Analysis of the Article “Bringing Science to Bear, at Last, on the Gun Control Debate”

May 27, 2022 by Essay Writer

In the article “Bringing Science to Bear, at Last, on the Gun Control Debate” article, they talked about shooting, shooting statistics and who should and shouldn’t be able to own a gun. Later on in the article they gave details about the number of people killed and wounded by guns because of domestic abuse, shooters in public places, and guns in the house. Lastly, they had discussed how certain places can turn into a place for gun use and violence and the people who wrongly handle guns. The author is successful in informing us why gun control laws should be more strict, why certain people shouldn’t be able to own a gun, the authors are credible because of the amount of facts and their sourcing even though they have a lack of pathos, their ethos and logos are strong and supporting. The author writes about the Journal of Surgical Research, who published an article pertaining to houses with guns having a higher percentage of deaths. “States with weaker gun laws have more gun-related suicide attempts, which tend to be associated with higher morality.” Although if there weren’t guns in the house, they would just find another way to attempt or commit suicide, the guns make it “easier” for those who attempt. If you just put distance between someone struggling with suicidal thoughts and a gun, it’s less likely to be fatal. This is probably the authors weakest argument due to his lack of logos, because even if there isn’t guns in the house, that doesn’t change that person’s mind or feelings, they will most likely still attempt.

Next the author writes about a surgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Rodrigo Alban, and how a few of his peers and him reviewed data and discussed it amongst each other. They figured that about 35,000 people spanning a 14 year range had attempted suicide with a gun. And about ⅔ of those attempts were from states with weaker gun control law rating by the nonprofit Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The states with the highest number of suicide attempts and suicides has very little gun control laws such as, background checks, concealed weapons laws, and safe storage laws. The surgeon and peers are credible because of their authority and they experience everything first hand and are able to access information the author of the article may need. The author was smart by choosing to use the doctors as an inside source.

The author of the article then talks about another way gun violence may be reduced. People need to know and be able to see common risk factors that may have to potential of strengthening a person’s chance of wanting to harm themselves, or others. These people then shouldn’t be allowed to own a firearm for their own and others safety. Where this came from was the 1968 Gun Control Act. Where certain people or people with a specific problem, wouldn´t be allowed to own or buy a gun. These people would include felons and those who have been admitted into mental institutions in the past. The next act to be put into play was the Violence Against Women Act of 1994. This act was used to protect victimized women of domestic violence. But as this act only pertains to those who are either married, currently or have lived together in the past, or share children. “They fail to protect a growing portion of the population who are not in marital relationships, who can be just as violent.¨ said Susan Sorenson, a professor of social policy and public health at the University of Pennsylvania. Other states have taken it a few more steps and have passed the “Risk-Warrant” Laws. Connecticut in 1999, was the first state to pass the law allowing police to be able to get a warrant to, for a short amount of time, take guns away from those who are a hazard to others or themselves. Garen Wintemute is in favor of gun violence restraining orders, and he says “The Parkland shooter was making all kinds of public pronouncements. A gun violence restraining order would’ve allowed his family or law enforcement to go to a judge and get an order that would’ve gotten that gun taken away from him and prevented the shooting.”

Although there has been an extensive amount of research pertaining to gun violence, there are still gaps. Lastly, in the article “Bringing Science to Bear, at Last, on the Gun Control Debate” article, they talked about various shootings, shooting statistics. They also discussed who should and shouldn’t be able to own a gun, along with giving us statistics comparing states who have laws saying who should be able to own a gun. Later on in the article they gave details about the number of people killed and wounded by guns because of domestic abuse. Lastly, they had discussed how certain places can turn into a place for gun use and how easily that can be avoided. The author is successful in informing us why gun control laws should be more strict, why certain people shouldn’t be able to own a gun, the authors are credible because of the amount of facts and their sourcing even though they have a lack of pathos, their ethos and logos are strong and supporting.

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