Gun Control in the U.S.

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Gun Control in the U.S.

• Jake, Garrett, Ali, and Julianne

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Firearms

1. Handguns
2. Rifles
3. Shotguns

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Ownership
Households With a Gun Adults Owning a Gun Adults Owning a Handgun
Percentage  40-45 30-34 17-19
Number 47-53 million 70-80 million  40-45 million
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Crime and Self-Defense

• 16,272 murders were committed in the United
  States during 2008.

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Right-to-Carry Laws

• Each state has its own laws regarding
  right-to-carry and falls into one of three main
  categories
•  
• 1) "shall-issue" states, where concealed carry
  permits are issued to all qualified applicants

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Right-to-Carry Laws

• 2) "may-issue" states, where applicants must
  often present a reason for carrying a firearm to
  an issuing authority, who then decides based on
  his or her discretion whether the applicant will
  receive a permit

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Right-to-Carry Laws

• 3) "no-issue" states, where concealed carry is
  generally forbidden

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As of January 2012

• 40 states are shall-issue
• 9 states are may-issue

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Constitution

• In the Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment to
  the Constitution reads  
• 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.

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Supreme Court Decisions

• D.C. v Heller
• McDonald v Chicago

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Against Gun Control

• Current law
• Crime statistics
• Personal protection

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The Law

• 2nd amendment gives American citizens the right
  to bare arms (est. December 15, 1791)
• The National Firearms act makes it unlawful for a
  person to have a firearm that they are not
  properly registered to
• Background checks

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The Law

• Under the Brady Act (February 28, 1994), you
  cannot own a gun if you
• 1. Were convicted of a crime punishable by being
  in prison for more than one year
• 2. Are a fugitive from justice
• 3. Are addicted to, or illegally use, any
  controlled substance
• 4. Have been ruled mentally defective by a court
• 5. Are an illegal alien living in the United
  States unlawfully
• 6. Received a dishonorable discharge from the
  U.S. Armed Forces
• ETC

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Crime Increase

• Illegal guns illegal tactics
• Illegal tactics more crime

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• Since the outset of the Florida right-to-carry
  law, the Florida murder rate has averaged 36
  lower than it was before the law took effect,
  while the U.S. murder rate has averaged 15 lower

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• Since the outset of the Texas right-to-carry
  law, the Texas murder rate has averaged 30 lower
  than it was before the law took effect, while the
  U.S. murder rate has averaged 28 lower

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Protection

• Protect themselves
• No protection from government

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Pro Gun Control

• People rarely actually need to use guns for self
  defense
• According to the NCVS, guns are only used
  defensively about 100,000 times each year, and
  Im sure in some of these cases they arent even
  really necessary
• Also says that guns are much more likely to kill
  an innocent person (in the house) than a thief or
  intruder

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Pro Gun Control

• Keeping a gun in the home actually increases
  chances of violence
• A study by the New England Journal of Medicine
  concluded that having a gun in the household
  increases the chance of homicide by 2.7 and the
  chance of suicide by 4.8

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Pro Gun Control

• Countries such as the UK, Japan and Australia ban
  guns and have significantly lower gun crime rates
  than the US
• Violence is associated with guns, guns promoted,
  violence promoted

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Pro Gun Control

• Moderation is always good
• nobody needs a high power assault weapon
• If it becomes harder to be able to buy a gun
  (more background checks), the likelihood of bad
  natured people buying them has to go down
  somewhat

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Pro Gun Control

• Currently in 33 states, people can buy guns at
  gun shows WITHOUT a background check

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Interest Groups Pro Gun Control

• Childrens Defense
• Thinks that gun control has to do with protecting
  the children of the US
• 3,184 children died from guns in 2006
• Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
• Promote banning guns but know that is not
  completely realistic
• Try to do everything to put more control on guns

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Republican Viewpoint

• Republicans as well as presidents such as George
  W. Bush agree with the individual right to own a
  gun.
• Reasoning

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Libertarian Viewpoint

• Libertarians as well as Republicans are against
  gun control.
• They believe it is an outdated and unnecessary
  prohibition effort.
• Reasoning

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Democratic Viewpoint

• They want to protect the 2nd amendement right,
  and keep firearms out of the wrong hands.
• Reauthorize the assault weapons ban
• Close the gun show loophole
• Want ID required at purchase, background check
  and a gun safety test
• Reduced gun crime by 35 since 1992

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Public Opinion Poll
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Video

• Gun Control

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Cartoon
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Discussion Question

• Do you think there should be gun control in the
  U.S. today?

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Discussion Question

• Which political partys views do you most agree
  with?

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Quiz

• What is the Libertarian Viewpoint on gun control?
• Which bill gave details to background checks?
• Is Obama for or against gun control?
• What decision was made in the
• D.C. v. Heller trial?