Rogerian Argument – Gun Control

1) What was the purpose of the essay? In your response, explore the deeper meaning of this question. The goal is not just to complete the assignment but instead to convey a message. What do you plan to accomplish with this essay? What do you hope the reader takes away from this argument? This essays purpose is to education people about gun regulations without favoring one side over the other. By using facts and not flat out saying what your stance is, I hope to persuade the reader to not listen to the media and make their own options.
2) What did you learn from completing this assignment? Did you experience a new understanding of the topic? Did you change your perspective after completing the research? The most interesting thing I found was gunfacts. info. That cites contained numerous facts about crime and how different actions used by Government played out. I always figured the UK would have a lower amount of gun violence with its strict regulations, but if fact it only made things worse.
3) What difficulties did you encounter during the research, writing, or editing phases of the assignment? I found it hard to remain neutral and not favor my true option. While I’m sure it easy to figure out, I do see where the other side is coming from. I just don’t think they realize what their idea of “fixing” the problem would cause.

4) What did you enjoy about this assignment? I’ve always enjoyed a good argument. While writing this paper I constantly went back and forth with my wife on what we thought should be implemented. We still disagree on magazine sizes.
5) What made you decide to write about this particular topic? Is this a topic that you are discussing in another course? Is this a topic that concerns you in particular? I know that the Government won’t take away my M-16 until my Military service is complete. I carry a concealed handgun anytime I go out. I could care less what happens to me, but if anyone try’s to hurt my wife they won’t like the outcome.
6) Is there anything else you would like for me to know before reading your essay? Fact: Every day 550 rapes, 1,100 murders, and 5,200 other violent crimes are prevented just by showing a gun. In less than 0. 9% of these instances the gun ever actually fired. (Smith) Fact: Guns prevent an estimated 2. 5 million crimes a year or 6,849 every day.
Often the gun is never fired and no blood (including the criminal’s) is shed. (Smith) I Would Gladly Pay You Tuesday for a Handgun Today Keeping guns out of the hands of people that wish to do harm to others, should be a goal of congress. This goal would be most effective if it was to be split into three category’s; Control of guns used for concealed carrying, control of guns used for home protection and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. The last one is the most important, because most criminals don’t procure guns by using legal means.
Gunfacts. info claims that people with concealed carry permits are “5.7 times less likely to be arrested for violent offenses than the general public” (Smith) and “13. 5 times less likely to be arrested for non-violent offenses than the general public. ” (Smith) So what does this tell us? Let’s look at what is required for most people to obtain a permit. In order to get a permit in South Carolina you have to attend a handgun safety class that teaches proper use and laws related to weapons. You must be 21 years old and the step that I think that should apply to anyone who what’s to own a weapon, submit finger prints for a background check.(Slider)
It doesn’t seem like that would be too much to ask if you want to own something that could kill another person. So this tells me that perhaps to lower crimes with firearms, we need to educate people about firearms. This education would do the most good if it covered how to store firearms not only to prevent children from handling them, but to keep criminals from stealing them. Besides the illegal smuggling of firearms into the United States, criminal’s next popular means of obtaining weapons it through breaking into someone’s home.
Properly securing your weapons in a manner that prevents unauthorized use would stop children from taking them into their school and criminals from walking off with them. Educating people on how to handle and clear a firearm would cut down on accidental deaths related to guns. You wouldn’t throw a teenager behind the wheel of a car without training. Before they can even drive they’re taught to look both ways before crossing the road. Why not take this concept with weapons?
According to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute the “overall accidental firearm deaths have declined more than 70% from an average of 3,000 deaths annually in the 1920s and 1930s to 800 in 2002. ” (SAAMI) Before we make new laws to combat gun violence, maybe we should look at the current laws and why there now working.
Congressman Mike Pompeo said it best in his response to President Obama’s gun control proposal, “Is it too much to ask that our President enforce the laws we already have in place rather than try to take guns away from law-abiding citizens? ” (Pompeo) Making new laws to supplement the ones we already have doesn’t seem like a productive way to solve a problem.
Well, what if we ban guns completely? “Ironically, firearm use in crimes in the UK has doubled in the decade since handguns were banned. ” (Smith) It seems getting rid of guns can’t even solve the problem. So why is it that we think limiting guns will? The biggest advocate for gun ownership is the National Rifle Association (NRA). This organization lobbies politicians to vote against laws that would limit the rights of gun owners. While at some times it may seem like they are doing the right thing, it is the belief of many that they are becoming too involved in legislation.
The Business Insider states that ”Because the NRA is simultaneously a lobbying firm, a campaign operation, a popular social club, a generous benefactor and an industry group, the group is a juggernaut of influence in Washington. ” (Hickey) How can a group as powerful as the NRA be held responsible for where they spend their money and who it influences? The monopoly that the NRA has is hindering the ability to pass law that could curb gun violence. But they are also protecting the rights of citizen to own and carry firearms.
It might be this all or nothing stance that the government needs to take on gun control. Just like parents have been saying for years, “if you can’t play nice, no one gets to use it. ” There isn’t a simple fix to the problem at hand. No one answer can please all the groups involved. There are already too many guns in the population to ban them completely and giving them away freely wouldn’t help either. Even if we educate everyone we still won’t be stop gang violence. Keeping guns out of the hands of criminals needs to start with getting rid of the need to commit crime.
The random acts of violence like school shooting shouldn’t dictate the policy that restricts guns. Just like we don’t blame automobiles for drunk drivers, we need to focus on the criminals and not the tools they use. Hickey, Walter. “How The NRA Became The Most Powerful Special Interest In Washington. ” Business Insider. Business Insider, 18 Dec. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This article is filled with information on how the NRA became so powerful. I list their methods for financing and what it is involved in. The NRA is the wealthiest and most powerful interest group. SAAMI.
“Decades of Success In Reducing Firearms Accidents. ” Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, INC. N. p. , 2003. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is a simple pamphlet outlining how education has reduced accidental gun deaths. It conveys a lot of information quickly and using easy to read graphs. It takes credit for the decrease in death since the 1920’s. Slider, Gary, Steve Aikens, Eric F. Crist, and Jason Schafer. “Hand Gun Laws. ” Handgunlaw. PC Solutions, Inc, 16 Jan. 2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is any handgun owner’s best resource.
It has everything someone would need to know about the laws in every state and how they apply to gun owners. By simply clicking on your state you can see what other states honor your permit and clicking on other states will tell you their regulations if you want to travel there. Smith, Guy. “Gun Facts. ” Gun Facts. N. p. , 10th Apr. 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. This is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for statistics on guns. It covers other countries and ps over numerous years to provide comprehensive information. His approach of using myths and then outlining the facts about it is very enlightening.