GUN CONTROL

Week 5 Group A Project

M4GCM4 GCMoms For Gun Control

GUN CONTROLWeek 5 Project Group A –Socio 4080-3:

Contributors:Arlene Wint-ThorpeNancy Strasser-King

Karen HammesJennifer Bateman

DeRon HarperAmanda Durso

Walden University

2013 April 02

INVITATIONINVITATION

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M4GCM4 GCMoms For Gun Control

WEAPONSwhat should be controlled?

• When the 2nd Amendment was written the most powerful weapon was a MUSKET (Scoping out the Limits of “Arms”, 2012, p. 688)

• A MUSKET can fire 3x per minute(Scoping out the Limits of “Arms”, 2012, p. 688)

• Today’s weapons can fire 600 rounds per minute(Scoping out the Limits of “Arms”, 2012, p. 688)

Scoping out the Limits of “Arms” Under the Second Amendment. (2012). Kansas Law Review, 60(4), 681-721.

WEAPONS & the 2nd amendmentwhat are arms?

arms are not clearly defined in the 2nd amendment

So what are arms?

? ?

are assault weapons protected?why would someone need these?

WEAPONS & the 2nd amendmentwhat are arms?

for protection? or hunting?

for mass shootings?

Smith & Wesson M&P15(Dao, 2012)

2012 Aurora Theater Shooting

1999 Columbine Shooting

Hi-Point model 995 carbine rifle(Cullen, 2010)

WEAPONS & the 2nd amendmentwhat are arms?

Cullen, D. (2010). Retrieved from (http://www.columbine-online.com/attack/columbine-attack-weapons-guns-knives-rifle-shotguns-tec-9.htmDao, J. (2012). Aurora Gunman’s Arsenal. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/us/aurora-gunmans-lethal-arsenal.html?_r=0

Bushmaster .223-calibre rifle(Dao, 2012)

2012 Newtown Shooting

WEAPONSlet’s make it harder

weapons used in mass shootingsare typically legally obtained

Follman, M., Aronsen, G., & Pan, D. (2013). A Guide to Mass Shootings in America. Mother Jones. Retrieved from http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/mass-shootings-map

some say “gun control won’t help”

“someone who wants a gun will find a way to get one”

we say “let’s make it harder”

WEAPONSlet’s make it harder

GUN OWNERSHIP:

• In the U.S. there is an estimated 283 million guns in civilian hands.

• Each year about 4.5 million firearms (approx. 2 million handguns) are sold in the U.S.

• The average number of guns per owner has increased from 4.1 in 1994 to 6.9 in 2004

Reference: Heeding God’s Call (2013) USA Gun Violence Statistics

GUN VIOLENCE IN THE U.S.

• More than 30,000 people are killed by firearms each year

• 1/2 of these deaths = ages 18 to 35 and 1/3 = under age 20.• Gun related homicide 2nd leading cause of

death ages 15 - 24 and the primary cause of death in African Americans of that age group

Reference: Heeding God’s Call (2013) USA Gun Violence Statistics

GUN DEATHS IN THE U.S.

COST OF GUN VIOLENCE•Increases medical costs •Increases costs of the criminal justice system •Increases security precautions •Reduces the quality of life because the fear of gun violence•U.S. lifetime medical costs for gunshot injuries total $2.3 billion

GUN VIOLENCE AROUND THE WORLD

•Japan (pop. 130 million) = 7 gun deaths in 2011.

•Switzerland ( pop. 8 million) = 24 gun deaths in 2009. • Brazil tops the global list for gun

murders = 34,67834,678 gun deaths in 2011.

Reference: The Crime Report (2013). Gun Violence Around the World: Little in Japan, Switzerland, Lots in Brazil.

INFLUENCE BY NRA ON THE GOVERNMENT

•The NRA has an overwhelming influence on the government

•290 politicians took money from the NRA in 2012•During the election of 2012, NRA spent

$25 million on supporting guns. •Reference: National Rifle Assocation (2013).

IS GUN VIOLENCE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE?

•China has strict gun laws, but attacks still happen – but by other means such as knife and machete attacks

IS GUN VIOLENCE A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE?

•Mass killings are usually done by psychotic or mentally ill individuals (Williams, 2012).

•Mental Illness can escalate into GUN VIOLENCE (TWH, 2013).

NOW IS THE TIME!

•Mental Health treatment is difficult due to insufficient mental health

providers

•Less than ½ of mentally ill individuals receive treatment

MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

•Identify and treat mentally ill persons•Authorize health care providers to report on firearm possessions of mentally ill individuals•Stipulate that health insurance covers mental health

Can we prevent tragic incidents? M4GC says:

2ND AMENDMENT Would our founding fathers rewrite it in the 21st century?

17TH CENTURY WEAPONS

Muskets and bayonets

2ND AMENDMENT Would our founding fathers rewrite it in the 21st century?

21st CENTURY WEAPONS

M16 AK47

2ND AMENDMENT “I DEFEND MY RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS!”

BUT…

RIGHTS COME WITH RESPONSIBILITIES!

2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO BEAR ARMS –ratified in 1791 (Scalet & Arthur, 2013)

HAS NOT CHANGED!

BUT GUNS ARE NOW MORE DEADLY

than those in that century!

1st AMENDMENT GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF SPEECH –

(Witt, 1988)

M4GC campaigns for gun control:

Guns used in indiscriminate and uncontrollable ways to take

innocent lives, are infringements to the safety of our children and family.

ILLEGAL GUNS

As of Jan 2013, 350 million small arms in circulation in the US.

ILLEGAL GUNS

Source: ATF FFL Compliance Inspections Fact Sheet, June, 2008

Terrorism, criminality, and political violence are mostly supported by small arms (Stohl et al, 2007) leading to HUMAN DEATH

ILLEGAL GUNS

Source: Jamaica Constabulary Force

ILLEGAL GUNS Since 1980, there have been more than 30,000 murders in Jamaica with a population of under 3 million. The majority of these murders were gun-related. Illegal guns are easily accessed as Jamaica’s border is porous and it is in close proximity to the US (Moxam, 2013).

GUN CONTROL MEASURES •Do universal background checks on everyone seeking gun ownership

•Give support to mental health programs

•Provide funding for special education

•Provide funding for scientific research on behavior and mental issues.

BIBLIOGRAPHYCullen, D. (2010). Retrieved from (http://www.columbine-online.com/attack/columbine-attack-weapons-guns-knives-rifle-shotguns-tec-9.htm

Dao, J. (2012). Aurora Gunman’s Arsenal. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/24/us/aurora-gunmans-lethal-arsenal.html?_r=0

Elder Witt (1988). The supreme court and individual rights. Congressional Quarterly

Folmon, Arenson, Pan (2013) A guide to mass shootings in America. Mother Jones. Retrieved from http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/mass-shootings-map

Grillot, S. R. (2011). Global gun control: Examining the consequences of competing international norms. Global Governance, 17(4), 529-555.

Scoping out the Limits of “Arms” Under the Second Amendment. (2012). Kansas Law Review, 60(4), 681-721

Sage Knowledge (2013). Gun Control. Statistical Abstracts of the United States (1900-2004) Retreived from :http://knowledge.sagepub.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/view/politics/n97.xml?rskey+d51W8...4/1/2013

Heeding God’s Call (2013) USA Gun Violence Statistics

Moxam, E. (2013 March 20.) Gun control reform in America. Is there a role for Jamaica? Retrieved on 2013 March 25 from http://rjrnewsonline.com/opinion/gun-control-reform-in-america-is-there-a-role-for-jamaica

Washington Times (2013). Fewer guns fewer gunshot deaths (Washington, DC) 25 Nov. 2007. B02. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web.26 Mar.2013

BIBLIOGRAPHY continuedScalet, S. & Arthur, J. (Eds.) (n.d.). Morality and moral controversies: Readings in moral, social, and political philosophy (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Scoping out the Limits of “Arms” Under the Second Amendment. (2012). Kansas Law Review, 60(4), 681-721.

The Crime Report (2013). Gun violence around the world: Little in Japan, Switzerland, lots in Brazil.

The White House, Washington (2013) Now is the time: the president’s plan to protect our children and our communities by reducing gun violence. Retrieved from: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/wh_now_is_the_time_full.pdf