Need Help With School Paper:Argument For Handgun Ownership

[mattw]

Ok, guys, I am in my 2nd year of college and I've been waiting for an assignment like this to come along so that I could mop the floor with my libral teachers. Any help would be greatly appreciated, we need to pull together on this one and make a compelling arguement.

Here is the assignment:

"Research the statistics on violent crime in the United States compared to the rest of the world. Emphasize in your research deaths due to handguns. You may be extremely surprised with our cowboy 'shootem up' mentality here in the United States. Browse through the gun laws and 'buy back system' in Australia. In your opinion, why are we killing our own citizens at such an alarming rate? Describe your response in a multi-reason context (family, Hollywood, social issues, urban, divorce, gun availability, economics, situational variable, desensitization, gaming, mental aspects, etc). What is your opinion on the 2nd amendment? Need at least 350 words."

I really want to hear your guys' thoughts on this because I am afraid I will not be able to put my own thoughts into words well enough to make a strong arguement FOR handguns.

 

[Libertylover]

Biased assignment, anybody?

In my basic composition class in my first year (last year, I'm also a 2nd year), we had a "research paper" that we had to do, ten pages, double spaced, so I decided to do my topic as "do they really want your guns?" refering to politicians, celebrities, and other such assorted liberals. That was an easy assignment, I basicly just used quotes from people espousing gun control and pointed out hypocrisy amongst them (Feinstein's CCW, Rosie's bodyguards, etc) and pointed out that gun control has little real effect on crime.

So when the kids in my class challenged me, I wiped the floor with them all (except for one other gunny who chimed in from time to time when he had an additional point to make). The teacher was pretty impressed (he let the debate go on for basically the entire class, even though it was supposed to be just a short presentation) and I got an A. I talked to him about the project before, and he had said that he was leaning anti, but had been in the National Guard and had exposure to arms so he knew they were powerless on their own without a conscious human being pulling the trigger. I think I had him convinced on the issue after the presentation.

Anyways, try your school's library and look for all the stuff on gun control. Gary Kleck and David Kopel did some awesome work that I've referenced a few times. Hit up guncite.com for some background info (I used it to zero in on some books and journal articles), as well as a site called gunfacts.

Also, look for some journal articles on how the UK's gun control regime hasn't shown any effects on crime.

For this assignment, I'd probably stick to the Hollyweird angle, as well as other cultural issues such as the music industry pushing violence and so on, and stick in the gun stuff towards either the beginning or the end saying that it doesn't really have much of an effect on causation, and then back that up.

 

[Baba Louie]

US Crime Statistics http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/welcome.html
Worldwide http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

DGU numbers... look up Kleck and Lott stats
http://outdoors.net/site/features/feature.aspx+Forum+Firearms+ArticleCode+121 (merely a place to start)

Suicide issues? http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/

Compile the numbers. Factor out suicide by gun (or leave it in) and some numbers will drop drastically. But it's an interesting study, the way people choose to die based on age, gender, nationality, etc.
Race might play an issue but socio-economics will probably be a better play and/or the drug/gang hand to play.

Genocide by government. Always a popular issue among liberal professors on campus. Methods of stopping it however are not quite as popular.

However the thrust of your assignment is (as I read it) to degrade ownership and use of handguns based on numbers of death per capita. DGU is a Con to that Pro. Or a Pro to that Con.
You might want to take a stance all FOR gun control and then, due to your newfound research, come to a conclusion that, "WAIT! MY WHOLE HYPOTHESIS (and world) IS TOPSY TURVEY! FACTS (and logic) SHOW OTHERWISE. I think you'll find a couple of gun control researchers came to the same conclusion

 

[avpro]

In your opinion, why are we killing our own citizens at such an alarming rate?

Because they don't die quick enough on their own?

 

[fattsgalore]

Point out the stabbing ratio in other country's.

Where are stabbings and other violent crime statistics.(why do they only keep gun stats)
In England the police wear stab proof vest or a combination of bullet and stab proof. (what people don't realize is a standard police Kevlar can be popped with a knife...who knew)

Also state the fact that violent behavior has been around for thousands of years before firearms. Men will fight and kill, no matter what tool is at hand.

It's less to do with the tool and more with the person wielding it.

You dont blame the drill for drilling, do you?

 

[vagabundo94]

I absolutely agree with the comment about bringing up stabbing data.

In countries such as England, or Taiwan, "drive-by-slashings" are a common crime, versus drive-by-shootings. People drive by on motorcycles/scooters, while a passenger reaches over with hooked knives or machettes to slash pedestrian's arms or backs.

 

[jlbraun]

"Research the statistics on violent crime in the United States compared to the rest of the world."

www.nationmaster.com

"Emphasize in your research deaths due to handguns."

There are 300 million guns in the US in civilian hands, which is about half of the world's firearms. Our violent crime rate is going down, but we are adding 5-7 million guns per year into civilian hands.

However, places like S. Africa and Colombia where guns are banned have a much higher death rate. Emphasize the stupidity of fixating on "gun deaths", rather look at the overall violent crime rate and murder rate. The US is actually not that high.

Also google "substitution effect", indicating that removing a tool used for murder or suicide will not reduce the instance of same.

"You may be extremely surprised with our cowboy 'shootem up' mentality here in the United States."

No statistics exist for "mentality". However, other societies have a much higher rate of murder than we do.

"Browse through the gun laws and 'buy back system' in Australia."

Considering that guns in Australia that had been "destroyed" are showing up in crimes, and that their murder rate and violent crime rate is going up, I'd say their system is pretty ineffective.
The CDC did a study showing that gun laws are across the board ineffective:

http://www.ohioccw.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3805&Itemid=83

"In your opinion, why are we killing our own citizens at such an alarming rate?"

It's not really alarming, compared to other places. Still, considering that governments killed 200 times as many people in the 20th Century as there were murders, I'd consider our murder rate acceptable.

"Describe your response in a multi-reason context (family, Hollywood, social issues, urban, divorce, gun availability, economics, situational variable, desensitization, gaming, mental aspects, etc). What is your opinion on the 2nd amendment? Need at least 350 words."

350 words, for all that?

I suggest an image:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Caroline-Migros-p1000507.jpg

Here is a Swiss citizen on his way home from militia practice. A fully-automatic assault rifle is slung over his back as he shops for groceries. By law, he must keep 50 rounds of ammunition and his rifle at home. There are about 600,000 of these rifles in Switzerland, and their murder by firearm rate is over five times less than the United States.

 

[Dienekes]

There is a lot of material out there as you have already been apprised.

Whether any of it makes a dent is debatable. Just the phrasing in the assignment is enough to make it clear that logic will have little or no effect on closed minds.

Pathetic.

However, as Churchill said--"Never, never, never give up".

 

[skinnyguy]

A violent person will always find a way to express his violence, be with a gun, a knife, a piece of pipe, an autmobile, or a paper clip.

About 2 years ago, in the city I live in, we had a man ram his van into his estranged wife's pickup, the pickup rolled onto it's side and the man crawled through the broken windshield and stabbed her in the neck with a screwdriver, she died from the injuries.

No gun. Violent death.

As cliche as it is, guns don't kill people, PEOPLE kill people. And as long as there are people, there will be violence toward people. Inescapbable Truth.

Good luck on your assignment!!!
Paul

 

[Baba Louie]

In your opinion, why are we killing our own citizens at such an alarming rate?

Like avpro, I'm inclined to add a couple of flip comments for levity sake... but will resist for the moment.

Potential answer: (there are several) Ruling out suicide, as study of other nation's suicide, where firearm ownership is not prevelant, show; people who want to die will find any number of methods, an answer to violent crime could lie in a lack of proper parenting, a lack of self-respect and thus respect for others, a sociopatheic self centeredness, a moment of passion turned into madness (re: OJ, a pocket knife and an ex-wife), all of which might cause or fall under the category of violent criminal acts. I could also answer by including an act of self defense, and an action of a LEO during the course of duty, both of which should be condoned as a righteous acts of violence in terms of justifiable homicide no matter the type of firearm utilized.

I also would NOT limit my answer(s) to violent crime w/ handguns only. Death by auto accident, death by medical accident, death by pool drowning, falling off ladders (accidental all), death by clubs, cord, knives, hand and feet (criminal acts) should be factored in some comparative fashion, even if dismissed out of hand (but in there for the record) as the topic is violent crime.

So basically, a lack of self control coupled with the fact that crime does pay until the criminal is caught and permanently incarcerated or eliminated which, as we all know, does not happen in the US criminal justice system any more.

Now for a mildly flippant answer... Who's alarmed?

Before the white man came to this nation, they fought and killed in Europe, the native Amerindians fought and killed here, the Africans brought here as slaves fought and killed in tribal wars on their own continent (who did I miss?... oh yeah), Asians, they did it too. This nation provided them with a freedom most never had in their old societies elsewhere... well, eventually unless they were killed off outright or enslaved, and one of those newfound freedoms was a right to protect themselves from being killed, if they are able. Handguns, or any other tool available, at least allow the law-abiding a chance even tho' many in power (would) deny them that chance, that right to protect themselves against violent crime.

 

[mattw]

Thanks for all the links and ideas guys, this is a big help.

The funny thing about my proffesor is that is a liscensed psychologist and runs his own clinic when he isn't teaching at my college. So he understands people and why removing guns from the equation would not stop violence. He is being libral just to be libral. Or maybe its all the drugs from the 70's that got him?

He seems to think that handguns would reduce someone's ability to commit a violent crime. Or maybe he thinks that handguns are more lethal than knives or cars?

Thanks for the help, keep the opinions coming!

 

[crebralfix]

It's a right, not a privilege.

The "multi-reason context" is just obfuscation of the fact that gun ownership and use is a RIGHT.

Do not change your argument, do not back up. It's a right, period.

If this liberal cannot understand that, then just say this:

"Fine, I'll give up my RIGHT to keep and bear arms when YOU give up your right to freedom of speech."

Be prepared to fail the class (or at least get a bad grade on the paper). Take it to the administration as an example of bias--it is clearly so.

End rant.

 

[wcwhitey]

Try to find statistics that don't include Police shootings. Most stats that I have seen include them in. Just as a note, what are the politics of the professor/school in general. If you are attending a very liberal school and your professor's lean very far to the left you paper may not be graded fairly. Not trying to talk you out of it, just trying to make you aware, be prepared to stand your ground. I think if you weed through the numbers close enough you will be able to make a strong convincing case. I did a freshman paper on the use of a shotgun for home defense, my professor was very impressed and I did well. Bill

 

[kludge]

Be VERY careful with international "statistics" !!!

For example: (I am not a source, and I don't claim the following is 100% factual)

U.S.A. "homocides" that involved a handgun will also include "justifiable homocides" (self defense and police shootings)

In G.B. "homocides" are only counted if there is a conviction. So they can show an artificially low rate if the killer is never found or convicted.

 

[5Wire]

Build your own comparison reports from official CDC data HERE. Eg: compare deaths due to firearm homicide (excluding suicide) to other means. Compare accidental firearms deaths to deaths due to adverse effects of health care (excluding drug use). Use Washington DC as an example of how effective gun control laws have proven to be (not)!

Gun Control's Twisted Outcome and other essays by Joyce Lee Malcolm. Delve into the crime rates in England and Australia after gun control (and anti-self defense) became law.

CDC Report indicating no correlation between gun control and crime reduction. See also National Review Online comment on the CDC report and its circumstances.

As posted above, anything by John Lott. Note the 'Posts by Topic' listing. See if your library has a copy of More Guns Less Crime.

Same with Gary Kleck, in particular the frequency of Defensive Gun Usage as opposed to criminal gun usage of any kind. (See Gunsite Articles as an indicator.)

Other interesting (but really dry statistical stuff) can be found on the FBI and Bureau of Justice websites.

Do not forget NRA Fact Sheets and NRA Articles either as primary sources or pointers to primary sources. Of course, invoking NRA anything will likely play to an 'anti' bias but you may find where to look.

Ultimately, if the person grading your essay can imagine himself as a violent, (gun toting is optional) criminal, ask if he would select victims who cannot legally be armed or victims who 'may' be armed. This is such a no brainer that an answer can be an effective bull**** detector for intellectual (dis)honesty.

Good luck on your paper. Please post it here, if you would.

Secondary sources:
Taking on Gun Control.
Gun Control: Examining the 2005 FBI Crime Statistics

 

[jad0110]

Here's another great article, if someone hasn't already posted it:

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

It talks about even if you could wave a magic wand and make ALL guns disappear (including those used by all LEO and Militaries throughout the world), guns could and are made using simple plumbing parts. If I recall from the article correctly, this is already happening in places like the UK. So what would you do? Require registration of machine tools and plumbing supplies? Bans ?

Keep in mind too that some of the bloodiest times in human history occured before the advent of gunpowder. People have been killing each other with whatever is available for thousands of years: knives, stones, sticks, poisons, bare hands, Fords, whatever...

And as others have pointed out, I think there are about 80 million gun owning households in the US. If we were all as bad as people thought we were, we would all be dead by now.

 

[jad0110]

Oh yeah, I'd also point out that the police are not legally obligated to provide protection to citizens:

http://www.firearmsandliberty.com/kasler-protection.html

 

[universal]

As some have already mentioned, be careful when comparing crime stats from around the world. Words have different meanings. As this post correctly points out:

For example: (I am not a source, and I don't claim the following is 100% factual)

U.S.A. "homocides" that involved a handgun will also include "justifiable homocides" (self defense and police shootings)

In G.B. "homocides" are only counted if there is a conviction. So they can show an artificially low rate if the killer is never found or convicted.

What is considered homicide in the U.S. may not be in other countries. Homicide means the killing of a human by another human. This could, as the poster above mentions, mean a death other than an intentional murder.

Also, I think you will have a very hard time "convincing" your professor of anything. The way the questions are written shows a very clear bias and it seems very obvious what sort of answer the professor is looking for. Having taught at the college level, I shutter when I see assignments that are so clearly void of objectivity.

Good luck.

 

[MrDig]

I hope this works it is a doc that I got from a link here but can't find the thread.
Cool I tested it in the preview and the whole doc opened.
it is from

www.GunFacts.info

 

[mattw]

Just as a note, what are the politics of the professor/school in general.

The politics of the school are not really a factor. It is actually a community college so the atmosphere leans more towards "I'm here to get work done" than "lets all hug and discover universal truths!" No one really discusses politics that much and when they do it is often a mature discussion. I feel kind of ashamed to admit its not a big name University, but I've been told that Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is ranked 4th in the nation or something like that. I'm not sure if I believe it, but its a good school for cheap.

I am lucky in that the professor is a really good guy, he just has some screwed up views on politics. I have had classes with him for a couple years now and we are actually friends. Like I said, good guy... just a little misguided.

It is easy to tell from the questions that he feels the world would be better off without handguns, but I am hoping to make a good enough arguement that he can put himself in my shoes. I doubt I will change any minds.

Good luck on your paper. Please post it here, if you would.

Thanks, I'll be sure to post it in case someone finds themselves in my shoes one day. Maybe the mods will sticky it for a quick resource in the future.

Thanks for all the links and info, you guys are a great help. The gun culture represented on THR is one of the most educated, thoughtful, genuinely empathetic groups of people that I have ever run across!

 

[universal]

I feel kind of ashamed to admit its not a big name University

Sorry, a little off topic, but why do you feel ashamed? There is nothing wrong with community college. I started out at CC, went on to a private our year college, and did my graduate work at a well respected state university. Some of my best academic experiences were at the CC where I began my studies. For me it was the same as for you: Good education for little money.

Again, sorry to take this so far off topic.

 

[ZeroCool]

Wow...

I went to a pretty liberal college in here MD, and I pwn3d some of my teachers when they started spouting off anti-gun and anti-conservative agenda. I really have little tolerance for that kind of crap when I am paying someone to teach me on a subject, not inflict their political views upon me and my classmates. I always found it funny that my conservative teachers never brough politics into the classroom (we always talked privately). I would be furious about this assignment, and would go as far up the ladder as I had to to let it be known.

Funny enough, the worst offender of this was a female Israeli economics teacher. Everytime she started putting political views into our classroom I would speak up... to the point where she stopped doing it. I wound up with an "A" in the class and even a year later, we would always stop and say hi in the hall when we saw each other. No real hate, just differences in opinion.

Seriously, kick this teachers ass with this assignment. I know this isnt really "high-road" talk, but imo, this prof deserves it with an assignment like this. I have some pro-gun speaches on my laptop somewhere. The data may be a year or two old (I just graduated last may), and may more general than what you are looking for, but if you pm me with your email address, I can send you what I have.

Good luck and dont be afraid to speak up in class.

 

[Danus ex]

I feel kind of ashamed to admit its not a big name University

Don't be. I started at community college, went to a state school, and now I'm away from home doing research at an Ivy League school. The atmosphere and the teaching quality at my community college outclasses everything else I've encountered so far.

Anyway, I study rhetoric and technical communication and teach the type of class you're in. Additionally, I was a writing tutor for four years (sophomore through first-year grad). I'll look at your drafts if you want to post them or PM/email me with them.

I guess it's something I can do for the cause!

 

[mattw]

I'll look at your drafts if you want to post them or PM/email me with them.

Thanks! I'll be sure to PM you once I've got them worked out. The teacher isn't a grammar or punctuation Nazi, so that sort of thing will not be an issue, maybe just make sure that my phrasing is understandable.

Seriously, kick this teachers ass with this assignment. I know this isnt really "high-road" talk, but imo, this prof deserves it with an assignment like this. I have some pro-gun speaches on my laptop somewhere. The data may be a year or two old (I just graduated last may), and may more general than what you are looking for, but if you pm me with your email address, I can send you what I have.

PM sent.

 

[happy old sailor]

Matt, some of these ppl seem to have gone through this in a big way. i have done what i could for years and what always slaps my face is that people have their minds made up and those opposed do not want to be confused by the facts.

to add my suggestion on this subject is, i keep hearing that doctors and medical types kill over 100,000 ppl a year. far beyond firearms and drunk drivers combined. also, all the hoodlums killed by cops are included in these
"killed by gun" statistics.

perhaps you can find a way to share your project with us when completed.