...massacres, gun control has once again been thrust back onto the main stage in the United States. In a New York Times op-ed titled, “How to Win an Argument About Guns”, Nicholas Kristof takes on this very issue. According to his bio, Kristof has been a foreign correspondent and columnist for the New York Times since 2001. However, his bio says nothing about any involvement with firearm related topics. This makes his opinions less trustworthy than that of an actual expert on the issue. Kristof is very pro gun control and dispels five main myths from those that oppose his views on gun control. The author believes that greater restrictions and laws concerning firearms will lead to a safer country and far less casualties....
Words: 1268 - Pages: 6
...Gun Control Essay 1 Gun Control Essay 06/14/2015 The right to bear arms is guaranteed in the constitution by the Second Amendment. Many politicians are looking to amend the constitution any way they can to ban handguns or at least Gun Control Essay 2 restrict sales. The argument between pro and anti gun control has been debated for years, both with valid points. Many studies and factual data shows that strict gun control only removes guns from law-abiding citizens, but does not actually help reduce crime. Studies have shown that gun control cannot stop people from committing the crime because if a handgun ban were issued, there is evidence that citizens would not comply with the law, strict gun control does not reduce homicide rates, and studies have found that high crime rates have stimulated purchasing of guns rather than high gun ownership stimulating crime. While the Founding Fathers of this country were developing the system of government, as set forth in the Constitution, many feared that a standing army controlled by a strong central government would leave them helpless. The Federal Constitution contained no provisions to prohibit a standing army or allow states to create their own militias. The Constitution was signed by thirty-nine men from the twelve states represented at the Constitutional Convention on September 17 1787; three delegates refused to sign because of the absence of a bill of rights. Two years later, the First Congress agreed on...
Words: 2074 - Pages: 9
...Farah English 3 Part 2: Why gun ownership should be held more strictly: I, Omar Farah, certify that I have personally completed this assignment based on my own personal efforts. I understand if I use outside sources, I must properly give my source(s) credit using the APA format and my paper should not include more than 20% of direct quotes from other sources. I understand if I do not provide proper credit to outside sources, I will be documented for plagiarism and be required to resubmit a new assignment. I will not divulge the content of this assignment or any of my work, generally or specifically, to any current or future James Madison High School students. 1/4/2015 I chose the topic “Why gun ownership should be held more strictly” because most of our daily news flashes say at least someone was shot and killed or shot and injured. I don’t like this; it is senseless and very sad. We are losing people every day, because someone is using their gun recklessly or leaving it where someone else has access or easily found. I don’t get why people kill people it is just inhumane and against our morals. Guns have very high danger to our country as well as other countries. That is why I pick or chose to write about this topic for my persuasive essay because that is what I see in guns and want people to see it too. I have one question to my reader; do you think guns should be under a stricter law? Honestly, I believe that we should have more stringent gun laws that tell people; that...
Words: 894 - Pages: 4
...Today in America, gun control is a very serious issue. There are different opinions on this issue, the National Rifle Association (NRA), feels that guns are safe when used for protection by responsible citizens, others feel that guns are far to dangerous to be kept in homes, and that guns should not be owned by anyone, only used by the National Guard and law enforcement. These people think their opinions are correct according to the second amendment, the amendment that deals with the bearing of arms by citizens of America, but there have been different interpretations of it. The reason that people feel gun ownership is such a problem is that so many people lose their lives by them each year. Personally, I feel that guns lead to increases in crime, murder, and household accidents. By reducing availability of guns and providing education on gun safety, I think that these things will help make America safer. Before making up my mind on what I felt about the issue, I made sure to consider the opinions of others and to collect statistics. People from the (NRA), who are against gun control, feel that the people are responsible for the negative effects guns have on America. Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist who shares the ideas of the NRA, wrote an article titled “It’s Not The Guns”. In this article, she talks about the increase in school and youth violence, relating to guns. She blames the children and irresponsible parents. She denies that guns are easier for kids to get today...
Words: 1303 - Pages: 6
...Nicolas Navarrete Essay 3 April 23, 2015 Gun Laws Law breaking and guns, the two seem to always be associated with each other. But are the two really connected? Do laws placing restrictions on firearm ownership really protect the average citizen from other citizens? These are only some of the questions many citizens and lawmakers are asking themselves when setting about to create gun control laws. The debate over gun control is always changing, and is in need of some improvement before all hell breaks lose. Clearly this debate still goes on today and is the very reasoning for the formation of gun control laws. Guns are extremely potent weapons. They can cause destruction, cause death, and most importantly, cause a city to retaliate. However, they can be used to defend and protect. No matter what way you look at it, guns are powerful tools, not only physically but also in society. As college students, it is important to stay up-to- date of the current events and issues circulating our country today, one of which is the controversial issue of gun control. It is extremely important to pay attention to where gun control laws are headed. With all the recent shootings in the past years, there is something to be said about how easy it is to acquire a gun. The courses they take will not only affect our nation and society but also the future and the families that plan to raise children. The gun war has been going on for years and...
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...The Great Gun Debate Introduction Among the more diverse issues in an already polarized society is a national perspective of guns (Hargrove & Perdue, 2015). The gun debate in the U.S. dates back to the 18th century, when the nation’s founders were crafting the Bill of Rights—the first ten amendments to the Constitution, adopted in 1791 (Smith & Ross, 2013). All gun control debates turn on interpretations of the Second Amendment, the worst written and most bizarre part of the constitution (Eichenwald, 2015). The Second Amendment gave Americans the right to “bear arms;” however, for more than 200 years, people have disagreed over how to interpret the amendment (Smith & Ross, 2013). Heated debates over guns have created division among “we the people.” On one end of the divide are pro-gun extremists. On the opposite end of the divide are anti-gun extremists. Then, there is the rational middle—the group that is often left out of the debate. This group typically consists of average law-abiding citizens who do not believe that Americans should be stripped of their rights to bear arms, but, rather, that some laws should be tightened up to ensure that guns and deadly accessories, such as high-capacity magazines, stay out of the wrong hands. Over the years, numerous mass shootings in schools have forced lawmakers to assess and tighten gun-control laws, which has also reignited the fiery gun debate. This assessment will attempt to uncover a proper course of action via a rigorous...
Words: 3335 - Pages: 14
...Formal Essay #1 October 12 2013 Gun Control Debates involving gun control began in the early 1960s, since then many laws and regulations have been created (“Gun Control Time Line”). However, while crimes involving the use of guns start increasing, is changing the laws going to end the violence and make people feel safer? There have been many different media sources and political debates throughout our country questioning if increasing the laws will stop the crime or not. A problem in our society that we may all suffer from is in our amendment system. Our second amendment, established in 1791, states that “everyone is entitled to the right to bear arms.” (“Gun Control Time Line”) Recently, with everyone hearing and seeing gun violence on the rise has pushed the issues of changing our laws. With nearly all states considering all of the available options, many arguments concerning whether or not laws will reduce violence, need to be thought out to determine the best for society. Debates that support changing our laws within our country, feel as if our government is losing control as we all see crime rates rising. People argue that something needs to be done to stop gun violence. Many people have said that, guns do not kill; criminals who use them are the problem (“What the Public Really Thinks about Guns”). Individuals across the nation argue that current laws today are actually allowing criminals to get access to guns that are used for crimes. Those who are in favor of changing...
Words: 1654 - Pages: 7
...My Essay on Gun Control for my English Class: Gun Control – Should We, Or Should We Not? The issue of gun control has come up recently as an important decision opportunity for our country. Many people are asking whether guns really are the helpful tool that many of us have been saying they are, or if they are the killing machines they have recently been publicized as. Gun Control: The Great Cop-out by Jared Machaud and Gun Control and the Constitution by David B. Rivkin Jr. and Andrew M. Grossman effectively display the anti-gun control side of this discussion; whereas The Second Amendment is all for Gun Control by Adam Winkler and Making Gun Control Happen by Patrick Radden Keefe display the pro-gun control side. In my views, guns are a helper in a time of crisis when help is too far away, or unwilling to come. Rather than put more restrictions on guns and gun owners, we should maintain the ability to protect ourselves and our fellow Americans through the use of firearms. As we take a look at the way gun control advocates are planning on enforcing gun control, you may start to even question why we would even contemplate using such tedious means. The idea that limiting the size of a magazine or regulating the type of gun you can purchase or even doing something as simple as a background check will stop murders like the Connecticut shooting from happening is ridiculous. In Making Gun Control Happen the author, Patrick Radden Keefe, writes as an advocate to gun control. He...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...Blake German Theme Essay Comp B/Mrs. Light 11/22/14 Who Am I In Richard Wright’s “ The Man Who Was Almost a Man”, the main character is a 17-year-old child, Dave Saunders. Dave is shown as a troubled child who does nothing but work and spend time at home with his family. Dave struggles with who he is as a man so he has to experience different scenarios to find his manhood. Wright’s theme of identity was revealed through Dave Saunders by expressing his feelings towards facing adulthood. Dave’s family is a struggling African-American family that lives in poverty. This is made clear when his mother says, “Waal that’s good. We kin use it in the outhouse”, referring to the store catalog. His family is at a financial point where the bare necessities cannot be met. They have to find resourceful methods of meeting their necessities. This is one of many clues that point to the Saunders family being of low social status. The family seems to be struggling to a point where Dave isn’t even trusted with his own money. Dave is not trusted with his own money because his parents seem to think he would spend it unwisely. This makes David feel like his manhood is jeopardized. David’s mother, on the other hand, makes it quite clear that as a family every penny counts and that’s why she takes care of Dave’s money. The next analysis that can be observed is the family relationship. Dave’s father intimidates him and this is made clear when he wants to buy a gun yet he will only ask his mom...
Words: 695 - Pages: 3
...Argument Essay By Joseph Peterson Ivy Tech Community College Argument Essay Guns or no guns? That seems to be a big question these days. A lot of the reason behind the discussion is mass shootings that occur so often now days. Other forms of violence with guns happen, but the most controversy over guns usually occurs after a mass shooting. The reason for that is that mass shootings tend to be more mindless and more innocent people are hurt or killed in mass shootings. The thought of what if I or one of my families was in one of these mass shootings always hit home afterwards, and so we think of ways to prevent them from happening again. I have a question though is guns really the issue or is it really another issue? I think that the anti-gun activists use every shooting as just another door to support their views against guns. I can see why they do since guns are used to the shootings, but taking away a normal citizens right to own a gun and defend themselves against crimes is not smart. These shootings are not done by normal citizens and could still occur even if they took away guns from the normal citizens who just want protection. Police are not always there when you need them and sometimes you need to protect yourself first as we can see from different crimes that take place today. What would stop a mass shooter from buying guns illegally? Do they not think that they could? Drugs are illegal but still sold and used everywhere every minute. One argument...
Words: 1807 - Pages: 8
...Gun control Some citizens want guns taken away from citizens that are allowed to possess them. My position is that guns are an important part of personal safety for law enforcement officers and military. People also use guns for hunting which provides for their family..I believe guns help you protect yourselves and people have a right to do that. Law enforcement and military also have a right to own guns because they are trying to protect our country. If you try to ban guns you can not assure that people will not get them and criminals would still find a way to get them, which would mean a citizens would be prevented from protecting their families and property from a criminal because guns are banned. Keeping this in mind, we do need to have...
Words: 741 - Pages: 3
...assault weapons will reduce gun violence, attacks on police, and mass killings in the United states. This essay will analyze evidence to determine if this claim is accurate. The belief of those opposing the ownership of assault weapons is that these weapons are more dangerous...
Words: 840 - Pages: 4
... Persuasive Essay Outline Directions: Complete this outline for your persuasive topic in bulley key points, not essay/narrative format (with the exception of your hook and thesis in your introd.) Topic: I. Introduction: A. Hook/catch reader’s attention: (Begin with a rhetorical question, an anecdote(story), fact/statistic, or a quote that pertains to your topic) B. Description of issue/problem: (Explain your issue and provide some background on your topic along with your viewpoint) C. Thesis (What are you going to prove/what is your position on the issue? Topic + key points) Ex. The U.S. should have tighter gun control laws because… (a, b, and c) II. Body paragraph A. Main point/argument #1(Reason for supporting this issue-First, ….) B. Evidence (examples/support/claims) C. Quote/source (cite properly) D. Explain quote in your own words and why this is important III. Body paragraph A. Main point/argument #2 (Reason for supporting this issue-Next,...) B. Evidence (examples/support/claims) C. Quote/source D. Explain quote in your own words and why this is important IV. Body paragraph A. Main point/argument #1(Reason for supporting this issue-Third, ….) B. Evidence (examples/support/claims) C. Quote/source (cite properly) D. Explain quote in your own words and why this is important V. Counterargument A. Your response to that...
Words: 356 - Pages: 2
...Gun Control: Effects on Crime and Violence QBT1 - Task 4: Document Revisions Western Governor’s University Gun Control: Effects on Crime and Violence The topic of gun control in the U.S becomes more popular in the wake of horrific gun crimes and mass shootings. , but tHowever, the public might be surprised to find that the intended results of gun control laws might prove to be historically ineffective in preventing future gun violence from occurring in America and that there is perhaps a more suitable solution for the problem.. In order to properly understand the breadth of the gun control topic, it would be wise to also properly understand the history of gun controls in the U.S. as well as what gun control actually is. Gun Control seems to have a slightly differing definition depending on which source is defining the term. For the purposes of this essay, the following sources will be used: dictionary.com defines the term “gun control” as the “government regulation of the sale and ownership of firearms”, while Merriam-webster’s website defines gun control as “regulation of the selling, owning, and use of guns” (Gun control, n.d.). Each of the definitions states that the regulation of guns by the unspecified government would seek to control the sale, ownership, and/or use of a gun. In relationship to the United States, there have been several famous and infamous laws written to target gun control in one way or the other. To some, the history...
Words: 2383 - Pages: 10
...The Gun Debacle, How to Reduce Gun Violence Without Losing Your Rights Gregory Guyer ITT Technical Institute. "Laws that forbid the carrying of arms ... only disarm those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one." Are Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson thoughts about gun control during his era who he quoted from an article written by Cesare Bonesana, Marchese Beccaria “essay on crimes and punishments”. (1764) Such remarks from a prominent member of our founding fathers suggest that not only has this debate been going on for a long time but also how important to Americans it is. The second amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America says, “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.” This must have been thought important by our forefathers to have listed this one second, yet we are on the verge of losing yet another one of our rights as Americans in the name of safety. Will we really be safer, or is it simply a play of political control? According to the National Institute of Justice (2013), there are fewer gun related incidents nationwide than there were in the early 1990’s. Not only do we see fewer actual gun related...
Words: 1931 - Pages: 8