THE FOUR LETTER WORD OF POLITICS:
GUN CONTROL
QUESTION: Should Congress enact new Gun
Control/Safety Measures as
recommended by President Obama?
OBJECTIVES: The students will be able to:
1.) Explain the rights / freedoms contained in the 2 nd Amendment of the US
Constitution
2.) Explain key terminology related to gun control / gun safety measures such as assault
weapon, magazine, clip, Brady Law, automatic weapon, NRA, NICS, and universal
background checks
3.) Summarize and evaluate competing positions on whether new gun control / gun safety
measures by Congress, as recommended by President Obama, are necessary.
4.) Analyze key US Supreme Court cases dealing with gun rights and evaluate the meaning
of these cases for future gun control legislation
5.) Practice the dispositions of effective citizens by participating in a deliberation about
what Congress should do, if anything, about gun control / gun safety measures.
STEP 1 – Complete the Agree / Disagree Exercise Below:
AGREE /
DISAGREE
STATEMENT ON GUN ISSUES
The 2nd Amendment protects an individual’s right to own and
possess guns in the US.
Current gun laws adequately protect the safety of citizens.
The best solution to stopping violent crime is to require criminal
background checks for all gun sales even at gun shows and by
private individuals.
Congress should reinstate the ban on assault weapons.
The best solution to stopping violent crime is to study the
connection between violent video games and increased violent
actions by individuals.
The real cause of gun violence is one of mental illness.
Congress should enact legislation limiting ammunition
magazines to 10 rounds.
Congress should ban the use of armor-piercing bullets by anyone
other than members of the military and law enforcement.
Congress should increase the penalties for anyone illegally
selling guns including “straw purchasers”.
'The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with
a gun”
Every school district should allow its teachers and security
officers to carry weapons on school grounds.
Congress should increase the penalty for any crime involving a
gun to life in prison with no parole.
AGREE /
DISAGREE
Step 2 – The 2nd Amendment – Discuss the meaning of its terms.
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.
STEP 3 - VOCABULARY REVIEW – USE THE WEB TO SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF THE
FOLLOWING TERMS.
TERM
1. Firearm
DEFINITION
a portable gun, being a barreled weapon that launches one or
more projectiles, such as a pistol or rifle
2. Automatic
Weapon
any firearm that will continue to fire so long as the trigger is pressed and
held and there is ammunition in the magazine/chamber.
3. Assault
Weapon
Definitions Vary - most commonly defined as a semi-automatic
firearm possessing certain features similar to those of military firearms.
Semi-automatic firearms fire one bullet (round) each time the trigger is
pulled; the spent cartridge case is ejected and another cartridge is loaded
into the chamber, without requiring the manual operation of a bolt
handle, a lever, or a sliding handgrip.
4. Magazine
5. Clips
6. Gun Show
An assault weapon has a detachable magazine, in conjunction with one,
two, or more other features such as a pistol grip, a folding or
collapsing stock, a flash suppressor, or a bayonet lug.
an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a
repeating firearm
a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a
unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This
speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several
rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a
time.
a temporary exhibition or gathering in the United States where firearms,
firearm accessories, ammunition, literature, and miscellaneous
collectibles are displayed, bought, sold, traded, and discussed
7. Straw
Purchaser
any purchase wherein an agent agrees to acquire a good or service for
someone who is unable or unwilling to purchase the good or service
himself, and the agent transfers the goods/services to that person after
purchasing them
8. Executive
Order
Power of the President to give directions and rules for members of the
Executive Branch to follow. It has the effect of a law within the
Executive Branch
9. Universal
Background
Checks
refer to closing loopholes in federal gun sales laws
U.S. law requires background checks for all people who try to buy
firearms from federally licensed dealers. But federal law does not require
background checks for "private transactions," like sales at gun shows.
10. Federal
Firearms License
(FFA)
A license that enables an individual or a company to engage in a business
pertaining to the manufacture of firearms and ammunition or the
interstate and intrastate sale of firearms.
11. Concealed
Carry Laws
The practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a
concealed manner, either on one's person or in close proximity.
While there is no federal law specifically addressing the issuance of
concealed carry permits, 49 states have passed laws allowing citizens to
carry certain concealed firearms in public, either without a permit or after
obtaining a permit from local government and/or law enforcement
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993) is an Act of the
United States Congress that instituted federal background checks on
firearm purchasers in the United States.
12. Brady Law
The Brady Act requires that background checks be conducted on
individuals before a firearm may be purchased from a federally licensed
dealer, manufacturer or importer—unless an exception applies. If there
are no additional state restrictions, a firearm may be transferred to an
individual upon approval by the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System (NICS) maintained by the FBI.
Step 4 – Review the Policy Proposals submitted by President Obama on how to deal with gun violence.
President Obama’s Gun Control Proposal
The initiative to reduce gun violence announced by President Obama on Wednesday includes
both legislative proposals that would need to be acted on by Congress and executive actions
he can do on his own. Many of the executive actions involve the president directing agencies
to do a better job of sharing information.
PROPOSED CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS
 Requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales, including those by private sellers
that currently are exempt.
 Reinstating and strengthening the ban on assault weapons that was in place from 1994 to
2004.
 Limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.
 Banning the possession of armor-piercing bullets by anyone other than members of the
military and law enforcement.
 Increasing criminal penalties for "straw purchasers," people who pass the required
background check to buy a gun on behalf of someone else.
 Acting on a $4 billion administration proposal to help keep 15,000 police officers on the
street.
 Confirming President Obama's nominee for director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives.
 Eliminating a restriction that requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives to allow the importation of weapons that are more than 50 years old.
 Financing programs to train more police officers, first responders and school officials on
how to respond to active armed attacks.
 Provide additional $20 million to help expand the system that tracks violent deaths across
the nation from 18 states to 50 states.
 Providing $30 million in grants to states to help schools develop emergency response plans.
 Providing financing to expand mental health programs for young people.
EXECUTIVE ACTIONS
Issuing a presidential memorandum to require federal agencies to make relevant data
available to the federal background check system.
 Addressing unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act that may prevent states from making information
available to the background check system.
 Improving incentives for states to share information with the background check system.
 Directing the attorney general to review categories of individuals prohibited from having a
gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping through the cracks.
 Proposing a rule making to give law enforcement authorities the ability to run a full
background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.
 Publishing a letter from the A.T.F. to federally licensed gun dealers providing guidance on
how to run background checks for private sellers.
 Starting a national safe and responsible gun ownership campaign.
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Reviewing safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product Safety
Commission).
Issuing a presidential memorandum to require federal law enforcement to trace guns
recovered in criminal investigations.
Releasing a report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and making it widely
available to law enforcement authorities.
Nominating an A.T.F. director.
Providing law enforcement authorities, first responders and school officials with proper
training for armed attacks situations.
Maximizing enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime.
Issuing a presidential memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to research gun violence.
Directing the attorney general to issue a report on the availability and most effective use of
new gun safety technologies and challenging the private sector to develop innovative
technologies.
Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking their patients about
guns in their homes.
Releasing a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal law prohibits them from
reporting threats of violence to law enforcement authorities.
Providing incentives for schools to hire school resource officers.
Developing model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship and institutions
of higher education.
Releasing a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of mental health services that
Medicaid plans must cover.
Finalizing regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity requirements within
insurance exchanges.
Committing to finalizing mental health parity regulations.
Starting a national dialogue on mental health led by Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of
health and human services, and Arne Duncan, the secretary of education.
Step 5 - Research and Make a list of arguments for and against the new Gun Control measures being
considered by Congress.
RESOURCES:
Background Articles/Resources
Text of the Second Amendment - National Archives
Gun Laws in the United States - Wikipedia
Basic History of Newtown and Gun Politics in U.S. - BBC
What's In Obama's Gun Control Proposal - NY Times
Articles Supporting New Legislation
Opinion piece in support of Obama’s proposals- Washington Post
Article refuting National Review’s John Lott’s assertions about background checks - National Review
Articles Opposing New Legislation
Opinion piece opposed to new gun legislation - Wall Street Journal
John Lott asserts that background checks occur with a vast majority of gun sales and can be
dangerous to lawful gun owners - National Review
NRA ARTICLE - http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/12/21/nra-breaks-silence-calls-for-more-guns-toprotect-schools
Additional Web Resources and Opinions:
History of gun control is cautionary tale for those seeking regulations after Conn. shooting - Washington
Post
The Secret History of Guns - The Atlantic
Interactive Timeline of Gun Laws - Wall Street Journal
Interactive Map of State Proposed Gun Laws - USA Today
Everything you need to know about Obama’s gun control plan - Washington Post
NPHS IMC – OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS
http://www.npenn.org/page/1465 - Databases Link
US SUPREME COURT PRECEDENTS – Summarize the Majority and / or Dissenting Opinion in:
1. District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)
http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2007/2007_07_290
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/07-290.ZS.html
2. McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010)
http://www.oyez.org/cases/2000-2009/2009/2009_08_1521
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/08-1521.ZS.html
STEP 6 – USE A “T” CHART TO ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS AND BEGIN TO DEVELOP A
POSITION ON THE GUN CONTROL –
ARGUMENTS FOR CONGRESS PASSING THE
ARGUMENTS AGAINST PASSING THE NEW
NEW GUN CONTROL MEASURES
GUN CONTROL MEASURES
STEP 7 – Write a Position Paper in which you take a stance on the issue of gun control –
focus on 1 or 2 of the proposed policies raised by President Obama
You will write a position paper laying out the issue, the arguments on both sides and taking a firm position on the
Presidents’ plans for gun control. You may choose from one of the following roles:
1.) Member of the NRA or the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence – Interest Groups Lobbying Senators Casey and
Toomey – Suggesting how the Senator should vote on the policy
2.) An Aide to either Senator Casey or Senator Toomey – Take a position as to how the Senator should vote on the
Policy.
PROCEDURES: The Position Paper should be 2 to 3 pages, double spaced, 12 point font with a Works Cited
page and parenthetical documentation. The rough draft will be due on Tuesday 9/22. The final revised draft
will be due on Monday 9/28.
TOTAL POINTS: 100