SLIDE 1: TITLE SLIDE
The presentation about Gun Control is especially relevant because it is one of the most controversial and highly charged issues in the United States. Also, it has become a Presidential election issue.
SLIDE 2: Hillary Clinton for the Democrats is pro-gun control. Donald Trump for Republicans is anti-gun control.
Democrat versus Republican Democrats in general are supportive of gun control policies and laws. Democrats are part of the lobby against carry-concealed weapons permits issued with few requirements to people who take guns into public locations and schools. Republicans are part of the pro-gun party and are against laws that regulate gun ownership (Moorhouse et al, 2006). Republicans often invoke the Second Amendment of the Constitution, specifically the right to bear arms clause. This right to unlimited gun ownership has not been upheld in court and it remains a legal debate (Baldrige, 2009).
SLIDE 3: 2016 U.S. Presidential Election - Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton has confronted the NRA and pro-gun lobby directly. Clinton is against concealed carry guns in international airports. Clinton is also against military-type firearms from being imported to the United States. This band includes military assault weapons, machine guns, automatic weapons, and semi-automatic weapons in non-military and non-police hands. Clinton urges controls over international parcel services being used to sell guns (Hillary for America, 2016). The Mothers of the Movement Coalition consists mainly of women who have had loved ones and children killed because of reckless gun use (Bauerlein, 2016). Many of these loosely connected gun control groups have taken shape because of mass shootings at public events (Webster, 2014).
SLIDE 4: Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate Trump has a slogan “Protecting Our Second Amendment Rights Will Make America Great Again” (Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., 2016). Trump agrees with the NRA, that the U.S. Constitution and the Second Amendment guarantee that Americans have a right own firearms so that they can defend themselves against their enemies (Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., 2016). Pro-gun supporters are generally against any type of restriction against gun ownership (Webster, 2014). However, there are statistics that show the rate of gun ownership relates to gun deaths (Moorhouse et al, 2006). The National Rifle Association (NRA) has an extensive campaign and membership; their supporters embrace guns and appear determined to make sure their children grow up liking guns too. The National Rifle Association (NRA) has a huge budget with which to lobby against gun control
SLIDE 5: America Today The media campaigns invoke children, children who have been shot and killed as well as children who should learn to defend themselves against an enemy such as Adolf Hitler (Cook & Jens, 2014, p. 74). The problem of regulation is due to a lack of consistency across the United States (Esposito et al 2014). Gun-control supporters refer to mass shootings, especially school shootings (Soraghan, 2000). Mothers of the Movement Coalition which is a group of women whose children or grandchildren have been the victims of “gun violence, police and racially charged incidents” (Bauerlein, 2016, p. 1). This woman is holding a sign with a list of innocent people – many of them children – shot and killed in mass shootings.
SLIDE 6: ChildrenBoth sides of the Gun Control issue have pulled children into the argument as symbols for and against. Pro-gun activists promote guns as a good hobby and a self-defense issue for their children. Unfortunately, there have been many accidental deaths surrounding children and guns. One example is when parents took their 9-year-old daughter to an NRA-approved gun range so she could learn to shoot a machine gun. She shot and killed her shooting instructor when she lost control of the weapon. In other cases, children have shot themselves by accident or shot others, including their parents.
SLIDE 7: Children Continued
In 2015:
265 children (under 18) were involved in accidental shootings.
83 of those shootings were fatal.
41 children accidentally shot and killed themselves.
Estimates are that 1.7 million children (under 18) live in households where guns are accessible.
SLIDE 8: Genocide and the Gun Control Myth
Invoking Hitler as pro-gun control is illogical and irrelevant. Defending gun rights is part of frontier masculinity and democracy.
Guns rights are akin to religious freedom.
Gun rights is a religious and moral necessary.
The NRA has invoked the Nazi Holocaust against Jews. “European Jews feared to admit their faith and the Nazis forced them to wear yellow stars as identity badges. So, what color star will they pin on gun owners’ chests?”
SLIDE 9: Responsible Gun Ownership
Many gun owners are not members of the NRA. They are in favor of universal background checks. This group is not vocal like the NRA. Their views are more in line with people who advocate for stronger gun laws and restrictions on military style firearms. These groups could unite with Democrats and others who support responsible gun ownership and gun safety.
REFERENCE SLIDE – THE END – THANK YOU.
References
Bauerlein, Valerie. (2016). “Clinton Campaign.” Wall Street Journal.
Baldrige, Pjeter D. (2009). Gun Ownership and the Second Amendment. New York, US: Nova.
Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., (2016). Internet Resource. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/second-amendment-rights
Esposito, L., & Finley, L. L. (2014). “Beyond Gun Control: Examining Neoliberalism, Pro-Gun Politics And Gun Violence In The United States.” Theory in Action, 7(2), 74-103.
Hillary for America. (2016). Internet Resource. https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/gun-violence-prevention/
McGee, Kimberley and Fernanda Santosaug. (2014). “A 9-Year-Old at a Shooting Range, a Spraying Uzi and Outrage.” New York Times Company.
Melzer, Scott. (2009). Gun Crusaders : The NRA's Culture War. New York, NY, USA: New York University Press (NYU Press). Moorhouse, J. C., & Wanner, B. (2006). “Does Gun Control Reduce Crime Or Does Crime Increase Gun Control?” Cato Journal, 26(1), 103-124.
Soraghan, Mike. (2000). “Signal Sent On Gun Control Colo., Ore. Efforts Embolden Supporters.” Denver Post, Washington Bureau.
Webster, Daniel W., and Vernick, Jon S. (2014). Updated Evidence and Policy Developments on Reducing Gun Violence in America. Baltimore, MD, USA: Johns Hopkins University Press.
