Montze Robles

English 130.06

Professor Gill

Fall 2018

                                        Gun Control Critical Research Position Paper

1. Who is my audience?

My intended audience is people who view gun regulation as a violation of their 2nd Amendment right. Also, those who are strictly opposed to any effort to change the power of that right.

2. What is my purpose?

My purpose is to discuss the intentions of potential gun laws then persuade the audience that gun regulation can actually improve and strengthen their rights as firearm owners.

3. What is my premise?

My premise is to introduce realistic solutions to the hostility against gun regulations in the firearm owning community. By acknowledging the fear many pro-gun Americans have about losing their 2nd amendment right, I will be able to appeal to my intended audience.

 4. What is myChosen Quote? “They are masterful at controlling the discussion and making it very difficult to come to a consensus. They fuel distrust of government”- Daniel Webster

 

            Get The Facts First!

Article 4. Pro

 Healy, Melissa. “Gun Injuries Cost Americans $730 Million a Year in Hospital Bills.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2017, www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-gun-injury-costs-20170322-story.html.

 (Central Idea/Unity)This article pulls back the curtains of the economic consequences of the lack of gun control creates in America. (Body/Adequate Development)More than 6.6 billion dollars in hospital bills go towards gun-related violence in a year on average. (Conclusion/Coherence) However, this is less shocking than reading that cuts to Medicaid will affect those of lower income, thus making medical attention less available.

 Key Quote: “ About 43% of the victims were treated in the South, where the proportion of uninsured patients was highest. And nationally, 30% of gunshot victims treated in hospitals during the study period were insured by Medicaid.”

 

 

 

Article 7. Pro

  Cooper, Michael. “8 Figures on Gun Ownership, and Attitudes, in America.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 22 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/06/22/us/gun-ownership-survey.html.

 (Central Idea/Unity)Quantitative data is collected and analyzed in this article. (Body/Adequate Development) The attitude towards firearms propelled possession and crime in America. However, there are also interesting facts including political stances on the issue. (Conclusion/Coherence) Republicans are the majority of gun owners, and they are also less interested in restricting gun ownership.

Key Quote: “ Republicans are more likely to own guns.”

 

 

 

Article 1. Pro

  “Gun Violence Archive.” Gun Violence Archive, 27 Sept. 2017, www.gunviolencearchive.org/.

(Central Idea/Unity) The Gun Violence archive is a dynamic and comprehensive database that is updated daily. (Body/Adequate Development) It reports an array of gun-related incidents from homicides, mass shootings, to injuries that occur every day throughout the United States. Furthermore, this source provides real-time visualizations of gun activity in the United States. (Conclusion/Coherence)  In order to ensure accuracy, the data is collected from over 2000 reliable sources.

   Key Quote: “Teens injured or killed due to gun-related incidents total to 2,386 this year as of September 27, 2017.”

 

 

 

Article 11. Con

 Davidson, Jacob. “A Criminologist's Case Against Gun Control.” Time, Time, 1 Dec. 2015, time.com/4100408/a-criminologists-case-against-gun-control/.

(Central Idea/Unity)This article explores the misconceptions about gun violence in America. (Body/Adequate Development)It states that data has been misinterpreted to make it seem like the U.S rages with homicide due to firearms and that it is in fact, mostly self-inflicted violence. (Conclusion/Coherence)Suicide, according to this article, is the leading category of gun-related crime.

Key Quote: “People should also be aware that most gun-related deaths are suicides, not murders. There are twice as many suicides in the U.S. by guns as there are homicides and I think most people find that very surprising. Over and over again one reads that 30,000 people have been killed with guns, but what’s not said is that 20,000 of them took their own lives.”

 

 

 

 Article 12. Con

 David B. Kopel July 11, 1988, and PDF (3.19 MB). “Trust the People: The Case
 Against Gun Control.” Cato Institute, 11 July 1988, www.cato.org/publications/policy-analysis/trust-people-case-against-gun-control.
(Central Idea/Unity) Owning firearms is a constitutional right. (Body/Adequate Development) The second amendment states every citizen has the right to bear arms. Restrictions on this right are stated to be a violation of the foundations of freedom. Kopel introduces valid points in his argument against gun control in America. The author does acknowledge the fact that the debate is so intense because of the appeal of a long followed right of the constitution. (Conclusion/Coherence) Although a right, gun control introduces a few consequences that come into play with taking away this right, let alone restrict it.
Key Quote: “Only through the blatant abrogation of explicit constitutional rights is gun control even possible. It must be enforced with such violations of individual rights as intrusive search and seizure. It most severely victimizes those who most need weapons for self-defense, such as blacks and women.”

 

 

 

Article 10. Con

  Farago, Robert. “Hawaii: This Is The Gun Control Paradise They're Looking For.” The Truth About Guns, 29 Sept. 2013,www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/09/robert-farago/hawaii-this-is-the-gun-control-paradise-theyre-looking-for/.

(Central Idea/Unity) Hawaii makes gun laws sound like, “common sense”. (Body/Adequate Development) However,  In recent studies it is proven that it is not just as simple as making it harder to get a gun; gun control is about introducing requirements that educate potential buyers of the dangers irresponsible gun use creates. (Conclusion/Coherence) The number of other crimes is still comparable to the rest of the country, including rape and robbery.

Key Quote: “Violent crime in Honolulu is below the national average and trending downwards. However, there is the violent crime (as you’d expect from a city of nearly 400k). According to cityrating.com, the Honolulu police department recorded 5,760 burglaries, 1,420 aggravated assaults, 218 forcible rapes and 19 murders in 2010. I’d like to hear Ms. Hanabusa tell a rape victim that Hawaii’s unconstitutional restrictions on concealed carry are “simple common sense.”

 

 

Montzerrat Robles

English 130.06

Professor Gill Mayberry

Fall 2018

“The Best Writing is Rewriting” 2 drafts, 1 Tutorial, 1 Teacher Conference.

                   (Provocative Title) Gun Control: Beneficial to All

(Hook) The manipulative rhetoric against gun control is exposed as Daniel Webster states, “They are masterful at controlling the discussion and making it very difficult to come to a consensus. They fuel distrust of government”(3). (Bridge) Webster’s message here is “they”, being gun lobbyist have manipulated the conversation about gun laws for far too long now, making realistic solutions seemingly impossible. (Divided Stasis/Thesis) (Opponent’s Claim Informed by 3 Scholarly Sources) Although the opposition claims gun laws will violate the second amendment right of Americans, (Rhetor’s Main Claim Informed by 9 Scholarly Sources) gun laws can be beneficial to pro-gun and anti-gun supporters alike because the policies can (Support/Reason 1) financially lower medical expenses due to gun violence, (Support/Reason 2)  politically pivot stigmas surrounding gun ownership, and (Support/Reason 3) drastically alleviate color-based statistics surrounding gun violence.

 

​