...Mapping an Argument Article #1 Gun Control The article’s issue was about gun control in the United States and how the constitution should be challenged on this controversial topic. Discussions about citizens’ rights to bear arms extend back to ancient times. Supporters of gun control would like even tighter restrictions on the sale and circulation of firearms. According to Samuel Adams he argued that the Constitution should never be interpreted “to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens from keeping their own arms.” Several stated premises in the article were that “Opponents of gun control interpret the Second Amendment as the guarantee of a personal right to keep and bear arms.” In two other rulings, the Supreme Court reaffirmed this view in upholding New Jersey’s tough gun control law in 1969 (Burton v. Sills) and in supporting the federal ban on possession of firearms by felons in 1980 (Lewis v. United States). Gun control laws have several functions. They may be designed to hinder certain people from gaining access to any firearms. The laws may limit possession of certain types of weapons to the police and the military. A person who wants to make a gun purchase or obtain a gun license may be subject to a waiting period. Gun-control laws vary from country to country. The following stated premises are that gun violence also affects more than its victims. Opponents of gun control interpret the Second Amendment...
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...The Brady Law The Brady Law requires licensed gun dealers to run background checks on potential buyers. According to Francine Kiefer, running background checks blocked at least two million purchases (Kiefer, 2014). Blocking purchases of gun sales to domestic abusers and fugitives by licensed dealers, activists are urging the extension of running background checks on all gun sales. The issues regarding passing laws requiring private sellers to run background checks on potential buyers is an example of a deductive argument. Although some states implemented and strengthened possession restrictions on domestic abusers or individuals who suffer from mental illness, laws should be passed requiring private sellers to run background checks on their potential buyers. Statistics show that at least two million purchases have been blocked. This means that felons, domestic abusers, and fugitives were prevented from licensed dealers. Being prevented from purchasing guns from licensed dealers, felons, abusers, and fugitives can purchase guns from private sellers because they do not have to pass a background check. What this means is that individuals can go to private sellers and purchase guns; thus, enabling them to commit gun crimes. Implementing laws requiring private sellers to run background checks would keep guns out of the hands of prohibited persons. The new law would reduce the amount of illegal gun trafficking that currently occurs. Implementing tougher laws would allow authorities...
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...In “More Americans Want Stricter Gun Laws, Poll finds” Sam Fritzel, writes about how gun control play a major role in the 2016 campaign. Americans want stricter gun laws because of the mass shootings that been happening the last couple years. According to a Gallup poll, “55% of Americans say gun laws should be stricter.” three out of four democrats want stricter gun laws, so that number is 77 percent of them. 36 percent of people own a gun want stricter gun law, while only 27 percent of republican agree with that. Fritzel says, “Gun control advocates have become increasingly outspoken in recent years, particularly since the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting when 20 children were murdered at an elementary school. A bill that would have strengthened background...
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...Gun Control Angela Bauch Grand Canyon University: PHI-105 21st Century Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills 01/24/2016 Gun control is one of the most divisive issues in American politics. “The term “gun control” refers to any government policies that influence the availability and use of firearms among the general public or distinct subsets of the population” (Chapman & J. Ciment, 2013). Gun control groups would like to initiate additional restrictions on firearms, but also to eliminate legal limitations on the right to possess and carry firearms. Gun control laws should be strengthened because it will reduce crime rates, would decrease crime due to concealed carrying, and is not a constitutional right. Gun policy at the state and federal levels need to strengthen gun laws because violent crime rates are high. Initiate additional restrictions on firearms to reduce crime. “One of the more emotional arguments for greater control of firearms is the number of gun-related accidental deaths that occur each year, especially among children” (G. Carter, 2012). “Supporters of gun control argue that firearms restrictions are reasonable measures that reduce injury and death” (R. Chapman & J. Ciment, 2013). “Passions run deep on the issue of gun control, indicating highly distinct and conflicting attitudes toward firearms in American culture” (R. Chapman & J. Ciment, 2013). However, a regenerated boost in the violent crime rate could ensue in more forceful pressure...
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...Introduction Guns have been a part of this country’s society from its beginning. Throughout America’s history we have used guns for various different reasons. We use guns to protect this nation, protect our families, to participate in recreational activities and finally to hunt for food. The issue of Guns and gun control is and has been a huge issue that has been debated and will be debated as long as we keep having school shootings and mass murders. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a difficult balancing act. In America gun control is one of those issues that is filled with passion and emotion. Both sides are firmly entrenched in their positions. Those parties in favor of gun ownership and the freedom to use and keep arms, rely on the fact that the provision for such rights is enshrined in their constitution. In today’s society, with the growing violence rate, turmoil and crime, gun advocates feel their position has strengthened. As citizens of the “Land of the Free” possessing a gun is a right afforded to us by the constitution, and is probably a necessity. Gun control advocates point to the same growing violence and gun related crimes to strengthen their argument in a collective effort to entice change from our Nation’s Capital. They hope the Government will take action by enacting more laws and stricter control. Gun Control activists feel this would create society that is safer. ...
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...Gun Control Gun control is one of those debates that seems to never go away. This is most likely due to the fact that on any given night a person can turn on the TV and see a report of a gun-related death or crime on the news. Gun control advocates take these instances and immediately declare that gun control laws need to be strengthened or that guns should be outlawed completely. While this may seem like a rational reaction and a solution to the problem, upon further investigation it is discovered that this might not solve the problem at hand. The solution to preventing crimes involving guns is not enacting stricter gun laws, but addressing the problems with the individuals that commit the crimes. As stated before, many people believe and argue that by enacting stricter gun laws and regulations the crime rate and gun death total will decrease. This argument makes sense in theory, until you take into consideration the individuals who are committing the crimes in the first place. The people who go out and deliberately kill someone or use a gun to aid in a crime are not law-abiding citizens in the first place. In most cases, the individual uses a gun that they did not legally obtain meaning that they either stole it from an individual that did or they acquired it through some sort of black market. How will making gun laws more strict help stop an individual that is going to acquire the gun illegally in the first place? According to Stranger, the percentage of crimes that are...
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...Gun control has been a worldwide dispute more than ever after the many incidents that have been going on in schools the past decade. After the tragedy that happened in Douglas Stoneman high school in Parkland, Florida, people realized that gun control had to be strengthened. Now lawmakers want to pass a law where they give teachers the right to carry a gun in school property in case of another incident. While some believe that arming teacher is a benefit others believe that arming a teacher will cause more tragedies or even harm a child’s education. The primary purpose of this paper is to address why teachers should not get the right to carry a gun on school property. Although certain lawmakers believe that providing teachers with guns would be effective in emergency situations, teachers do not have the physical or mental capability to defend the students or themselves the way they were trained....
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...spanning all the way to California, there seems to be no safe place. The occurrences given do not account for all of the shootings throughout modern history, but these incidents are just a minute number of events that have rekindled the debate behind gun control. The Second Amendment: “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people...
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...lives of 26 students and teachers. Cases like these have prompted the Obama Administration as well as the entire nation to reconsider what laws and restrictions need to be placed with regard to gun access and control without interfering with the constitutional rights of citizens. It is a known fact that America was produced into a nation based on the ideologies of freedom and democracy; with the constitution as the heart of its central government. The basic rights of citizens stated in the amendments are not only unambiguous but also eminently conserved by the Judicial System and Supreme Courts, which makes it a crucial challenge to modify, despite having national catastrophes that leave the government questioning their responsibilities with regard to public safety. Guns are a huge presence on the American landscape, no doubt. With an estimated 300 million firearms privately owned in the U.S., we practically have a weapon for every citizen. In 1994, President Clinton signed a ten year assault weapons ban into law but industries continued to manufacture civilian versions of military rifles. According to author Paul Berrett, “The prohibition actually helped transform what had been a marginal product for most manufacturers into a gun-rights poster child, celebrated by the National Rifle Association and sought after by a much bigger share of the gun-buying public.” Since the ban’s expiration in 2004,...
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... Fall 2012 Professor: Freda Adler, Ph.D. Research Assistants: University of Pennsylvania Walter Campbell Department of Criminology Ryan Gale 483 McNeil Building Marissa Mandala 3718 Locust Walk Telephone: 215-746-3620 Office Hours: Professor Adler: Wednesday, 10am-1pm For all other times, please make an appointment Teaching Assistants will have weekly office hours TBA Overview: This course examines the multi-disciplinary social science of law-making, law-breaking, and law-enforcing. It reviews theories and data that predict when, where and against whom crimes happen. In addition, it addresses questions surrounding crime prevention and punishment of offenders. The role and importance of police, courts, and prisons are critically examined. The relationship between criminology and policy-making will be highlighted. Text: Adler, F., Mueller, G.O.W., Laufer, W.S, CRIMINOLOGY, 8th edition, New York: McGraw Hill, 2013 E-mail version: TBA Additional class materials will be posted on Blackboard periodically. Please check the course web site. Grading: Examinations: The final grade for this course is made up of grades from three non-cumulative examinations. These exams are taken in class...
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...April 29, 2014 Legalizing Concealed Weapons: Research Synthesis Many times people confuse whether or not allowing gun laws actually reduces the crime rate. As gun rights is a natural born right of citizens, some believe that should be banned, and many others believe that the law should be extended to lawful citizens. Based on my own experiences there have been several instances where I wish a legalized weapon was in arms reach. There was an instance about 7 years ago where my little brother and I were the only two in the house and an intruder broke in while we were there. No one was hurt or injured but it was traumatic for two children as it happened right after my mom had went to work. I would have felt more secure and confident if I was to know that a legalized weapon was around for our protection. Through research, why concealed carry laws should be implied into every state's legislation will be debated and each point of view will be expressed. As this topic applies to everyone, every citizen should have the opportunity to exercise their rights. Many people are victims to crimes that they could have gotten away from. How many rape cases could have been avoided? How many school shootings could have been prevented before the shooting began? All of the latter mentioned cases are incidents that could significantly reduce our crime rate if concealed carry laws were in effect in every state. Also included in this essay will be a viewpoint of the opposing side and how that side...
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...or degree, as is the case in the British government. This may be considered as the true palladium of liberty . . . . The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Whenever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction.1 INTRODUCTION On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho went on a murderous rampage at Virginia Tech University, slaughtering 32 people before turning his gun on himself.2 Cho had previously been diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder and declared mentally ill in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.3 At the time of the shooting, Virginia law prohibited the “purchase, possession, or transportation of any firearm by any person adjudicated ‘legally incompetent,’ ‘mentally incapacitated,’ or ‘incapacitated,’ whose competency or capacity [had] not been * Third-year law student at Southern Illinois University. Address correspondence to Mr. Sterzer at Southern Illinois University School of Law, Law Journal Office, Lesar Law Building, Carbondale, IL 62901, or via e-mail at jasons@siu.edu. 1 ST. GEORGE TUCKER, BLACKSTONE’S COMMENTARIES ON THE LAWS OF ENGLAND (1803), available at http:// www2.law.ucla.edu/volokh/2amteach/ sources.htm#TOC7. 2 VIRGINIA TECH REVIEW...
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...Mexico: Drugs or Democracy Introduction Illicit drug trade between Mexico and the United States, estimated between $17 billion and $38 billion a year in 2009 by the Drug Intelligence Center, has a long and storied past. Cartels operated with relative impunity from government prosecution during the seventy year reign of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, (PRI). The movement from an authoritarian government system of the PRI to the liberal democracy initiated by the election victory of the National Action Party, (PAN), candidate, Vicente Fox, in 2000, disrupted the status quo. Election gains by PAN Representatives disrupted long standing agreements between the cartels and government officials which led to the increased violence that exists today. This paper will explore the history of the relationship between the cartels and the PRI. The effect of the increased violence from the cartels inhibits the efforts of PAN party officials to establish a lasting democracy. Literature Review Research shows the three distinct stages in the development of a cohesive relationship between drug cartels and government in Mexico and identifies the political and economic conditions that have allowed the drug trade to thrive. Comparing Mexico with Columbia, another narcotics state, provides an additional case study on the subject matter and highlights actions utilized successfully. A review of the current political and military efforts to curtail corruption within the government provides...
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...According to Christopher Hitchens, “Terrorism is the tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gun point,” of which is undeniably true. Terrorism is the extension of fear, trepidation and distress to project its views into the then current political spectrum, to alter the views, culture and ethos of the respective political power. Essentially, terrorism is about acquiring awareness in society for its cause, subsequently questioning the government’s stance or perspective. In doing so terrorism, as this essay will discuss, creates reservations about the legitimacy of the current government, raises doubts surrounding the power of the state; a manoeuvre that demands concessions. Moreover, terrorism has taken on a pseudo religious-political form that has resulted in an involuntary knee-jerk reaction throughout the modern liberal democracies in the Western World. Not many events, actions or ideologies have influenced politics as terrorism has done so consistently throughout history. Terrorism and politics intertwine more than many understand. Terrorism is a catalyst for political interaction and development; as politics is seldom contained to one opinion, it is home to a myriad of diverse beliefs and judgements. It is about command and control and is not regulated to a sole individual, but the interconnections of various people from differing backgrounds and faiths, prompting revolution, oppression and liberalisation (Delaware Criminal Justice...
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...4 scenarios if Bangsamoro bill is not passed MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – What will happen if Congress fails to pass the proposed Bangsamoro basic law (BBL)? Will war once again erupt in Mindanao? Is there no other option? With only a year left before the administration of President Benigno Aquino III ends, the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro basic law (BBL) in Congress remains uncertain. A tipping point was reached when the Mamasapano clash, which killed 67 Filipinos, eroded the political capital of the President and unleashed many reservations about the controversial bill. The Senate deadline was moved to October just as 12 senators signed the committee report concluding that the BBL is unconstitutional, indicating that the Senate would push for major revisions. Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr has gone to the extent of saying he will file a new bill that is substantially different from what is being deliberated. Over at the House of Representatives, House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II admitted passing the bill now is a “cause for concern.” After the bill was passed in the committee, House members were accused of allegedly railroading its approval. Yet the BBL continues to enjoy wide support in core areas, a Social Weather Stations survey released in May showed. (READ: #AnimatED: Law should trump violence) What are the scenarios as the bill faces uncertain support in Congress, constitutional issues, and a tight timeline? 1. Congress fails to pass the BBL and...
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