and ideological transformation, bourgeois bureaucracy...
Words: 2913 - Pages: 12
...In Ethics, The Heart of Leadership, Michael Keeley argues against transformational leadership. He believes that the only to prevent harm done to the minorities by the majorities is “to keep majorities from uniting around a common interest – the reverse of what transformational leaders are supposed to do” (Ethics, 124). In general, I agree with Keeley. He attributes this idea to James Madison, although other scholars have disagreed about Madison’s true options. I will not enter the dispute about Madison’s ideas and opinions; that would be an exercise in history. Rather, I will discuss the content of the argument: whether transformational leadership harms minorities. Other issues, such as the effectiveness of transformational leadership and other ethical implications of the leadership types are beyond the scope of this paper and will not be discussed. To clearly present the issue, I will first define the two types of leadership. The definition of transactional leadership is quite intuitive. This type describes the interaction between leader and follower as a transaction. This is akin to the factor market studied in economics; a follower agrees to serve the leader in return for some sort of incentive. This could be a wage if it is in business, or perhaps just a feeling of accomplishment in a volunteer situation. Transformational leadership, which has been researched for the last 25 years, runs much deeper than the previous type. With transformational leadership, “the...
Words: 889 - Pages: 4
...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...
Words: 2865 - Pages: 12
...stereo. Luckily, my friend was able to grab his phone from his pocket and call 911. He recovered well but the suspects were never found. A few weeks after his release from the hospital, we both took a concealed carry course. I can only imagine what the outcome would have been if my friend was able to reach for a handgun instead of his phone. The offenders would have been caught right then and there for sure. If he owned a gun and was carrying it at the time of the incident, he could have properly defended himself. While guns have proven to be a dangerous part of our society, I believe that they are necessary in the overall safety and well being of our Country. In “Get a Knife, Get a Dog, but Get Rid of Guns,” Molly Ivins begins her argument by stating she is not anti-gun, but rather pro-knife. Ivins states that, “A general substitution of knives for guns would promote physical fitness.” While Ivins’ sense of humor is very apparent, it does not do much to set the proper tone. It is obvious to anyone that both knives and guns can inflict extreme physical harm on a person. This being said, they are hardly equal. A knife does not stab someone with the pull of a trigger; it takes a little more effort than that. Unless thrown with a certain amount of skill, a knife cannot injure someone from a far distance. A gun however, can do these things with ease. Furthermore, Ivins’ idea that knifes promote fitness does nothing for a crippled individual, or someone too elderly to even...
Words: 1098 - Pages: 5
...Henry Brousseau AS Studies Option 1 America As the World’s Humanitarian Watchdog “Inmates who gave birth to babies were forced to kill them,” said one survivor of a concentration camp. “Inmates who were pregnant usually gave birth to dead babies, but there was one case when the baby was born alive.” She continued, “So we were watching this baby and we were so happy. But suddenly we heard footsteps. The security agent came and told us to put the baby in the water upside down,” she recounted. This behavior was usual. Prison guards would beat people with clubs, and “they would beat you, kick you on the thighs. You can’t stand, you can’t sleep. And you are hanged like this for three, four days.” Prisoners were forced to eat mice and other...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
...guns," but while in Japan and other countries, criminals have guns, they usually only use them fight among themselves. Ordinary citizens’ gun deaths are extremely rare. There is no reason to have a gun when you have a police force and army. The second revision of the constitution, there is no police force and no standing army. We do not need a second amendment right now. "Constitution" expressly provides that possession of a firearm in the United States is intended to enable the public to form a militia. We do not need to form a militia! We have to police and military forces. The Constitution does not for any other purpose, rather than forming a militia weapons to protect ownership. In addition, traditional hunting and self-defence argument is outdated (hunting) and misleading (self-defence). There is a example from a news is on October 22 The Government will not consider the country's citizens...
Words: 972 - Pages: 4
...There has always been a huge debate for years on who the better player is, Kobe or LeBron. People can and will go back and forth for hours explaining their argument why Kobe is a better player, and at the same time, they’ll make their argument why LeBron is right below him. These arguments can and have been flipped. With the facts and background of the two, there is only one player that is better than the other. Kobe Bean Bryant, born August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a pro and star basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe entered the NBA draft fresh out from high school, and was selected by the Charlotte Hornets, but during the draft he got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He has played for the Lakers his entire career,...
Words: 1526 - Pages: 7
...treatment in the military, was also present in other facets of life such as marriage or protection. Clinton passed the defense of marriage act, around the time of DADT, which specified that marriage was between a man and a woman and states didn’t have to recognize the gay marriages of another state. The correlation between marriage and the military was that one of the argument sused against homosexuals in the military, that it would demean the integrity and morality of the military, was also used against the idea of gay marriage, which was said to possibly ruin the integrity and morality of marriage. Another aspect of society that mirrored DADT was the fight for protection from discrimination for homosexuals. Romer v. Evans reached the Supreme Court in 1996 which struck down an amendment in the Colorado constitution that said that gays didn’t deserve equal protection under the law and claimed they would be “special rights” (cite). This phrase “special rights” was used as an argument for DADT as well. In Stephen Snyder-Hill’s book Soldier of Change, he talks about how while he sent in a question to the republican national debate about if they would implement DADT...
Words: 1995 - Pages: 8
