The issue of gun control, a debate that has persisted for decades, has more recently arisen to become a widely talked about and popular topic over the past few years. Throughout the US, guns and gun control are highly discussed, and the US is unlike any other country in the ways that guns affect everyday life. No other country has a history so intricately interwoven with firearms, which is what has contributed to a “gun culture” in the US. Because guns have been integrated into American society for such an extended period of time, it affects the way that beliefs towards gun control are formed. In order to address the issue of gun control, an understanding of guns and their effects on American culture must be gained in order to properly conclude …show more content…
John Caile, a self defense instructor and writer for the US Concealed Carry Association, responded to a comment made by MSNBC news correspondent, Chris Matthews, who had stated that using words correlated to guns insinuates violence. Caile argues that “....there is nothing unusual, let alone sinister, about Americans using words and phrases that refer to guns. It is part of our national identity…. I would assert that America does not merely have a gun culture – America IS a gun culture.” Caile continues to claim that the US would not exist if there was no firearms. His evidence for this is that the colonists would have been doomed if it had not been for the guns that they had at the time of the American Revolution (Caile). Although this is common knowledge that the American colonists fought the Revolution with guns, he doesn’t cite a source supporting this, yet alone any sources at all to support his point. This is an extremely brief article, and only makes one claim to support his thesis that there is nothing unusual about gun phrases. Caile argues that words relating to guns are an important part of US culture, and refutes that they’re …show more content…
Henry Giroux, a professor in Criminal Pedagogy and Public Interest supports this viewpoint. In his paper on gun culture in violence in the US, he states that gun culture degrades American democracy. He supports this claim by stating that the US government spends too much money on building an army and energy protecting gun rights, in order to protect against threats. Giroux says that people throughout the US are being killed by these weapons that are meant to protect, and therefore, guns are the bigger threat and should be focussed on improving (Giroux). Giroux’s argument is logical, and may successfully persuade a reader by touching upon fallacies in the belief that guns do more good than harm. Instead, he suggests that gun culture should be changed, and guns shouldn’t be so highly incorporated into everyday life. David French, a law graduate from Harvard and Iraqi War Vet, takes a different viewpoint than Giroux. Instead, French claims that Liberals have recently focussed on gun culture and that their vehicle for change, shame, will only end up dividing the country. He insists that guns are so imprinted in American culture, that it is impossible to get rid of them (French). Recognizing that forcing change will only divide, is a good and persuasive point made by French, by showing that getting rid of guns might hurt more than keeping them due to the tensions it would create. French says that it
Each person has a different view on the world. If a person is asked about their view on a certain subject, they will likely show support or disdain for the subject. For example, some people believe abortion is morally wrong. Others view abortion as the mother’s choice since she is carrying the child. On the issue of gun control, people are usually either for or against stricter gun laws. Why do people view the world in the way they do? How do people decide what stance to take on an issue? To answer these questions, sociologists look at the sociological perspective which “stresses the social contexts in which people live” and “examines how these contexts influence people’s lives” (Henslin, 2013, p. 4). Furthermore, the sociological perspective
In America guns have been a part of the country’s society since it’s birth. Throughout history the citizens of the US have used firearms to protect the nation, protect their families, hunt for food and engage in sporting activities. The issue of Guns and gun control is complex. Weighing the rights and liberties of the individual against the welfare and safety of the public has always been a precarious balancing act. In the United States, gun control is one of these tumultuous issues that has both sides 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 this climate of growing violence, rife with turmoil and crime, gun advocates feel more than ever that their position is justified. As citizens of the “Land of the Free” possessing a gun is a fundamental right, and may even be a necessity... Anti- gun lobbyists point to the same growing violence and gun related crimes in an effort to call on the government to take action. By enacting more laws and stricter control, these people not in favor of guns feel society would be better safer.
"Battleground America," written by Jill Lepore, provides a strong history of guns and the way they have changed in the eyes of the American through the years. She proves her point with strong evidence throughout her article, sprinkling it with opinion and argument that is strongly supported. She presents her argument to convince her audience that the open availability of guns allows citizens to undeservingly purchase them by displaying the credibility in her sources, using negative connotations in her speech, and the strength and objectivity only a strong logos appeal can provide.
Annotated Bibliography Celinska, K. (2007). Individualism and Collectivism in America: The Case of Gun Ownership and Attitudes Toward Gun Control. Sociological Perspectives, 50(2), 229-247. doi:10.1016/j.sociological Perspectives.2015.01.018. This article analyzes one of the most debated sociopolitical issues in America based on an index of individualism and collectivism: gun ownership and gun control. It tests the hypothesis that the widespread gun ownership in the United States and prevailing attitudes toward gun control represent competing individualistic and collectivistic cultural traditions, respectively.
Aroung the time of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the controversial and widely argued issue of gun control sparked and set fire across America. In the past decade however, it has become one of the hottest topics in the nation. Due to many recent shootings, including the well known Sandy Hook Elementary school, Columbine High School, Aurora movie theater, and Virginia Tech, together totaling 87 deaths, many people are beginning to push for nationwide gun control. An article published in the Chicago Tribune by Illinois State Senator Jacqueline Collins, entitled “Gun Control is Long Overdue” voiced the opinion that in order for America to remain the land of the free, we must take action in the form of stricter gun laws. On the contrary, Kathleen Parker, a member of the Washington Post Writers Group whose articles have appeared in the Weekly Standard, Time, Town & Country, Cosmopolitan, and Fortune Small Business, gives a different opinion on the subject. Her article in The Oregonian “Gun Control Conversation Keeps Repeating” urges Americans to look at the cultural factors that create ...
“I don’t believe people should be able to own guns. (Obama)” This said prior to Obama’s presidency, in the 1990’s, is still a topic that is constantly questioned today. Many American’s feel the need to seek ownership of weapons as a source of protection; While others believe that private ownership of guns will do nothing more but heighten the rate of violence due to people taking matters into his or her own hands. Philosophy professor Jeff McMahan agrees with Obama’s statement in regard to the ownership of guns. In his New York Times editorial titled “When Gun ‘Control’ Is Not Enough,” McMahan provides evidence to support his theory of the dangers that quickly follow when allowing the community to own guns legally. McMahan, throughout the text, shows responsible reasoning and allows the reader the opportunity to obtain full understanding and justifies his beliefs properly.
News is all around us and is readily available to everyone. There are many flaws in the system that hurts the authenticity of the news when you see it. The media is indirectly part of the political system. Most news is either considered liberal or conservative by many.
For many years, America has witnessed mass shootings within it’s borders. In 2015 alone, there were 372 mass shootings (Oldham). The question most Americans are faced with is: do we need more gun control or is gun control the problem? With more gun control, it can be made mandatory that protective devices are used on firearms to prevent accidental harm. Gun control creates mandatory laws such as the requirement for an individual to pass a background check before he/she is permitted to purchase a firearm. Gun control has also been proven to prevent suicides due to the increased difficulty of obtaining a firearm. Those who believe that gun control is the problem claim that by removing one 's firearms, you are endangering them to threats that
”(Gopinak, 2007, p. 458 ). This demonstrates that United States is just not inclined to take any action on gun control which is leading to deaths of children and adults. Some individuals believe handguns are not needed in American 's society. Then those who oppose gun control argue guns are a necessity to: hunting in the wild, self-defense, and it is part of the American culture. Furthermore, gun violence is having a vast impact on loved ones; losing a family member can have enormous affect socially, physical and mentally.
Carter, Gregg. Guns in American Society: An Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture, and the Law. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2012. Print.
There are gun control laws to try and reduce the number of violent shootings that occur. They are trying to put limits on weapons that Americans can own. The government is trying to take our guns away mainly because of people that are criminally insane. Most of the people who commit crimes don’t even have the weapons legally. If the government takes away the rights of people who are allowed to have firearms in their possession, it will most definitely cause an outrage. Most people believe that the people should be more capable of maintain proper use of the firearms instead of having them all taken away. Taking the firearms from Americans away would cause a lot more problems than there actually are. The people will be upset with the government taking firearms away because of the horrible people who harm innocent people using them. So they will do anything to their capabilities to keep them.
On October 1st 2017, the United States experienced their deadliest mass shooting in history. Nevertheless, the debate about whether or not the United States should imply gun policies has been a popular topic in the 21st century. This country has made themselves best known for its military and gun policies. In “America Is a Gun” by Brian Bilston, the speaker demonstrates his thoughts that a gun would best represent America as an object. In this poem, the theme that the United State’s default is the lack of regulations of firearms is conveyed by repetition and contrast.
There is an American consensus for some form of gun control. “…[F]irearms were involved in two-thirds of all murders in the United States and [t]he United States leads the world's richest nations in gun deaths…murders, suicides, and accidental deaths due to guns - according to a study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the International Journal of Epidemiology” (Lepore). There might be some far extreme people who think that all guns should be banned but most sane Americans do not think that gun rights should be abolished. Americans regard self-defense as the most compelling reason to have a gun and twenty-two percent of households have handguns in the United States. However many people do think that gun control laws must be enacted and enforced. Pro-gun extremists and the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) must understand that there is a real for many people at the uncontrolled s...
Blanco and Vicencio are revisiting the gun control debate and they give a more detailed analysis of the subject. A comparison between diverse perspectives and viewpoints that is held by the pro-gun society and empiricist is laid down. The authors then try to suggest ways in which these differences and disparities can be resolved. The author offers a pragmatic approach to the policy making process that emphasizes on culture.
Gun culture is attitudes, feelings, values, and behavior that belong to a group that uses guns. The United States of American has a huge gun culture. In the last few years more and more gun related violence has shown up in the news. “There have been 12 (mass shootings) in the United States since 1949, and half of them have taken place in the last six years” says Rachel Maddow, political commentator. I believe that is a sign to take charge and change our gun culture.