Gun Control
Over the past decade the issue of gun control has been a hot topic. The ability to own agun is considered by some a birthright of Americans. However, with crime ratesinvolving handguns rising each day it has become quite clear. Handgun laws mustbecome more stricter in order to reduce homicide and crime. Danial Blackman is one example of a dangerous man who was allowed to carry aconcealed weapon despite prior criminal behavior. In February 1996, the formercandidate for judge in Broward County, Florida, threatened to put three bullets in thehead of a meter maid who had written him a ticket, behavior that should have preventedhim from carrying a concealed handgun but did not. Though he was arrested, Blackmanwas not convicted of a crime because he agreed to seek psychological treatment A yearlater, Blackman was arrested again, this time for pulling a gun on an emergency-roomdoctor who refused to write him a prescription. Only then was his gun license revoked. In states with lax carry concealed weapons (CCW) laws, hundreds of people withlicenses have committed crimes both before and after their licensure. For example, inTexas, which weakened it's CCW law in 1996m, the Department of Public Safety
In fact, in a nationally-televised symposium at which Lott's work was critiqued,Dr. " In reality, the United States already has more guns in civilianhands than any other industrialized nation, and not surprisingly, we also have one of theworld's highest rate of gun crime. What the gun lobby andLott do not say is that this study has been totally discredited by many well-respected,independent researchers. As the casualties of weak concealed-weapons lawsbegin to mount, it is unconscionable that Lott and the gun lobby continue to use thisflawed data to put more guns on the street. A 1993 FBI study shows that among 54officers killed in 54 shooting incidents, 85 percent did not have a chance to fire theirweapons. Charges filed against Texas CCW holders included kidnapping,sexual assault, aggravate4d assault with a deadly weapon, illegal drug possession andsales, drunk driving, and impersonating a police officer. Theydeserve primary consideration from their state representatives, not the special-interestgun lobby. If handgun ownership is continued to be easilyaccessible, the rate of murder and crime will only continue to rise. It is truly a matter of life and death. When 20,000 people are beingmurdered every year, you've got a problem. Clearly, the Texas BackgroundCheck does not ensure that everyone who receives a CCW license is a responsible orupstanding citizen. Imagine, if these well-trainedprofessionals cannot always protect themselves with their guns, how would the averagecitizen fare against an experienced criminal. " Since then no credible evidence has been produced to rebut theconclusions of Black, Nagin, and Ludwig, or other researchers who have identifiedadditional flaws with Lott's work.
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Acceptance Essays
