Course Work on Gun Control

Example of Course Work on Gun Control Introduction Gun control is one of the most controversial issues in the United States today. The topic of gun control is a debate between the gun rights lobby and a variety of gun control activists. The stance of these two groups is usually diametrically opposed. The pro-gun lobby refuses to compromise and those in favor of control and regulation of firearms have different agendas leading to a wide variety of proposed laws and policies (DeGrazia, 2014). The proponents of gun control often argue that the widespread possession and use of firearms increases the danger of suicides and homicides. High levels of gun related mortality and injury have been cited as the primary impetus for gun control. Opponents of restrictions on firearms believe that gun control laws do not decrease the chances of murder, suicide, or gun-related injuries. Pro-gun activists view any gun control regulation as an infringement on the rights of people and society (Soraghan, 2000; Wohlers, 2013). The question of whether or not gun control policies are a viable threat to gun ownership is yet unanswered. Despite the several research studies carried out over a lengthy time period conclude that data on the subject is still problematic. However, a recent study of more than twenty-one nations found that there is a definite correlation between gun ownership and gun-related injuries (Moorhouse et al, 2006). Gun control policies vary dramatically between countries with some nations enforcing many laws and regulations regarding the ownership, manufacturing, sale, and use of firearms. In Europe, for example, guns are tightly regulated where as in the United States there are few restrictions and guns are widely available (DAgostino, 2000; Esposito et al 2014). Policy Paradox The ideas and framework for policy evaluation as delineated by Deborah Stone in Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making is useful in analyzing gun control policies (Stone, 2002). Four constructs are used in this framework. These constructs are used to explain how political policy reasoning is often quite different from what scholars and others consider rational, logical reasoning. When examing using the first construct of policy paradox, gun control laws, and regulations in the United States are revealed as largely motivated by politics rather than rational reasoning. This is one reason that gun control is such a controversial topic in America, because the National Rifle Association (NRA), a political lobby group with great power and little logic offers pro-gun reason that promote their goal using fear and innuendo in order to achieve the impractical goal of unlimited guns for everyone (Levs 2013). Model of Reasoning Opposing the NRA and other pro-gun lobbyists is an amorphous group of people and organizations that point up the devastation caused by the lax gun laws in the United States. These groups suffer from a lack of cohesion and systematically defined goals. They all arrive at similar conclusions in regards to the need to regulation firearms in the United States, however the multiplicity of their perspectives results in little or convoluted policy proposals. Josh Levs discussion in Loaded Language Poisons Gun Debate points up how both sides in the gun control debate resort to such emotional appeals and appear to have no middle ground whatsoever. Because neither side in the policy debate is using rational arguments or even speaking the same language, the debates storms along via the media with little being accomplished in terms of policy-making. As David DeGrazia points out in his article, The case for moderate gun control the pro-gun lobby in the United States reacts with illogical and unfounded arguments against any sort of gun ownership regulations, even moderate ones (DeGrazia 2014). The NRA for example does not want limits placed on gun use and ownership even as it relates to children, mentality ill person, or people with criminal records. Furthermore, the NRA and other gun enthusiasts see no reason that people, including children, should not be allowed to own and operate machine guns. This stance was made clear after a 9-year-old girl in the United States lost control of her Uzi submachine gun during a shooting lesson and sprayed the area with bullets, killing, of all people, her shooting instructor. Another tragic incident of a child attempting to control an automatic weapon in the United States involved an 8-year old boy. The boy died when he lost control of a 9-millimeter Uzi, sprayed bullets, and shot himself in the head (McGee Santosaug, 2014). After both incidents, the pro-gun lobby loudly proclaimed that there should not be regulations against children using firearms simply because of a couple of instances in which children mishandled the weapons. For gun aficionados, freedom of gun ownership overrides public wellbeing and safety concerns. Model of Society The second construct as it plays out in the gun control debate, particularly in the United States, is one that demonstrates how self-interested NRA and pro-gun lobbyists design their arguments. Pro-gun supporters exploit the idea that gun control would circumvent and eventually eliminate personal freedom and individual rights. These self-styled gun rights supporters maintain that gun control would lead to the installation of a fascist and/or totalitarian regime takeover of the country (Goss, 2004). The NRA invokes the demons of Hitler and Nazis, claiming that gun control supporters would force citizens to wear nametags. Even the most minor legislation proposed in regards to gun control is portrayed as a means by which authorities would confiscate all privately owned weapons (Goss, 2004). The NRA tends to be populated by men and women who adhere to a hyper-masculinized version of American culture, they detest groups, and individuals who propose gun control, inhering that those groups are filled with sissified males and weak females. Womens groups that advocate for gun ownership regulations and ownership requirements are referred to as Commie Mommies who favor totalitarian measures and are unpatriotic (Goss, 2004, p. 682). Contrasted with the individual rights adherents are groups such as is are womens coalitions who subscribe to the polis model of society is defined by community, in which collective groups act both in public and self-interest (Stone, 2002). The lobby group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America was one of many womens organizations that flew into action after the 2012 Newton school massacre in the United States, which left 27 children and teachers dead. The paradox of the policy stance of Moms Demand Action, for example, is that the group declares it will fight the NRA using common sense (Follman, 2014). This is another example of how the opposing sides of the gun debate are not speaking the same language, the NRA Is not promoting common sense. The NRA is promoting fear. Many NRA members are motivated to support pro-gun collective action and rhetoric simply out of loyalty to the group, enthusiasm for their guns, or because they are someway making a profit off the sale of weapons. Groups like Moms Demand Action are motivated to accomplish social change through enlightenment and education after which they believe common sense will prevail. However, what these womens coalitions have failed to comprehend is signified by the pro-gun lobbyists who label them Commie Mommies (Goss, 2004, p. 682). Model of Policy Making One viewpoint regarding gun control policy-making is that the regulations should be based on rational and logical decisions. Gun control advocates issue a stream of data demonstrating that where there is less gun control there are more gun-related crimes, injuries, and deaths. To them then the conclusion is obvious, increased gun control is a positive step. This type of reasoning assumes that politicians and lawmakers create public policy using a fairly orderly sequence of stages (Stone, 2002, p.10). If gun controls laws were indeed based on a rational analysis of the harm done by guns then the debate would be almost over. If gun controls laws and gun control advocates had clear and consistent goals, then the political debate would be more coherent. However, pro-gun lobbyists do not view increased more gun-related crimes, injuries, and deaths as being more important than the right to own firearms. Gun control advocates do not all have the same goals. The result of these different valuations is that policy-making debates degenerate to a battle of philosophies, values, ideas, categories, and minutia. The end result is a disorganized and ineffective process, which for all intents and purposes leave the status quo unchanged. One element that compounds the problem is the many different categories of guns and firearms as well as the wide variety of proposals for gun control. When opinions are so diverse, it is difficult if not impossible to develop shared objectives and move forward with collective action. According to Moms in Arms, after the Newton shootings legislators in the states of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, and New York all passed legislation designed to stop gun sellers from avoiding customer background checks. Within weeks of making background checks mandatory in Colorado, over 160 convicted felons, domestic abusers, and others who are automatically banned from purchasing firearms were denied sales. The states of Washington and Wisconsin, policy-makers and lawmakers joined together with citizen groups to pass laws that prohibit persons convicted of domestic violence from purchasing and owning weapons (Follman, 2014). While preventing persons known to have a predilection for violence and unlawful behaviors seems like a positive result to groups such as Moms in Arms, it is viewed in the negative by the NRA. To the NRA, whether a person is law-abiding or not does not matter, everyone has the right to be a gun owner. This demonstrates how complicated a debate without common definitions, objectives, and solutions can become. The fact that right and wrong are contextual, even dynamic concepts leads to an argument between gun enthusiast and pro-control advocates that breaks down because the groups are not speaking the same language and have dramatically diverse and inimical perspectives. The policy paradox that results is one typified by incompatible interpretations and contradictions. On one side is a plethora of gun control proposals and on the other side is a rigid stance against any gun control whatsoever. Objective and Neutral Standards The criteria by which lawmakers establish criteria for evaluating gun control policy-making is erroneously assumed to be based on considerations other than political self-interests (Stone, 2002, p.12). Nothing could be more naive or farther from the truth. The groups in favor of policies that restrict and regulate guns see the issue as one of public safety and security. The pro-gun lobby sees the issue as one of personal liberty. Thus, the policy debates are bot about regulations, they are about morality and democratic freedom. This explains why there are no solid solutions to the problem of gun control being discussed in the United States. The United States gun control debate is not the only debate about firearms regulations in the world. It may, however, be the loudest because of the NRA. Because the gun debate is so polarized in the United States, scholars have looked to other countries in order to evaluate the firearms issues elsewhere. The 2007 mass shooting at the Virginia Tech college campus caught the attention of people around the world (Wohlers, 2013). However, in the United States, the only result was a burst of hysterical rhetoric from the pro-gun lobby that the incident would be used to circumvent constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. A situation much like the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting had occurred in Montreal Canada in 1989 resulting in a complete revamping and creation of a nationwide firearms policy. The Montreal Massacre, as it was dubbed by the press, occurred in the School of Engineering at the University of Montreal. A mentally deranged gunman killed 14 female college students. The gunman entered a campus classroom and separated the men from the women at gunpoint. Then he ordered the women to stand in a line against the wall, firing squad style, and opened fire on them with his semi-automatic rifle (Wohlers, 2013). The tragedy in Canada caused people there to put ethnic, cultural, and even generational differences aside in order to develop meaningful gun control policies. The United States supplies violent gun-riddled movies, television shows, and video games to countries around the world. Those countries have their share of mentally ill and criminals, but no countries have as high a rate as mass murder by gun as the United States. The reason other countries do not have as much gun-related crime is because they have stricter gun control policies and laws. By comparing the policies of a few other countries, researchers have developed a profile by which to better understand why policy in the United States is so stunted. Australia Historically Australia has had a lot of guns, almost 3.5 million as of recent reports. Statistics from Australia indicate that that country suffered 30 murders in which the killer used a gun in 2010. Australia has made great strides in passing coherent gun control laws and regulations. However, this change did not occur until after many mass shooting sprees finally wore the pro-gun lobby down to the point of compromise. In fact, it was the 1996 shooting of 58 people at an Australian tourist spot that finally tipped the scale of public opinion and therefore political opinion in favor of gun control (Leigh and Neill, 2010). In 1996, a gunman who was a mentally ill and filled with rage went on a rampage. He first killing an elderly couple who were on vacation. Then he went and had lunch at a cafe. After lunch he started shooting people in the cafe After shooting multiple cafe diners, he went into a gift shop where he continued to shoot and kill tourists. He moved about freely with his weapon when outside because some people assumed he was simply rabbit hunting. Firearms were so loosely regulated by the Australian authorities at the time that the gun did not register with some people as a potential threat (Leigh and Neill, 2010). The shooter in fact had multiple guns. The gunman carried ample ammunition, ammunition also not being well regulated in Australia at the time, allowing the gunman to reload. He shot people in a parking lot, in tour buses, and in passing cars. He shot and killed a mother and her two small children. This shooter was well armed and he was relentless. As the day progressed, he went to a gas station and took a hostage whom he later shot to death. Before the gunman was finally stopped, he had shot 58 people, men, women and children, killing 35 of them (Leigh and Neill, 2010). The 1996 incident was the final straw in the gun control debate in Australia. Politicians and lawmakers bowed to public pressure to pass legislation and regulations on purchasing guns. Even the pro-gun lobby there decided to become agreeable to stricter gun control laws. New regulations in Australia bar private citizens from buying and owning automatic and semi-automatic weapons. In order to purchase a gun there a person must apply, go through a waiting period, and obtain a license. The government instituted a buyback program to encourage people to turn in their automatic and semi-automatic weapons. In order to obtain a license the purchaser must show just cause for owning a weapon. The death by gun rate in Australia has steadily declined and now sits at about 0.13 gun deaths every year per every 100,000 people there (Leigh and Neill, 2010).   Japan In Japan, civilians are barred from owning automatic and semi-automatic weapons, machine guns, handguns, rifles, and swords without a license. The penalties of caught with one of these weapons is severe, up to 10 years in jail. The rate of gun homicides in Japan is one or two deaths per year. The application process to buy a firearm in Japan is extensive. In order to handle someone elses gun, a person must possess a license. Besides the coursework, there are written tests. An in person mental health interview is conducted at a medical facility and drug tests are administered (Leigh and Neill, 2010). In Japan, the background check takes the form of a police investigation. Inquiries are made of the applicants relatives and any organizations that the applicant may be long to. If the organization is deemed to be too political or too prone to activism, the gun application will be denied. The investigation includes an inspection of the location where the gun is to be stored and where the ammunition is to be stores. If a permit is issued, these storage locations, along with the gun, are inspected yearly. The gun owner is required to maintain their permit by taking classes and tests tri-annually (Leigh and Neill, 2010).   United Kingdom The United Kingdom suffers approximately 0.07 gun homicides per 100,000 people per year. The United States rate of gun-related homicides is 42 times that rate. The United Kingdom has strict gun control policies that are vigorously enforced. For example, there is a prohibition against people owning high-powered guns for personal use including machine guns, pump-action rifles, and semi-automatic weapons. There are also gun size restrictions (Leigh and Neill, 2010). Another example of successfully negotiated gun policy in the United Kingdom is the requirement that all British citizens who want to buy a firearm must pass a background check. Additionally, all gun owners must possess a valid Firearm Certificate. Requirements to obtain a Firearms Certificate include being at least 15-years of age, having a place to store the firearm that is secure and safe from tampering, and they must have a reason to own a firearm. Additionally, applicants must have two letters of reference. The Firearms Certificate is good for 5 years. Most importantly, anyone who wants to buy a gun must pass a criminal background check. Persons who have been convicted of a crime cannot buy or handle a gun a five-year period. Persons convicted of a crime that resulted in a prison sentence of three years or more are barred for life from owning a gun (Leigh and Neill, 2010).   Canada In Canada, there are approximately 0.5 gun homicides per 100,000 people per year. That rate is much higher than the rate in the United Kingdom; however, it is still 6 times lower that of the United States. The higher rate of gun deaths in Canada compared to the United Kingdom correlates to the more widespread gun ownership in Canada. While there is a debate in Canada about whether people have a legal right to own a firearm, there is not the feverish rhetoric found there that typifies the NRAs propaganda campaign in the United States (Leigh and Neill, 2010). There is a six-day waiting period in Canada to buy a gun. There is also compulsory licensing. Canadians must have references and complete a gun training and safety course. In Canada, the sixty-day waiting period is used to notify the gun applicants spouse or next-of-kin that the person has applied to buy a gun. The background check in Canada is extensive and includes a criminal records, mental health records, and addiction treatment records. Automatic denials for gun ownership apply to persons with domestic violence histories. The types of weapons banned from civilian ownership include all automatic and most semi-automatic weapons, snub-nosed handguns, handguns, rifles, and shotguns. Most semi-automatic assault weapons are also banned (Leigh and Neill, 2010).   Political Considerations Pressure on regional politicians results in less than rational policymaking decisions. For example, in response to the Newton Connecticut massacre of schoolchildren and teachers at an elementary school the New York Times published a survey article about how easily automatic weapons were obtainable in the state of Connecticut. The response by local gun enthusiasts was typical of their uncompromising stance. In a letter to the editor John T. Wilson complained that the gun laws in Connecticut were already too strict in regards to the ownership of automatic weapons. Wilson cited what he considered the onerous process by which someone in that state must endure to have and own a machine gun (Wilson 1993). According to Wilson after purchasing, the desired machine gun the store clerk hands the new owner and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Form and fingerprint cards. The writer than goes on to make the illogical connection between machine gun ownership and Porsche ownership, declaring that no one is lobbying to outlaw Porsches even though they can accelerate up to speeds in excess of 55 mile per hour (Wilson 1993). The fact that no one ever went on a mass killing spree seems to elude the write. Additionally the writer does not even mention the tragic deaths associated with gun shooting sprees, despite the fact that many people across the United States are doomed to a life of grief and mourning because of gun violence. This is an example of how pro-gun enthusiasts are completely blind when it comes to their guns. It is also an example of why there is not rational discourse in the United States about gun control laws; this irrational rhetoric has proven extremely effective for the NRA and pro-gun lobbyists. A 1994 New York Times article offered an overview of legislation passed by the United States Congress in response to public pressure for stricter gun laws after the Newton School Massacre. One of the issues that changed public opinion and therefore political opinion about the NRA was a campaign in which the NRA issued statements in response to a group called Handgun Control. The NRA claimed that this group was demanding a ban on the sale and wearing of camouflage clothing and the closure of all shooting ranges in the United States. Investigators discovered that the group Handgun Control was a fake organization created on the internet by the NRA specifically designed to discredit the gun control lobby (Opinion, 1994). Because of the disgust at these maneuvers by the NRA, public opinion shifted in favor of gun laws. However, the vote on the regulations against assault weapons was passed under protest of many members in Congress from states where the politics are definitely pro-gun. The goal of the pro-gun law lobby in this case was to build on the requirements of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which built on the weak Gun Control Act of 1968. The Brady Law enacted a 5 day waiting period before a person can buy a firearm. Police and others have complained that this is much too short a time in which to provide a report on the safety of an individual (Opinion, 1994). Additionally, the Brady Law is not universally enforced across the United States. Many of the provisions in the Brady Law became null in 1998. Discussions in Congress and in the political arena have discussed the sale of firearms by non-traditional and private vendors. Some groups lobbied to control the sale of firearms at swap meets, from the trunks of cars, and from private homes and garages. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms funding was eviscerated by former President Bush in an effort to appeal to his pro-gun constitutions and political supporters. Many senators have pointed out that it is not expedient for them and others to be in favor of gun laws; it therefore makes the passage of new laws less than realistic in the irrational debate over gun control in the United States (Opinion, 1994). Such irrational demands have been associated with gun control legislation, such as demanding that the legislation be approved by committees irrelevant to the issues such as the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has been chaired by board members from the NRA (Opinion, 1994). Political considerations in the United States continue to outweigh the need for a consensus on gun control regulations. Every regulation that is proposed it nit-picked into oblivion by NRA lobbyists and NRA supported politicians. The Newtown Connecticut Massacre increased the volume of the gun control debate in the United States, but the actual changes in gun policy did not change in a way that was commensurate with the tragic death of schoolchildren and teachers. Conflicting definitions, principles, and perspectives about what is important have resulted in a policy dilemma. Many articles and books point out that the United States pro-gun culture has encourage a political culture that is also pro-gun. Esposito and Finley (2014) describe the United States as a country of people who accept, the dangers of big government, the virtues of rugged individualism and self-reliance, and gun violence as a personal problem involving evil, sick, or irresponsible individuals (p. 74). United States males are described as hyper-masculine and the pro-gun stance is a direct result of ideological forces and social structures that, among other things, erode social bonds, encourage hyper-individualism, and normalize a survival of the fittest ethic (Esposito and Finley, 2014, p. 74). American gun culture is tied to the idea of individual freedom and liberty. The beliefs and values of the pro-gun lobby and pro-gun politics are supported because it is associated with the notion that individuals and individual rights are the most important factor in political decisions. This has resulted in a culture in which self-interest is tantamount and social justice is largely irrelevant. Culture in the United States has come to associate gun rights as being akin to freedom of religion, therefore causing guns and gun ownership to take on a sacred aspect (Esposito and Finley, 2014). Once the sacred enters the discussion rational reasoning falls by the wayside. Second Amendment A discussion about gun control does not proceed in the United States without the pro-gun lobby invoking the Second Amendment. In the United States Constitution, the Second Amendment states, A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Various interpretations of this short statement by the pro-gun lobby include the idea that guns are a personal liberty and a right. However, scholars such as Esposito and Finley (2014) point out that the Second Amendment was designed to empower white males so that they could take up arms against a tyrannical government and defend themselves against uprising by non-whites (for example, Indian tribes and African slaves). In the 1970s, the NRA evolved from being primarily a sports organization to a far right pro-gun lobby involving the Second Amendment aspect (Esposito and Finley, 2014, p. 80). Esposito and Finley (2014) credit former President Ronald Reagan with paving the way for the pro-gun lobby and the empowerment of the white male hyper-masculine perspective by terminating many welfare programs and emphasizing self-reliance and personal freedom that evolved into hedonistic materialism, rabid individualism, extreme competition, and narcissism (p. 80). This political rhetoric and the consequent cultural changes resulted in the problem faced by groups that propose even moderate gun control measures because the United States has become characterized by hyper-masculine ideas about liberty. In conclusion, the conflicting viewpoints on gun control in the United States are irreconcilable because on one hand the pro-gun lobby sees guns rights as more important that social justice. On the other hand , the gun control lobby keeps offering up statistics on the continued shooting deaths of innocent people in the United States, evidence and data that prove gun control reduces gun deaths, and additional information about how lives could be save if gun control laws were passed. The pro-gun gun lobby does not care how many people are shot to death, those deaths are not as important as the right to have guns. Gun control advocates argue that there is no right to own guns and so the debate devolves into irrationality. Changes to Policy-Making Suggestion to policy makers on how they should approach decisions with regard to gun control include basic changes in the current decision-making approaches. Gun control regulation should not be left to the Federal government and Congress only. This has proved to be a dilemma without resolution. By addressing the issue at the state and local level, politicians and lawmakers can pass regulations that reduce gun ownership and therefore reduce gun violence. By responding to the needs of the community policy makers can keep their constituents safer. This approach has proved effective in places such as Connecticut and Colorado, but unfortunately, this very reasonable approach to gun regulation was not even attempted until after mass shootings resulted in enormous public pressure. Policy-Making at State and Local Levels Addressing the issue at the state and local level does not mean that efforts at the national level should be abandoned. Lobbyists need to continue to pressure Congress and the Executive Branch into passing legislation that will support the efforts made to reduce gun violence at the local and state level. This may mean conducting more research or having on-going research projects at the national level. However, ample evidence and data is available worldwide that proves a reduction in the number of guns and gun owners correlates to a reduction in gun violence. Because the federal government has continually cut the budget of the agencies that enforce gun control, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives need to be rebuilt. A campaign that functions on multiple levels will be most effective when trade local and state policymakers to take action. This may mean that gun control lobbies continue to collect regionally specific data about gun sales, gun related crimes and arrests, the records of persons who commit gun related crimes prior to their purchase of a weapon or weapons, and violations of background check policies. By building up this type of a data bank, lobbyists will be better able to present their cases and demand that lawmakers pass the appropriate policies. Activists need to work to strengthen existing laws and passing new restrictions against the practice of carry-concealed weapons. Concealed carry laws are already on the books. These laws need to be more vigorously enforced. Additionally, persons who have concealed carry permits need to have those permits reviewed regularly to ensure that there is just cause for carrying a concealed weapon. Background checks for concealed carry permits need to require a longer waiting period so that law enforcement and assigned agencies have ample time to complete an investigation. The computer information systems that provide information about arrest records, felony convictions, and violent crimes need to be consolidated and modernized to facilitate the background checks. Lobbyists need to address the issue of adding juvenile crime records and medical records to the background checks in order to stop persons with a violent past from obtaining a concealed carry permit and possibly a gun at all. By beginning with smaller more precise goals at local and state levels, meaningful change is more likely to occur. The national debate about gun control has reached such levels of irrationality and hysteria, that by regrouping and presenting sound, conclusive data to a smaller audience rational policymaking may occur. Gun control groups need to attempt to collaborate with each other to develop and more well-defined and cohesive list of goals and strategy. It is pointless for gun control lobbyists to attempt to persuade pro-gun activists. Gun control lobbyists are more likely to succeed in actual policymaking if they work to pursued each other to collaborate. The wishes of individuals, groups, and communities who have experienced gun violence or who want to prevent gun violence are extensive and multifaceted. That is why groups need to come together and compromise on their goals so that they can articulately and judiciously promote policymaking. References DAgostino, J.,A. (2000). Conservative spotlight: Women against gun control. Human Events, 56, 22-22. DeGrazia, D. (2014). The case for moderate gun control. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 24(1), 1-25. 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. Follman, M. (2014). Mothers In Arms. Mother Jones, 39(5), 28. Goss, K A. Policy, Politics, and Paradox: the Institutional Origins of the Great American Gun War.  Fordham Law Review. 73.2 (2004): 681-714. Print. Leigh, Andrew, and Christine Neill.  Do Gun Buybacks Save Lives?: Evidence from Panel Data. Bonn: IZA, 2010. Levs, Josh. (2013). Loaded Language Poisons Gun Debate. Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. McGee, Kimberley and Fernanda Santosaug. (2014). A 9-Year-Old at a Shooting Range, a Spraying Uzi and Outrage. New York Times Company. Moorhouse, J. C., Wanner, B. (2006). Does Gun Control Reduce Crime Or Does Crime Increase Gun Control? Cato Journal, 26(1), 103-124. Opinion. (1994). The next step for gun control. (1994). New York Times. Soraghan, Mike. (2000). Signal Sent On Gun Control Colo., Ore. Efforts Embolden Activists. Denver Post,Washington Bureau. Stone, D. (2002). Policy paradox: The art of political decision-making. New York, NY: Norton. Wilson, John T. (1993). The battle over gun control in Hartford. (1993). New York Times. Wohlers, A. (2013). Fleming, Anthony K.: Gun policy in the United States and Canada: the impact of mass murders and assassinations on gun control. CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, (9). 1707.

Martin Luther Essay - 1557 Words

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 - February 18, 1546) was a Christian theologian and Augustinian monk whose teachings inspired the Protestant Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines of Protestant and other Christian traditions. Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margaretha Luther on 10 November 1483 in Eisleben, Germany and was baptised the next day on the feast of St. Martin of Tours, after whom he was named. Luthers call to the Church to return to the teachings of the Bible resulted in the formation of new traditions within Christianity and the Counter-Reformation in the Roman Catholic Church, culminating at the Council of Trent. His translation of the Bible also helped to develop a standard version of the German language and†¦show more content†¦Political Dimensions Such reforms included the foundation of seminaries for the proper training of priests in the spiritual life and the theological traditions of the Church, the reform of religious life to returning orders to their spiritual foundations, and new spiritual movements focus on the devotional life and a personal relationship with Christ. Martin Luther was the first person to translate the New Testament, and later the whole bible into German, the local language of the people. Before Luther translated the Bible, it was only meant to be read by the clergy. Luther wrote the bible in the language of the people so that they themselves could determine what Jesus taught and what would lead to salvation. This lead to a development within Christianity where it was no longer the Papacy and clergymen that completely controlled what was truth and what people should believe, but it was now up to the peoples interpretation on what they felt was truth and what they should believe according to the words of the bible. His version was followed by Protestant versions in other languages, especially the French, Dutch, and English. The Bible ceased to be a foreign book in a foreign tongue, and became naturalized, and hence far more clear and dear to the common people. Hereafter the Reformation depended no longer on the works of the Reforme rs, but on the book of God, which everybody could read for themselves as their daily guide in spiritual life. This inestimableShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther Essay671 Words   |  3 PagesKung on whether Martin Luther’s reform improved the lives of European Christians. Kolb agreed that martin Luther made a positive impact on European Christians and he concluded that Luther was a prophetic hero, teacher and that Luther brought change and hope to the people. Kung on the other hand believes that Luther was a great orchestrator of change in the Christian church but also an indirect instigator of the violence and oppression that erupted among the people. In other words Luther had some positiveRead More Martin Luther Essay1217 Words   |  5 Pages Martin Luther Martin Luther was a German theologian and religious reformer, who started the Protestant Reformation, and whose vast influence during his time period made him one of the crucial figures in modern European history. Luther was born in Eisleben on November 10, 1483 and was descended from the peasantry, a fact that he often stressed. Hans Luther, his father, was a copper miner. Luther received a sound primary and secondary education at Mansfeld, Magdeburg, and Eisenach. In 1501, at theRead MoreEssay on Martin Luther1918 Words   |  8 Pages The year 1483 certainly was not the best of times and arguably not the worst of times but it was a notable time in that the birth of one Martin Luther did occur and the re-birth of Christendom was not far away. Eisleben, Germany is noted as the birthplace of young Martin Luther just ten days into November. Germany at that time was a place of emperors, princes, princelings, nobles, lords and knights. A place once called the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. A place that had no qualms with povertyRead MoreMartin Luther Essay1806 Words   |  8 PagesMartin Luther Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 - February 18, 1546) was a Christian theologian, Augustinian monk, professor, pastor, and church reformer whose teachings inspired the Lutheran Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines of Protestant and other Christian traditions. Luther began the Protestant Reformation with the publication of his Ninety-Five Theses on October 31, 1517. In this publication, he attacked the Churchs sale of indulgences. He advocated a theology that rested onRead MoreEssay about Martin Luther877 Words   |  4 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Martin Luther grew up in a time when there was basically one religion to look upon. Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, Germany. He was raised Catholic by his family that was held together by his father, Hans. Hans was a miner, and he worked his way up to the middle class by leasing mines and furnaces. With the money that he earned, he bought his family a house, and he became a well-respected citizen of thei r new hometown, Mansfeld. At seven years old, Martin began his schoolingRead MoreMartin Luther: The Leader of the Protestant Reformation Essay609 Words   |  3 Pages Essay 1 Topic 3: Martin Luther started the Protestant Reformation when he nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. It contained a series of 95 complaints that the once monk had with the church. He was steadfast in his efforts to get the church to change. Even refusing to repeal his complaints when threatened with excommunication. He has many issues with the church, starting with indulgences. He found them rather unnecessary. He believedRead MoreEssay on Martin Luther Reformation2087 Words   |  9 Pages Martin Luther: Reformer Martin Luther was born in Eisieben, Germany, on November 10,1483, St. Martinamp;#8217;s Day. He was the son of Has Luther, a coal miner, and Margarethe. Martinamp;#8217;s parents were of the middle class and were unbending in their disciplinary acts. He attended the best schools in his region but all of them held to the barbaric discipline system of the times. This had a big impact on Martinamp;#8217;s personality. But he did receive some positive influence from hisRead MoreEssay Martin Luther King Jr2250 Words   |  9 Pageswork ethic. The philosophy behind this work ethic has driven many workers to attain as much as possible at their jobs during their lifetimes. If one man were to be given credit for the development of the Protestant work ethic it would have to be Martin Luther. In the course of the next several pages this researcher will examine the ethic that has had such a great impact on the United States economy and on the economies of other nations. It has been suggested b y such writers as Weber and Smith thatRead MoreThe Life and Work of Martin Luther Essay1531 Words   |  7 Pages Arguably one of the most recognizable names in Church history, Martin Luther rattled the cages of the legalistic, heretical Roman Catholic authorities, and enabled the masses to encounter God in a more direct way from that point on. The New Westminster Dictionary of Spirituality describes him as, â€Å"â€Å"An Augustinian Eremite friar and theology professor at Wittenberg, who emerged as the principal guide and spokesman of the Protestant Reformation, giving his name to the strongest wing of that movement†¦Read MoreSynthesis Essay : Martin Luther King1785 Words   |  8 Pages Synthesis Essay – Martin Luther King Jr. MSgt Demetrius N. Booth Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy November 7, 2017 Instructor: MSgt. Adrian L. Hall MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Our founding fathers could not have understood the soulful purpose of their words. Words penned in ink with mortal hands on to parchment but forever cemented in the bedrock of this great nation. The declaration of Independence echoes those words through all generations â€Å"We hold these truths

The University High Energy Synchrotron Source Essay

For me future memories of my first job will involve spinning silicon wafers in acetone at one thousand RPM, crawling under massive quadrupole bend magnets to take measurements, testing the curvatures of X-ray analyzers with a Class 3R laser, and other such exhilarating yet mildly dangerous tasks. These tasks and several others like them have become part of my exciting everyday routine as a [they’re still deciding a title for me] at CHESS (the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source). Though technically just a position at a workplace, my experience at CHESS involving heavy learning by immersion, constant collaboration, and strongly diversified problem solving opportunities has allowed me a truly unique insight into the already fascinating field of physics and has drastically changed the way in which I approach challenges in general. Looking back, my transition from taking high school classes to helping conduct research at a federally funded synchrotron lab hosted by an Ivy League school was a byproduct of a crucial life decision I made as a high school freshman: to graduate a year early and, perhaps, take a gap year. While the idea of deviating from the normal educational trajectory seemed risky, I felt confident it would allow me a more fulfilling pre-college experience. Midway through junior year, I began a three month process of sending emails, waiting for replies, sharing documents, and meeting with researchers I finally secured a meeting at the Wilson Synchrotron Lab withShow MoreRelatedEssay about X-ray Absorption and X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy932 Words   |  4 Pages X-ray probe production by a synchrotron light source. To optimize the properties of nano-material and atomic level needs an elemental probe with resolution of 1nm. The nano scale probe helpful to provide the reproducible control over defects. The production of x-rays by relativistic electrons in accelerators is about 60 years old. The accelerator facilities used as synchrotron radiation sources have advanced significantly over the years, growing in utility to become a premier research tool forRead MoreA Research Proposal On Kanaka Raju Pandiri1157 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Proposal Kanaka Raju Pandiri Kansas State University, USA Recent progress in ultrafast lasers gained a lot of interest to investigate ever faster physical processes in atoms, molecules, and solid state surfaces. This advancement gave birth to a broad field of science crossing physics, chemistry, and biology; known as â€Å"Ultrafast Science† for which Zewail got the Nobel prize in 1999. But, following electron dynamics in real time, watching the formation or breaking of chemical bonds, or theRead More Quasars Essay1859 Words   |  8 Pagesreal source of the trouble is in the assumption that the spectra of quasars have redshifts. In the early 1960s quasars were known as radio stars because the method used to discover the first quasars was based on coincidences between a strong radio source and a point-like optical source. Since each radio source was associated with a star it was originally thought that quasars were objects within the galaxy hence the term radio stars. Quasars or quasi-stellar radio source, fromRead MoreStatement of Purpose for a Career in Aestrophysics458 Words   |  2 Pageseffect in galaxy clusters; synchrotron radiation from supernova remnants; cyclotron radiation from giant planets; bremsstrahlung in galaxy cluster cooling flows; and line driving in winds surrounding active galactic nuclei and massive stars.† (Copied from http://astro.berkeley.edu/~echiang/rad/rad.html ) †¢ Astronomy 204, Astrophysical Flows Shows how physical conditions in astrophysical objects can be diagnosed from their spectra. Discussion topics include how energy flows determine the thermalRead MoreImportance of Science Education5289 Words   |  22 Pagesand chequered history of education and training in pure and applied sciences dating back to over 2,600 years, India has had flourishing tradition of scientific research and technological development. Taxila (6th century BC) one of the earliest universities in the world, attracted students from across the continents. Major fields of study at Taxila included mathematics, astronomy, medicine, surgery and metallurgy. Unfortunately, most of the knowledge was lost during the medieval period. The glorious

Eminem1 Essay Example For Students

Eminem1 Essay White rap sensation Eminem had to overcome all kinds of adversity to make it to the top. Eminem is my favorite rapper, and I have wanted to meet him since he came out two years ago , undoubtedly he is known for his rap songs that offend many people. For example, the current disputes between Eminem and Everlast an old rock band. Everlast had made a song dissing Eminem along with his wife and daughter . Now , most people would get upset over it and maybe just let it go. Eminem on the other hand, made two songs completely dissing Everlast . In song two titled â€Å"quitter† he even makes references for his fans to physically hurt Everlast. That is just one of the Several incidents where Eminem proved he is not scared to speak his mind. Eminem also gets much attention because he is the only white rapper right now, and the first one since Vanilla Ice. The difference is that Eminem is popular in all sections of the industry. He has soared to the top of almost every billboard chart e xcept in categories such as country. Eminem has no problem going to court, or even prison to stand by his thoughts, and he makes sure his point of view is noticed. I like Eminem because he does not compromise his values, no matter how messed up they may be. Eminem Is the most interesting celebrity because he is one of the few who does not hold back. His personal life is smeared all over the news, and he does not seem to care, I would like to know how he deals with the media and stardom. There are thousands of questions I would have for Eminem, The first would be how he was able to walk into his high school in Detroit where he got beaten up daily for being a white boy. From what I know about him he probably did not worry about it. He just goes out and does what he feels he can accomplish, no matter how many obstacles are blocking his path. If he told people ten years ago that he would like to be a rapper everyone would laugh at him. He mad a debut album at age nineteen and it did badly. It took a long time for him to make albums such as the Marshall Mathers LP, which sold two and a half million copies in the first week of its release at age twen ty six Eminem is a rap god and nobody will ever take the place of this legend. Bibliography:

What Was Lord Robert Clive Accused to India an Example by

What Was Lord Robert Clive Accused of in Reference to India Major General Robert Clive was one of the most prominent figures in British Army who established the supremacy of East India Company in India and Bengal. Because of his contributions, he is widely regarded as the main character behind the creation of British India. Historically his stay in India can be easily categorized into three distinct time periods. His first stay in India was during 1744-1753, when as a young person, he was sent as a writer or factor in civil services of East India Company. During this period he showed bravery when English troops were surrounded and beaten by French army in Madras India. During this period his role was more or less of a civilian who showed strong military skills even without having formal military training. Need essay sample on "What Was Lord Robert Clive Accused of in Reference to India" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed College Students Usually Tell Us: Who wants to write paper for me? Essay writer professionals advise: Things Go Better Custom Essay Review Pay Someone To Write An Essay For You Write My Paper For Cheap Buy Essays Cheap His second journey to India during 1755 given him a position in the Kings Army. During this period he won many important battles for East India Company and consolidated its power in the region thus providing it absolute power in the country by crushing different State governments. It was during this period that he also emerged as one of the leading figures for Britons in India. His third period in India was more of a role of reformist where his role was that of the reformist of the administrative as well as military establishments in India as he attempted to bring more robust changes in the administration. However, his career in India was not as smooth as one may perceive as he was accused of many misgivings such as bribery, corruption and extortion etc. Besides this, there is also now evidence which suggest that Robert Clive manipulated many facts and employed techniques which in no way can be considered as ethical by todays standards.This essay will attempt to study at least three different accusations made against him during his stay in India and how he responded and defended himself against those accusations. Accusations Clives early life suggested that he formed a racket which he formed with some other boys to get money from the shop keepers in Manchester where he was sent by his parents to live with a childless couple. (BBC, 2005). His early period in India also suggested that he experienced depression and were often at odd ends with his superiors for breaking the rules. These facts provide a very clear indication of his later conduct in life where he was accused by the House of Commons on several charges including getting bribery; extortion money was well as making other corruption. After his final return to England, he was severally criticized and a Parliamentary enquiry was held against him for accepting huge amounts of money from the rulers in India whom he brought into power. Apart from that he was also accused of accepting great amounts as gifts from the Indian rulers as well as others and this fact was also confirmed from the fact that during his second return to India, he lost a chest full of gold coins in South Africa when he ships were stranded there. He was also considered as an expert in loot and scoot policy as he wishfully accumulated enormous amount of wealth during the communal riots in India by following a policy of divide and rule. (GANGADHAR, 2004). Further evidence has also surfaced which suggested that many of the treasures, belonging to Indina, sold by auction companies in UK, were spirited away from India by Lord Clive himself. It was also often argued that he refused bigger gifts and rewards and continues to serve his country with all the zeal and vigor and his reputation more or less remained intact as he was elected an MP. There was no direct defense by him of the accusations made against him and he was finally exonerated by the Parliamentary committee probing his corruption charges. His mysterious death however always remained one of the secrets as many now believe that he committed suicide because of the charges against him whereas some accounts suggest that he killed himself in order to potentially get rid of painful diseases. Conclusion The life of Lord Robert Clive can be considered as one of the classical lives because he rose from a very small position to being the top commanded of British Army in India. However, his early life suggested that he had a very spoiled child with a violent history as he was involved in the incidents of extortion. His later period in India, though considered by many as the golden period in the history of British in India, however, was full of controversies as he was accused of many wrong doings. There were serious charges of corruption and bribery leveled against him as he supposedly took huge bribes from the Indian Nawabs whom he consolidated into power with the backing of British army. However, despite a Parliamentary inquiry against him, he was given a clean chit however; he hardly defended himself against such accusations in public and quietly killed himself to end a period of glory and fame in British History. Bibliography BBC. (2005, March 29). Robert Clive: Tearaway to empire builder. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/content/articles/2005/03/29/robert_clive_feature.shtml GANGADHAR, V. (2004, June 06). Roots of corruption . Retrieved September 17, 2008

Erida, The goddess of hate Essay Example

Erida, The goddess of hate Essay Erida is Hate. She is Strife and Discord. Unfortunately, there are many conflicting sources of information about this Greek Goddess of Hate. Most sources cite her as the twin sister of Ares; some sources say that she is the same as Eris, Goddess of Discord, while others state that Eris and Erida are two totally different goddesses. One source even said that Erida is the daughter of Eris. There is also the fact that the names Erida and Eris are uncannily similar. Besides that, there is the question whether Erida is actually in the book The Iliad by Homer, which is one of my main sources. The Goddess of Hate is not explicitly named in The Iliad as Erida but is rather referred to as Strife. So for purposes of this essay, I will assume that Erida is indeed the same goddess as Eris. Twin sister of the God of War, Erida was Ares constant companion. Eridas greatest joy was making trouble. In Book Five of The Iliad, Erida is described as Strife insatiable.Her anger is never satisfied.She pos sessed a golden apple so radiant that everyone wanted to have it.Erida would throw her golden apple among friends and foes alike. If she threw it among friends, their friendship quickly ended. If she threw it among enemies, war would break out.Essentially an action of Erida led to the Trojan War. Zeus was giving a wedding for Peleus, a young king of Thessaly, and Thetis, a beautiful Nereid. All the gods and goddesses were invited to the wedding except Erida. She was furious so she threw one of her golden apples of discord into the crowd of guests and shouted, The fairest of the goddesses shall have it! Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite rushed to pick it up, each thinking that they were the fairest of them all, and soon they began to argue with each other about who should have the apple. The wedding broke up and the goddesses went back to Olympus still in discord.

In america essays

In america essays The movie starts out with Sarah and Johnny Sullivan driving to the U.S. border from Canada, with their two daughters Ariel and Christy. Christy who is narrating the movie through her camcorder like a diary. The Sullivan family is trying to get into America to start their lives over after the loss of their son Frankie, who died of a malignant tumor in his brain. The only memory of Frankie thats left is what Christy has recorded on her camcorder. They drive into the U.S. past the immigration agent passing off that that they are just visiting. Driving through Time Square with these unbelievable looks on their faces, like I cant believe were here. They finally end up to their new home in New York in this run down neighborhood, at this broken down apartment building. Filled with drug addicts, homeless people, and just covered with poverty. They walk into their new home with wood floors; pigeons flying around and just dirty as can be. Few moments they clean up the apartment and furnish it with a fresh coat of paint, and furniture found around town. The mother starts out working at an Ice Cream parlor, while Johnny is taking any audition he can try to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. While being put in a catholic school by their parents. Being the poor girls of the school they still make the best of everything. On the girls first Halloween they go trick or treating in the apartment they live in a knock on every door. Not one person would open the door except for one man, a painter who lives below them who was dying of aids. In which they ended up making friends with. In the movie Susan gets pregnant again but is having trouble with the baby but doesnt want the girls to worry. If the baby stays in her longer it can cause Susan to die, and if the baby is taken out now the baby has a lesser chance of living. So the baby comes prematurely, and Johnny has no money to pay for the hospit ...