Obama needs tougher gun laws
November 18, 2015
The spectrum is extremely wide when it comes to the control of firearms. For centuries, people have had differing views on whether a person’s firearms should be controlled by the people or if the government should make sure the people owning guns are safe. This subject is an extremely important topic in the 2016 presidential race, and has been for many years. While views based on personal beliefs are important, facts are facts, and the U.S. needs to make sure that people are safer and more cautious while in the presence of firearms.
President Barack Obama has always been known as a liberal man, and he agrees with the second amendment to an extent. In the aftermath of the Oct. 1 shooting in Oregon, with 10 killed, President Obama is calling for far more gun control laws. There is nearly one gun for every man, woman and child in America, and that there is no possible way that more guns will make us safer.
Minnesota is the eighth state with fewest gun-related deaths, having an average of 7.6 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people, compared to Arkansas’ nearly 20 gun-related deaths per 100,000 people. Minnesota does take many precautions to make sure that death by firearm is not an option, and thef act that Minnesota takes so many precautions is where the controversy begins.
“I feel like Minnesota has a healthy respect for gun danger,” AP U.S. History and Psychology teacher Michael Kaul said. “I’m gonna be honest and say that Minnesota generally feels more safe from crime than other states do. I consider our state a hunting state that obeys the rules and uses guns cautiously.” Kaul added, “I grew up in South Dakota, we had loaded firearms everywhere. I come from a gun culture, but I am not a fan of guns unless it is for defense or hunting.”
When it comes to something as scary and realistic as gun control and gun violence, people can take many different views on the topic. It is an extremely real subject that people usually do not think about because it does not affect them. There are many different views based on religion and political party for people it does affect.
“It’s scary really,” sophomore Cat Clements said. “I find it frightening that so many people possess something that can easily end the lives of living things.” She continued on, saying, “It doesn’t personally affect me, because I don’t hunt or own any guns in general or anything, but it scares me.”
I find it frightening that so many people possess something that can easily end the lives of living things.
— Cat Clements
While some may say that the United States does not have nay issues relating to gun control/gun violence, there have been thousands of gun-related deaths in the U.S. in the past few years. Most of which were accidental murders caused by people who are not mature enough to bear arms or do not have the license for it. The U.S. now needs to take extremely cautious measures in order to make this country a place where it is safe to own a gun, and follow President Obama’s words, “more gun laws lead to fewer gun related deaths.”
“If anything else was killing people at the rate that guns currently are, our government would be acting immediately,” junior Corri Gardner said. “There would be extreme riots and the people would be outraged in a state of emergency,” Gardner added. “I don’t know why we aren’t taking as many precautions as we truly can when facts are facts and guns kill a massive amount of people.”
Although there is a wide spectrum of opinions, facts truly are facts. Gun laws must be harsher. There have been too many deaths from ignorant and mentally ill people to ignore the fact that people who own firearms need to be safer and need to realize that they have the ability to end the life of so many living things.
Jared Taylor • Jan 6, 2016 at 8:24 am
This was a well written article about a tough topic, gun laws. The quotes are great and Brian gives a great argument for his side, but does not just state his side, but has great counter arguments for the other opinions
Justin Hannasch • Nov 25, 2015 at 5:02 pm
I wasn’t a huge fan of this topic because it sometimes can really get people’s emotion but I thought you did a nice job telling a the story by using the facts. I also thought you did a good job voicing your opinion, without attacking the opposing side.
Elizabeth Morrissey • Nov 25, 2015 at 1:35 pm
nice Inforgraphic-could use more of a focus on the page. Make it bigger so people can read it.
Article pulled my in because of the Author. Overall the article is really good. quotes are very compelling and interesting. Needed more opposing views and stronger supporting evidence. but the article argued very a persusivsely. Well DOne Bri.
Craig Sanislo • Nov 25, 2015 at 1:05 pm
This article was very well written in the sense that even with a topic as sensitive as gun control, the author was able to remain respectful to the opposing side and I don’t think the article was at all attacking the other side. Opinion articles are hard enough to write, because someone is always going to debate you and call you wrong, but Brian does a great job in expressing his opinion without becoming too argumentative or rude to an opposing argument.
Annie Seiler • Nov 23, 2015 at 1:44 pm
I very much agree with the opinion of this article. The content that lies within the article is very detailed and makes me persuaded towards the opinion of this article, simple because it is so well written. The quotes from a variety of ages and people in different parts of life are very great because it gives opinions from people that may not have all experienced the same gun problems. The facts in here are very specific, which makes it even more compelling. Your info graphic also very neatly portrays the information that is needed to get out based upon deaths with guns. Overall, a very compelling and very engaging article.
Kaitlyn Wylie • Nov 23, 2015 at 9:17 am
I totally agree with the fighting side of this article. It gives really good quotes of people’s opinions, and both sides of the story as well. The quotes really hit a home run, they are very meaningful and have a lot of depth.
Jonathan Rustad • Nov 19, 2015 at 4:31 pm
In my opinion, gun control doesn’t work. Look at the Paris attacks, the terrorists still have weapons. The only thing that stopped the terrorists was good people, who have guns. This isn’t a gun problem, it’s a people problem. Firearms are just a tool, nothing more. More gun control would only impact law abiding citizens. The criminals will get them anyways, if they don’t have a problem with killing people, they for sure won’t have a problem going to illegal means to purchase them. For example, Detriot, they have some of the strictest gun control in the country, yet some of the highest murder rates. Without firearms people are still going to kill other people, but law abiding citizens deserve the right to fight back.