...Zhiliang Xie (Terry) Professor Auli Ek Writing 2 08/24/2015 More or Less: The Debate on Gun Control How can we reduce the crime rate? A good solution might be to have more guns! This is suggested by John Lott, who is an economist as well as political commentator. However, Garen Wintemute, the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at the University of California, Davis, emphasized the negative effect of guns. On one hand, Wintemute believed that less guns lead to less violent crimes. On the other hand, Lott denied the direct relationship between crime rate and guns’ number and proposed that more concealed-handguns can actually deter crime. A common criticism of guns is that they stimulate more violent crime and this is what Wintemute (2004) tried to prove in his article, “Gun Control Laws Can Reduce Violent Crime” (p. 75). He (2004) explained that “firearms modify the consequences of crime” (p. 75). In other words, criminals find it easier to commit and complete crimes when they have guns. Wintemute (2004) took the example of robbery which is facilitated by guns and constituted of 44 percent of all violent crimes (p 75). With the guns, robbers will more likely venture “against [the] ‘harder’ targets” (Wintemute, 2004, p. 75). To emphasize how important guns are in crimes, Wintemute (2004) listed the data of Uniform Crime Reports, according to which the possibility that assaults lead to fatality by guns is 4.6 times of the possibility that assaults stimulate death...
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...there are few topics more controversial than gun rights. On one end we have our pro-gun Americans who are all about our second amendment that gives us the right to bear arms. On the other end we have our anti-gunners who would like to do away with these weapons. What was already a hot topic; especially here in San Francisco, has now been amplified exponentially do to the recent rash of mass shootings occurring throughout the country. These incidents have sparked a tidal wave of individuals working for the justice system here in San Francisco to push for tightening this states already strict gun laws and regulations, in hopes that these tighter laws will help to reduce violent crime both here in San Francisco and throughout the rest of California. The most efficient way to combat violent crime here in San Francisco is for lawmakers to halt they’re fight against firearm ownership and allow residents to arm themselves. Several points have been made supporting both sides of this issue. We have to ask ourselves, is it right to penalize every law-abiding gun owner residing here in California based off of the actions of a few criminals? Senator Jim Nielson, R-Gerber said, “The criminals will not be affected. They laugh at this.” Gerber also went on to say that these bills simply disarm the law-abiding public. Many would argue that these criminals who are executing these horrific acts are not acquiring their firearms through legal means such as a purchase from gun store. Which means these...
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...Proponents of gun control seem to pop out of the wood works each and every time some major school shooting gets amplified by the media. They will give notice that it is an unfortunate accident but then they'll just as quickly turn the issue into a Christmas tree for which to hang their own causes. "If we have had more gun control in this country, this sort of thing would not have had happened." This kind of overshadowing occurs much in liberal media for which they have to intertwine politics into such events as a means to promote their own agendas. Mass shootings is still something that needs to be solved and given the right people to think long and hard on solutions to the problems, the problem can't just be solved by a panacea law to end all shootings. Gun control is complicated and requires thorough analysis and planning. Should more gun control laws be enacted? Would it help to solve this problem facing the nation? Given the type of track record gun control laws have had, more of these gun control laws should not be enacted. Gun control laws give way too much reasons for why more of them shouldn't be enacted, reason...
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...have smarter gun laws. Also, if we have more gun laws these are less likely to occur. We should enforce more gun control laws because mass shootings are occurring at the highest rate ever, high power weapons are frequently used, and the constitution is out of date. The first reason we should have more gun laws is because the rate at which mass shootings are occurring is at the highest point in history. In 2012, a gunman killed “20 students-all 6 or 7 years old- and 6 adults”(“Sandy Hook.”) We need to make a law that prevents people who are bullied and show signs of preparing a mass shooting from getting guns. If we had more gun laws we might have been able to spare the lives of those children. Also, the columbine shooting included 2 teenagers who killed 13 people and wounded more than 20(“Columbine.”) The two arrived at the school with guns and homemade bombs(“Columbine.”) They should not have been able to acquire these guns because if they installed my ideas for gun laws, they would be on a list to not get guns. These are just two of the many shootings over the past decades....
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...find work, rising inflation rates, an unbalanced budget, and more importantly, a problem with guns. Like every other good old boy, I am concerned about being the victim of a random shooting, but at the same time, I want to be able to take down a nice10-point buck during hunting season. Guns effect every one of us every day. They fill us with fear or they make us feel protected. My point is this: guns are a problem, but using gun control to abolish them isn't necessarily the best solution. In gun control I mean laws that keep firearms off the street by preventing their purchase. I agree that some form of gun control is needed, but what we really need to concentrate on is gun licensing and more gun safety. I believe in my constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and I don't feel that legislators should be allowed to take away that right. Gun control can be a good thing, but if it leads to gun prohibition I will fight it until the day I die. Our country was founded on the basis of guns. The wars were won with guns and the people were protected by guns. Guns were so important that they were placed in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution: 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. Amendment II From this amendment it is apparent that the founders of our country knew in 1791 that guns did and would continue to play a role in the lives of Americans...
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...the 20th century, Smith and Wesson obtained success with the invention of the .357 magnum and the highly popular .44 magnum. In fact, Smith and Wesson’s accomplishments are so numerous that it would be difficult to study the history of the firearm without first studying the history of Smith and Wesson. With the inauguration of Democratic President Barack Obama and a current Democratic majority in the US Congress, Smith and Wesson is concerned over the inception of new laws and regulations governing their civilian consumer purchases. According to CBS news article “Gun Sales: Will The "Loophole" Close?” the author writes, “In the national debate over the right to bear arms, the election of Barack Obama was seen as a victory for those who want stricter gun controls.” This victory in the eyes of anti-gun activists has currently set off a “feeding frenzy” of gun purchases nationwide. Guns stores are logging back orders for Assault style weapons and...
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...that gun related violence is not a problem that requires attention. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, firearm homicides account for roughly 11,000 of the 16,000 homicides that occur the United States annually (2013). The subject of gun control has been a topic that has generated an enormous amount of controversy and attention. When one hears the term “gun violence”, vile acts against humanity, such as the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Columbine High School, come to mind. More recently, the rise in extremist acts of terror has heightened the public’s concern over gun control. In the aftermath of multiple occasions, President Obama has publically called for stronger gun control laws, specifically calling for stricter background checks among other provisions. In response to the public’s concern for safety, the president used executive action which increased the number of businesses which require federal licenses to sell guns, thus increasing the number of dealers requiring background checks when selling firearms (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2016). This is, of course, not a one-sided argument. The subject creates strong feelings across the political spectrum. Gun rights groups, such as the NRA, suggest that gun control laws are not only unconstitutional, but actually leave citizens in more danger by preventing them from using their best form of protection (National Rifle Association, 2015). In 1994 Congress enacted the Brady Gun Control...
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...Legitimate Gun Restrictions Christopher Glover PHI103 Karen Kart February 25, 2013 Legitimate Gun Restrictions A continuous argument between gun owners and concerned citizens is over gun restrictions. Many gun owners support the second amendment of the constitution and believe that any restriction on guns is an infringement on this amendment and there for there right. Concerned citizens of the United States believe that guns are to readily available and believe restrictions should be put in place to prevent these guns from falling into the wrong hands. In this essay I will discuss this argument and reveal the reasons that there are legitimate restrictions on gun ownership. I will start with how background checks keep guns out of the hands of people with a felony on their record. The gun control act of 1968 following the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Congress passed this law prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms. It also required licenses to trade in guns and created procedures to track serial numbers and control imports (www.keyt.com). Many will say that this helped reduce gun valance in America because after the gun control act of 1968 handgun violence dropped by 37% the next year (http://www.saf.org/LawReviews). The real reason behind the drop was the fact that during that year handgun production dropped, resulting in the drop in violence not the new law. Therefore the...
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...Restricting Gun Control in the United States For many decades gun control and ownership has been a major issue in the United States. Gun control and ownership needs to be restricted in order to maintain order and save lives throughout the world, but especially in the United States. Restricting firearms, especially for civilians minimizes gun trafficking and enforces gun safety. The restriction of guns needs to be federally regulated, not state regulated in order to be effective. There have been several laws set in place to assist with regulating firearms. The two most prominent federal laws are the National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. The National Firearms Act put in place a registration system for firearms which included identifying the firearm, date of registration, and the address and identification of the person entitled to possess the firearm. The Gun Control Act “prohibits mail-order sales and the interstate sales of firearms, prohibits transfers to minors, limits access to new assault weapons, and sets forth penalties and licensing requirements for manufacturers, importers, and dealers. This act was inspired by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy because he was killed by a mail order gun. Despite these regulations there is still a widespread need to increase gun regulations. There are numerous groups and lobbyists that would like to see a slack in firearm regulations. However, the most prevalent group is the National...
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...Michelle Evans History of Gun Control July 9, 2011 Chapter IV History of Gun Control In the 1960s after the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, gun control became a major subject of public passion and controversy. To some people gun control is a crime issue, to others it is a rights issue. Gun control is a safety issue, an education issue, a racial issue, and a political issue, among others. Within each of these issues there are those who want more gun control legislation and those who want less. On both sides of this issue opinions range from moderate to extreme. Guns are not for everyone. Certain individuals cannot handle a firearm safely, and some individuals choose to use firearms inappropriately. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered. Most of this legislation restricts, to some degree, the rights of individuals to possess or use firearms. Some restrictions may be necessary, but some recent legislation has gone too far. Society benefits from firearms in the hands of responsible citizens. Attempts to keep firearms away from these citizens do more harm than good. The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution 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 Founding Fathers included this in our bill of Rights because...
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...Are there any legitimate restrictions on gun ownership? Informal Logic / PHI103 The sometimes-explosive topic of an individual’s right to bear arms is a long-standing debate both nationally and internationally. Center fire of such debates is the interpretation, definition, and intention of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, the right to bear arms. Scholars, policy makers, and everyday citizens are faced with answering the question, are there any legitimate restrictions on firearm ownership? The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution 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.” (NARA, n.d) This statement, set forth by society’s Founding Fathers, has created a multitude of debates, beliefs, and restrictions. Congress passed the National Firearms Act In 1934, then later the President of the United States signed a law requiring gun dealers be licensed while recording the purchasers names and addresses. The 1968 Federal Gun Control Act, was enacted by Congress making it law following a turbulent time in history which was marred with the assassinations of several prominent public officials. The deaths, all due to firearms, included President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. This law categorizes people prohibited from owning guns including, those convicted of a felony, a fugitive, those who...
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...“Disarming Law-abiding Citizens Doesn't Make Them Any Safer" In the article, “Disarming law-abiding citizens doesn’t make them any safer”, (Spartanburg Harold-Journal, 2012) the Spartanburg Harold talks about the ban on guns will leave law-abiding citizens vulnerable to criminals, terrorists and homicidal lunatics. In this paper I will discuss some of the laws that will refute this claim. In the quote “The media is largely made up of people who don’t understand guns.” (Spartanburg Harold-Journal, 2012) the Harold makes a fallacious statement due to the fact that the media uses several different sources which includes gun manufacturers, experts on guns and law enforcement agencies. The Harold also makes the statement that the gun control lobbyists are too quick to assume that the problem is the weapons that are used. Instead they know it is not the guns. They are just trying to make it harder for that type of person or persons from getting the guns or that type of gun. Let us look at the Brady Handgun Control Act of 1993. (Library of Congress, 1993) It does not take away handguns. Instead it just adds a five day waiting period for a background check to be performed. This way those with criminal backgrounds will not be getting their hands on handguns or any gun. It also made it where state and local police were notified when multiple firearms was purchased. The Harold makes reference to the National Firearms Act of 1934. (ATF, 1934) Stating the average American cannot obtain...
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...Public health is an expansive discipline encompassing a vast array of issues and policies. Yet it carries within it a distinctly noble mission. The Future of Public Health defines it as “Organized community efforts to ensure conditions in which people can be healthy. Activities that society undertakes to prevent, identify, and counter threats to the health of the public. “ Therefore in fewer words, its mission is simply to protect its namesake, the public’s health. Many noble individuals have contributed to this pool of knowledge leaving legacies that have saved millions of lives and continue to save lives today. Included in the many facets of public health are injuries, both accidental and intentional. An article entitled “Firearm related injuries amongst children: Estimates from the nationwide emergency department sample” reports that close to 50,000 injuries result from violent acts within the US each year. A significant amount of those injuries involve the use of a firearm. Furthermore, in 2008 the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) reported that firearm injuries accounted for 14,831 ER visits by children alone. Although firearm injuries are unfortunate and dangerous in any situation, those involving children and adolescents are extremely despairing. The effects of a firearm injury in the early stages of life can not only have lasting physical effects, but can also result in psychological issues. Of the 14,831 ER visits mentioned, 494 died in the ER and 392...
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...are hurt from guns every day, in which twelve children are injured and seven children are killed. These are only just children. Imagine how many people become victims of gun violence every day. There is a lot of debate between whether or not more laws should be passed to control the ownership and manufacturing of guns in the United States. Can gun control laws reduce the amount of gun violence? The clear answer is yes. First, the suicide rate will lower if we enact more gun control laws. Next, making people undergo background checks before owning a gun will help reduce the risk of a firearm ending up in the hands of a criminal or a mentally ill person. Third, there will be more gun deaths if it is easier to obtain a...
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...December 7, 2012 Gun Control Obviously, guns have been a very big part of our history but because it was use inappropriately gun control was created. Guns are weapons that can take a life in an instant (“Does Gun Control…”). Guns have been part of American society since the arrival of the first European settlers (“Topic Overview…”). Arms in this country are part of our history, part of our culture. It has been passed down, generations to generations, as just an important part of who we are (“Topic Overview…”). Prior to the civil war, gun control laws were enacted in the slaves states principally due to the fear of firearms in the hands of free blacks and slaves who might rebel against their masters (“Special Interview…”). In the 1960’s after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, gun control became a major subject of safety. Certain individuals cannot handle firearm safely, and some individuals choose to use firearms inappropriately. Our society has passed laws regulating the ownership and use of firearms, and more legislation is being considered (“Special Interview…”). Throughout history violence has plagued the human race. We have passed laws to protect society, but the violence continues. Laws attempt to change human behavior, but laws are not able to change human nature. Laws are not enough to protect people from aggression. Xiong 2 While gun control advocates contend that guns leads to crime, injury, and...
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