Demo: Secondary Argument Paragraph
Before lawmakers and citizens jump to the conclusion that gun control laws are a cure-all
for crime and violence, they need to examine who is actually being limited and consider whether
or not current gun controls actually decrease crime. Disputes over Attorney General McNulty’s
findings are many. In the book, The Crime Connection, the authors argue that the size of the
communities being limited creates uncertainty (Michaelson and Masters 24). They also contend
that much of the current research actually reflects a natural decrease of crime (24). The
uncertainty about which kinds of guns, and what parts of society, as well as who to limit are all
in question. Such a broad spectrum of territory is difficult to target and successfully limit well.
Moreover, limitations are often placed on who is profiled and how. As a result, profiling is often
ineffective. Occasionally, a few individuals are identified as criminals with criminal intent.
According to a recent article which appeared in The Right to Bear Arms, more often, it is the
honest, fair gun owner and user who is unfairly harassed (“Common Sense Gun Law” 89).
Furthermore, an article in the Washington Post, “a recent study concluded that the program
(Project Exile) was not responsible for the decrease and that it probably would have happened
anyway as crime fell nationwide” (VanBurkleo 2C). Likewise, other experts concluded that the
natural cycle of crime has decreased over the past decade (Hanes, et al.). However, it has
decreased across the nation, not just cities that have put Project Exile into effect. Nowhere in
any of these studies, short of discriminating racial profiles, is there proof “that groups of people
are more likely to use guns for violent crimes” (Michaelson and Masters 33). It seems as if since
society has instituted weapon limitations that violence has been in the media even more. The
newspaper headlines spotlight tales of armed robbery, rape, and murder—across all
demographics. These instances and other statistics indicate the ineffectiveness of the current gun
control legislation.
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Secondary Argument identified in topic sentences.
Supporting details for examples for each argument for proof.
Explanation for the supporting examples.
Use of sandwich quotes.
Transitions toward the next paragraph
Weakness of counterargument identified.
Demo: Primary Argument Paragraph
A key cause behind this phenomenon is the political implications of gun control laws. In his
article, George J. Miller contends that many politicians have waffled on the issue because they are fearful
of losing re-election through their support or denouncement. Many pieces of legislation have gone before
the nation’s governing bodies and been voted down. According to Grolier Encyclopedia.com, neither
party, Republican or Democrat, can find effective legislation to promote laws which would be an
effective measure toward decreasing violence. Controls are lodged within bills which would neither help
nor hurt the gun control lobbyists, NRA, or violence. The United States is a free democracy, and “if the
special interest groups cannot write effective bills and the governing body of elected officials cannot
decide which to put forth to promote general public safety, then the issue must come before the people”
(Miller).
However, the political unrest over gun control indicates that even the American public is not sure
about the limitations and their merit. Americans fully expect the United States Constitution to be upheld
on behalf of all citizens’ individual rights, and many believe that gun controls stand infringe upon their
freedom (“Common Sense Gun Law” 89). An argument that is currently popular among gun control
lobbies is that certain limitations, such as private background checks and waiting periods, have been
declared a violation of privacy and other individual rights by the United States Supreme Court.
Furthermore, they contend that the Second and the Fourteenth Amendments of the United States
Constitution provide assurances for citizens’ rights to bear arms for both personal and national security.
Roland Dowlut, a noted civil rights attorney, stated,
From the proposition, that the possession and the use of arms, to certain purposes, is lawful, it
seems to follow, of necessary consequence, that it cannot be unlawful to learn to use them (for
such lawful purposes) which safety and effect. The lawful purposes, for which arms may be
used, (besides immediate self-defense,) are, the suppression of violent and felonious breaches
of peace, the assistance of the civil magistrate in the execution of the laws, and the defense of the
kingdom against foreign invaders. (Dowlut)
According to Dowlut, the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect the individual rights of the citizen
to possess arms in more than just a militia or in times of war. This inherent belief of guaranteed rights is
what drove many American citizens and politicians to vote against gun control legislation. To be precise,
the Constitution defines the right to keep and bear arms as follows:
The right to keep arms, as opposed to the right to bear arms, is often construed by using a two
step process: (1) does the person come under the protection of the constitutional guarantee and (2)
does the arm enjoy constitutional protection. The right to keep and bear arms also includes “the
right to load them and shoot them and use them as such things are ordinarily used. It is likewise
necessarily involves the right to purchase them, to keep them in a state of efficiency, and to keep
them in repair. (Dowlut)
Gun rights’ activists argue that this part of the Constitution guarantees rights of possession and usage, not
only for war or self-defense, but for every day use and maintenance. The Founding Fathers meticulously
crafted a document to safeguard freedom. The American people will not deny the freedom that is their
birth right in order to uphold unjust and ineffective laws.
Therefore, [Insert Recommendation Paragraph]
Things to look for:
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Primary Argument identified in topic sentences.
Supporting details for examples for each argument for proof.
Explanation for the supporting examples.
Use of sandwich quotes
Transitions toward the next paragraph
Weakness of counterargument identified.
Demo: Recommendation Paragraph
Therefore, research indicates that society needs a new, more effective plan of attack
against violence. The violation of individual and collective rights currently perpetuated by
present gun control legislation hardly solves the problem; instead, it creates another. Interest
groups need to conduct research with more distinction. Improved legislative bills need to be
drafted in order for effective laws to be adopted. Along with those better laws, however, there
needs to be consistent gun safety education and enforcement of gun safety laws. Only then will
the public see how to end violence without taking away rights or banning products completely.
According to author and activist Jacob Sullam in his article about banning weapons, “banning
specific types of guns helps less than if limits were put on all kinds. Statistics show that only
about 1% of the banned weapons per our current legislation are actually involved in violent
crimes” (124). There are many possible reasons why violence occurs: anger, loss, revenge,
abuse, frustration, depression, and mental illness (J. Cassidy 33). It is the use of a gun while a
human being is in that state of mind which allows the outbreak of violence. One must
understand that a gun is an inanimate object without power. The power to take a life comes from
a human being wielding the gun. It is the owner or user of the gun who is responsible for being
educated about use, safety, storage, and maintenance.
If owners would make safety a priority, then accidental and intentional misuse would be
decreased. The American public needs to be continually educated about how to deal with the
true cause of the violence rather than blaming superficial, external forces. In order to reduce gunrelated violence, the public needs to become more educated on gun safety. For example, Eddie
Eagle, a youth program sponsored by the NRA and several bipartisan political groups, focuses on
teaching adolescents the expectations of responsible gun ownership. The program, like many
educational programs, also highlights conflict-resolution and anger-management techniques
rather than advertising gun use (K. Cassidy 241). Gun control tries to solve the problem too late
by attempting to force adults to renounce habits and opinions formed over the course of decades.
The idea behind programs like the Eddie Eagle program is to work with young people to form
valuable coping skills, strong morals, and a positive self-image. By instilling these abilities in the
youth of today, society will avert the violence of tomorrow.
Things to look for and questions to ask:
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Identify the recommendation
How does the recommendation solve the problem?
Supporting details and examples
Use of sandwich quotes
Insight
Transition to conclusion