...Gun Control in America Alicia Buford COMM 215 Instructor Bruce Massis May 20, 2013 Did you know that in the United States that there are almost as many firearms as there are citizens (Wadman, 2013)? Consequently, the second amendment of the constitution gives each American citizen “The Right to Bear Arms.” The right to bear these arms is a just that, a right but, along with that right comes responsibility. Since the days of the pioneers, firearms have been an element of the American tradition as defense and a means of hunting or activity. However, as we progress through the 21st century the use of guns has changed significantly. Some of the reasons for the change are the steady increase in crime and the battle for the right to have possession of hand guns. Due to the number of gun owners in America, one might think that we have a strong affection for guns and gun ownership rights. This could not be further from the truth. Americans views towards guns have shifted significantly. In a 1998 Harris Poll taken a year before Columbine, shows that almost 70 percent of Americans favor “stricter gun control” (Contexts, Fall, 2003). So what should we do about this? I believe that stricter gun control legislation should be the solution to much of the gun violence that is plaguing our nation. Restricting the right to bear arms, especially assault weapons should make our communities safer. Granted, many people in community all across this country own guns. A large...
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...argued that we are currently living in a culture of violence. As we watch, read or listen to the news; daily incidents of individuals becoming victims of gun violence trumps the headlines. With tragic incidents such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut that occurred in December of 2012, as well as the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado in July of 2012 occurring less than six months away from each other, prompted debate on a national level regarding the importance of gun control and mental illness. Other highly publicized mass shootings, such as the one that occurred in Tucson, Arizona in January of 2011, involving former US Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, along with the two events mentioned above, “all shared two common characteristics: all four shooters were mentally ill, and all four used guns with large capacity magazines, allowing them to fire multiple rounds of ammunition without reloading (Barry, 2013).” As the Second Amendment guarantees an individual’s right to bear arms, the issue at hand is: how can the government prevent guns from landing in the wrong hands, while at the same time, providing better mental health services for those in need. In this paper, I will explore and compare the agenda setting process regarding two landmark gun control legislations that were passed along with the agenda setting process today – proposed by President Obama in the wake of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook...
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...and chances are, one of them will have a gun. In a study done by Harvard University in 2004, thirty-eight percent of American households reported owning at least one gun. For generations, it has been a proudly proclaimed by Americans that they have the right to bear arms. This right, however, is under attack from the forty-six percent of Americans who now believe that the United States needs to pass stricter gun laws or change the second amendment. This number is decreased three points from just four months ago (Diamond). The second amendment should not be repealed or amended due to the Supreme Court’s YEAR ruling on the second amendment, the lack of success of gun control in other countries, and the necessity of...
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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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...aggravated assaults nationwide in 2006. The National Institute of Justice does not clarify how many of the murders and assaults were in self-defense, or suicide. They also do not disclose how many firearms related murders were police involved. Of the robbery offenses, aggravated assaults, and murders, there is no figure placed on the amount of firearms that were legally purchased. I am certain that the amount of crimes committed with firearms were illegally were from those purchased on the black market, which is a controversial issue all on its own. The director of Cato’s Project on Criminal Justice, Tim Lynch, writes that “The defensive use of guns happens much more often than people realize,” and, “Each year gun owners prevent a great deal of criminal mayhem—murders, rapes, robberies, and batteries.” In the Cato Institute’s study, a gun is never even fired in the vast majority of self-defense cases. From the information gathered in the Cato’s Project, many crimes are prevented from innocent citizens being armed. While citizens remain armed, the chance of criminals following through with their plans of committing robbery, rape, or any other crime, where being...
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...the Firearms Control Regulations Act which prohibited guns at home from being functional firearms and also made it nearly impossible to own a gun. This created conflict with the second amendment in the constitution, which 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.” It can be seen this law D.C. passed violates the constitution due to citizens not being able to have a functional firearm at their home. This caused the case of District of Columbia v. Heller to arise. Dick Anthony Heller, a police officer in D.C., applied for a one-year license that he would use to own a handgun at his place of residence. He was then denied the license. Heller sued D.C. on the account of not upholding his second amendment right. The district court’s response was it was not valid and it was dismissed. It was appealed by Heller and The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia decided that making people have...
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...Can the amendments from the Bill of Rights be valued of importance? The bill of rights consists of ten amendments each guaranteeing an individual right of every United States citizen. In this essay I have picked two amendments, which I will explain, their importance and negative consequences. Continuing on the relevance of the second amendment in today’s American climate and the arguments that those are for/against about gun control. The first amendment of the Bill of Rights sets the tone for the rest of the document showing the limitations the government has towards any United States citizen. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,...
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...Internet Resources 1. Agresti, James D., and Reid K. Smith. "Gun Control Facts." 11 Feb. 2013 Web 18 Sept. 2014. http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp. This is a web document in which the authors cover pure statistics and facts. Graphs, tables, quotes, and statistics are all that this piece contains. This resource is useful since it was updated a little more than a year ago with the most recent data and continues to be updated as new stats and facts become available. It is also neutral in nature, giving just the facts and referencing both the affirmative and negative sides of the argument. 2. McEntee, Peg. “Utah Teacher Shoots Herself in Leg With Concealed Weapon.” Huffington Post 11 Sept. 2014 Web 18 Sept. 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/11/teacher-shoots-self-concealed-weapon_n_5807826.html?utm_hp_ref=gun-control The Huffington Post is a news site with an entire section dedicated to news surrounding gun control, both recent and past. This article is helpful because it outlines the concealed carry laws in Utah schools, a state which has closely modeled it’s laws after Colorado’s. This article is useful because it describes some of the negative effect that concealed carry on campus has for the person carrying as well as the student population/their parents if they find out about the firearm. 3. Students for Concealed Carry. “Common Arguments Against Campus Carry.” Concealed Campus 2011-2012 Web Sept. 18 2014 http://concealedcampus.org/common-arguments/ ...
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...Addressing Proposed Nationwide Gun Laws Scholars Roberto Del Angel, Jennifer Mitchell, Vanessa Salloum, Rachel Wright University of Texas at El Paso Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………..………………………………………………...…3Effects of Proposed Gun Laws…………………………………………..…………………......4-6Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………..7-12Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….13References………………………………………………………………………...……….....14-15Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………...16 | Smith & Wesson Corporation Business Proposal Addressing Proposed Nationwide Gun Laws Smith & Wesson's motto intends to protect the Second Amendment gun rights from attack. Although the company has been around for nearly two hundred years, it has seen its share of challenges from ownership to financial difficulties. Today, the main concern the Smith & Wesson Corporation is facing is of a legal matter as it relates to the gun laws in the United States. Those laws regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition. Presently, Congress is working towards a new gun law despite the fact that statistics have shown a steady decline in our nation's violence within the last decade. So why is Congress contemplating a new law and what impact will it have on the firearms industry? The purpose of this new law is to strengthen penalties against illegal firearms purchases. While it intends to increase safety, the new law would have a financial impact on gun corporations as it might considerably...
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...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. The first two are given during the semester (each one is worth 30% of the final grade). The last one is given during the final period (40% of the final grade). They are...
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...On April 20, 1999 in a suburban town called Littleton, Colorado one high school was about to have one of the most tragic and deadly days in US history. Columbine High School was in the forefront of this tragedy. Two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, opened fire on their fellow classmates and teacher. These two students cut the lives short of thirteen students and one teacher. They then turned their guns onto themselves leaving the nation with no answers as to why? They did leave videotape. This videotape contained Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold planning their attack on Columbine High School. This piece of evidence showed two students that were not part of the "in crowd". They were outsiders, losers, as some would consider them. They were taunted, humiliated, and disrespected by their classmates. But how can two intelligent students do something as deadly as they did. Was it because they had bad parents? Not at all, they even went out of their way to save their parents the blame by repeatedly saying that it was not their fault that they were about to do what they did. So what was the cause of all this tragedy and how can it be stopped so it can never happen again in our middle schools and high schools? Elliot Aronson a social psychologist wrote a book called Nobody Left to Hate, Teaching Compassion After Columbine. This book represents his ideas on how to use certain strategies to have a better school environment that teaches compassion, tolerance while putting education in...
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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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...impact of pressure groups in the United States, and membership size can be seen to be a crucial one of them In Gun control, the NRA, a wealthy group of 4 million people, is clearly the dominant force in comparison to the much smaller, weaker, gun control groups like Handgun Control Inc. This is one main reason why the second amendment is still so rigidly enforced, because one of the most powerful pressure groups in the USA continues to campaign for this approach. Similarly, the influence of industry against the influence of environmental campaign groups is clearly unequal and unfair. Again this shows that it is the elite of USA who hold power - the influential pressure groups, the legislature, the bureaucrats, and so on. Small scale pressure groups with little funding find it extremely difficult to be listened to by those in power. For example in 2013 the top U.S. gun lobby rejected Obama administration proposals to reduce gun violence saying it expected to have enough support in Congress to fend off bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines and stricter background checks on gun buyers. President Barack Obama has pushed reducing gun violence to the top of his domestic agenda following the shooting of 20 children and six adults at a Connecticut school with a legally purchased high-powered rifle. The National Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups met with Biden, and the...
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...Gun Control or Our Freedom Jill Sanders ENG/215 January 28, 2013 Sophia Hsia Gun Control or Our Freedom The pros and cons of gun control has been a debate over the years brings several issues to light. The myth of the Second Amendment is merely a reasoning clause for the right to bear arms, and people have the right to bear arms for their own personal use. The truth of the Second Amendment is “A well- regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free state ” (www.guninformation.org/freedom.html). The legislative proposals are trying to restrict the availability of firearms to the public raise several questions. What restrictions on firearms are truly permissible under our Constitution? Does gun control constitute crime? Will the nation’s crime rates decrease with stricter regulation put on gun ownership? Last but not least would it hinder or impair the means of self-defense of citizens? (Krouse, March 2005) “First it is important to realize that the right to live is a very important right and a freedom”. If more gun control means lives saved then more gun control should mean more freedom. “The government has an obligation to protect the people’s rights such as the right to live. So the government has an obligation to place more restrictions on individual gun ownership. Do you as an American agree to the government is infringing on your rights?” We are going to explore the choices we have as citizens of the United States (www.guninformation.org/freedom...
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...SAFETY – School Age Children & Adolescents Accidents are a leading cause of death in this age group of 6-12 years. Impulsiveness, poor judgment, curiosity and incomplete control over motor coordination are some of the factors that increase the school-age child’s risk of accidents. Water safety training is highly advised at this age Television and video games often exerts a powerful influence on a child’s development. One concern about this media today is the increased amount of violence it portrays. Many believe that a good deal of available television and gaming content offers the child a potent model for aggressive behavior. Anticipatory guidance would suggest helping parents reduce the negative influence of television and video games Limit the amount of time children watch or play Screen programs for content and age appropriateness Watch programs with children and discuss the content Preventing school violence is another critical issue these days. School violence is defined as anything that physically or psychologically injures schoolchildren or damages school property. Encourage parents to ask questions about their child’s feelings and their school activities on a daily basis. Give children the guidance and encouragement they need to recognize and report the signs of troubled behavior if they notice them in a friend or classmate without feeling that they have deceived the other person or let that person down. Recognize behavioral tendencies...
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