Purpose, Audience, Significance

What is the purpose of your speech? | The purpose of this speech is to persuade my audience that gun ownership can have a positive effect on the crime rate in the United States, and that protection of one’s self, family, and property is an inherent right. | | Who is your Audience? | My ideal audience for this speech would be those of voting age who identify themselves as “swing” voters, who can take to the polls to ensure that proper legislature will always be in place to ensure the basic rights of protection. This topic will also be beneficial to any groups or individuals who wish to inform themselves on the benefits of gun ownership in America. | | Why is your topic significant to your Audience? | This topic is significant to this audience because currently in America the belief is that crimes involving guns are on the rise and that there should be Legislation set in place that would severely hinder or remove the basic right of owning guns as set forth in the Constitution. That such legislation would have detrimental effects on rights and would cause current crime rates to rise. | |

I. Introduction a. Attention Getter: America’s fascination and deep rooted devotion to the right to bear arms has not changed throughout its history in fact in recent years it has multiplied. Concealed carry permit holders are among the safest and most law abiding citizens in the nation committing misdemeanor and felonies at on sixth the rate of even police officers. (Washington Post, 2014). b. Thesis statement: Research suggests that allowing the ownership of assault style weapons does not increase the rate of gun violence because it allows one to protect themselves and their family and can lower the rate of crime. c. Preview of Main points: i. Ownership of assault style weapons does not increase the rate of crime, and can in fact lower the rate of violent crimes. ii. The basic right to bear arms as set forth in the constitution allows one to protect their family and community, and should be protected. II. Bans on assault style weapons does very little to deter crime

Gunfacts.info, 2015

a. Strict regulations and bans on assault style weapons has does nothing to raise the rate of crime and in many instances it is lower. (Kate and Mauser, Harvard Law Journal 2007)

i. Bans and heavy restrictions due to legislation on guns will cause crime rates increase. III. The basic right to bear arms as set forth in the constitution allows one to protect their family and community, and should be protected. d. The right town and bear arms gives a sense of security and protection over themselves and their Families. (Washington Post ,July 2014) e. Concealed carry permits are among the most law abiding citizens in the country, with a lower crime than that of even police officers. (Washington Post ,July) 2014)) Kellan Howell, July 2014 IV. Conclusion f. Restatement of thesis: Research suggests that allowing the ownership of assault style weapons does not increase the rate of gun violence because it allows one to protect themselves and their family and can lower the rate of crime.. g. Summary of main points: iii. Ownership of assault style weapons does not increase the rate of crime iv. The basic right to own and bear arms as forth in the Constitution allows one to protect their family and community, and should be protected h. Closing comments: v. The right as American citizens to own and bear arms is under attack today. The Calloused actions of a few has sullied the reputation of the many and has demonized the gun owner and those who wish to carry to protect their families. The Evidence is there that the more law abiding gun owners we have the safer our communities will be. The very right to own these weapons has come under fire from those who have sworn to uphold the Constitution that gives that right to the people. We cannot become as other industrialized countries who have given their rights up in a moment of heated emotion only to have decades of rising crime rates and no way for the average man to protect their families.

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Scripted Audience Questions
Question: As you've mentioned, "The Calloused actions of a few has sullied the reputation of the many and has demonized the gun owner and those who wish to carry to protect their families." Is there any evidence that massacres are occurring more frequently or are we just aware of them more because we live in a connected world?
Answer: Studies provided the FBI as well as private institutions have shown that violent crimes involving are on the decline. Yes we are definitely in a more connected world and “Bad News” sells much better than good news does. Especially as mentioned in the presentation the media pushes agendas of those who wish to further shine a bad light on guns.
Question: What evidence is there that, "Bans and heavy restrictions due to legislation on guns will cause crime rates increase."? How do we know that bans will increase crime rates?
Answer: As shown here in the diagrams we have countries who have very strict gun laws who have seen a steady rise in their violent gun crimes since enacting heavy legislation against gun ownership. We wish to keep America away from that same road of destruction. As we allow more law abiding citizens to not only own guns but to carry them, the evidence is shown that the crime rate drops in those areas as criminals are deterred from acting against an armed person or persons.
Question: Do you believe that massacres have caused undue scrutiny on the gun industry? Is that the right place to scrutinize or is it our mental health systems and/or offender rehabilitation systems where changes are merited?
Answer: Absolutely these atrocities have brought undue scrutiny on the gun industry, blaming the gun industry for these crimes would equate to blaming auto manufacturers for every car crash in America. The crime committed comes down to the individual not a community at large. Our Mental health system is definitely a broken and damaged system, many do not receive the care they desperately need or have no idea of where to turn to get the help they need.

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References

1. Kellan Howell ; (July 2014) Murder rates drop as concealed carry permits soar, Washington Post http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jul/14/murder-rates-drop-as-concealed-carry-permits- soar-/?page=all
2.Guy Smith. (n.d.) Guns in Other Countries. http://www.gunfacts.info/gun-control-myths/guns-in-other-countries/#note-99-44
3. Don B. Kates and Gary Mauser. (January 1, 2007) Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A review of International and some Domestic evidence. Don B. Kates and Gary Mauser Harvard Law Journal. http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol30_No2_KatesMauseronline.pdf