Outlawing Guns Won't Solve Anything

           The right to defend yourself is sacred as it is inherited by birth, and often times strengthened by governments across the globe. In recent months, however, this right has been threaten due to ignorance, and citizens who do not adhere to moral principles, and authority. On July 20, 2012 a clearly mentally unstable man named James Holmes entered a movie theater in Colorado and took the lives of almost a dozen people. This incident, once again, rose the debate on gun control amongst Americans. Most citizens believe that guns should be completely banned, and others feel that law abiding inhabitants of a nation should own a firearm as an instrument for protection. The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right of the American people to keep and bear arms, and I support this amendment because guns should never be completely outlawed by any nation.

Before continuing with the piece; I would like to add that I feel horrible for the victims of the shootings. Secondly; I completely understand how the mass killing enticed sorrow and anger amongst the American populace in such a degree that it clouded their perception on guns, and gun regulation. These same people who push for stricter gun policies are thinking in the right direction, but have crashed along the way to their destination. Contrary to popular belief, congress has placed national gun laws regulating firearms, enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Part of the ATF's mission is to protect communities from “violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives” (atf.gov). The Federal Ownership Protection Act, a revision to the Gun Control Act of 1968, is a law that prohibits certain persons from obtaining a gun (Hardy). These persons include anyone who has been convicted of a felony or domestic violence, users of unlawful controlled substances, and anyone diagnosed with a mental illness. In short, the notion that anyone can buy a gun is not in accordance to the truth behind gun sales, and ownership.

Those who are totally against guns often argue that if no one had a gun, there wouldn't be any shootings. They do have a point because how can anyone shoot someone if they didn't have a gun? However, this is a clear example of inductive reasoning as it presents a logical fallacy of accident; “an argument based on generalization...when an exception to the generalization is ignored” (Reference).As a resident of Brooklyn, NY I can honestly say that getting a gun illegally is as easy as coming up with $200 to $400. Guns will always be available, and shootings will never stop, this is due to mass corruption within our government. For example, (as reported by the New York Post) officer “Nicholas Mina, 31, boosted four 9mm firearms from the seventh-floor locker room at the Ninth Precinct in the East Village...and sold the weapons to buyers unaware that he was a cop” (NY Post). Moreover, the New York Times brought to light a case of an F.B.I agent in El Paso, Texas named John Shipley who sold numerous guns to drug cartels in Mexico (NY Times). These same guns were used by drug dealers that left eight members of the Mexican military dead (NY Times). How would a nation wide ban stop gun violence when so much moral perversion exist within law enforcement agencies?!

The populace opposed to gun ownership often times make negative correlations between firearms and principles of conduct. In other words; the reason why people want to obstruct the path between gun owners, and gun possession, is because they think guns in of themselves are evil. If I were to perceive guns from the eyes of the people who disprove of them, I could entertain the notion of guns being wicked because so many criminals use them form wrong doings. However, as a result of myself having my own unique personality, I seek to blame individuals for their actions rather than an inanimate object. On October 23, 2012, in Winnsboro, LA, a woman named Sharmeka Moffitt was captured ans set on fire for wearing an Obama t-shirt (ynaija). This is one of the many examples of how human beings, not guns, are to blame for horrible incidents. Again, criminals do what they want regardless of rules and regulations. Moreover, it is quite possible that the victim of the burning would’ve had a different ending to her story if she would have had a gun to protect herself with.

In closing, guns themselves are not the main enemy when it comes to violence. There are so many factors that must be looked into. These factors include crime rates, the general populace of a state or county, and many others such as poverty rates. It it also beneficial to mention that in America, criminals are often glorified whether or not the media does it in a conscious or in-conscious manner. The people of any nation should take initiative in preventing crimes from happening rather than waiting until the crime has been committed so that they can then complain about government policies. Like I said before, a gun, if used responsibly, can be used for protection and save lives.

Works Cited

"ATF Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives." ATF Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://atf.gov/about/mission/>.

"LEGAL RESTRICTION OF FIREARM OWNERSHIP AS AN ANSWER TO VIOLENT CRIME: WHAT WAS THE QUESTION." LEGAL RESTRICTION OF FIREARM OWNERSHIP AS AN ANSWER TO VIOLENT CRIME: WHAT WAS THE QUESTION. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www.saf.org/LawReviews/HardyHamline.htm>.

"Fallacy." Reference.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www.reference.com/browse/Fallacy of accident>.

"NYPD Cop 'stole' Police Guns from Station House to Sell Them on the Street: Sources." New York Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/officer_arrested_as_nypd_gun_thief_2aDYL0LYsXELFo7KesGY0K>.

McKinley, James C., JR. "Texas: Agent Arrested in Gun Case." Editorial. n.d.: n. pag. NY Times. 20 July 2009. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/us/10brfs-AGENTARRESTE_BRF.html>.

Who Has The Upper Hand?

 

                Anthony: “I picked up Melody from school today and her teacher, Ms. White had an extremely bad attitude. I don’t understand her for nothing”.

 

                Vanessa: “Well Anthony you must remember that teacher’s don’t really get much. If anything they are underpaid.”

 

                Anthony: “What! How can you possibly say that teachers are underpaid? Please, how much money do they expect to make? Some make between forty and seventy five thousand dollars.”

 

                Vanessa: “That’s nothing. Remember, teachers not only teach, but they train future leaders, lawyers, doctors, and many others who are vital to the existence of humanity. If it wasn’t for your teachers how would you learn how to read, write, and think critically? Nonetheless, their students may often grow up and make far more money that they could ever imagine. “

 

                Anthony: “Listen. I’ve worked construction for a long time. Although I respect teachers for everything they do I must say that their job isn’t nearly as difficult as the ones I’ve had. Lecturing in front of a classroom isn’t as grueling as physically working for eight hours as your body begins the break down. Construction is hard work mentally, and physically.”

 

                Vanessa:” A construction job isn’t always easy to get but look how much work student has to come in to become a teacher. They spend years in school spending a lot of money of books, tuition fees, and everyday expenses. Nowadays, most teachers must get their Master’s Degree. Compare how much money they spent just to get their job to what they’re actually making. “

 

                Anthony:” It’s funny how I don’t hear teachers complain about all the benefits and free stuff they get. Hell, I hope to one day hear them complain about the TWO MONTHS they get off from work during the summer. O and let’s not forgot holidays, and extended weekends.”

 

                Vanessa: “Teachers so a lot of overtime…”

 

                Anthony: “Many people in several jobs do”

 

                Vanessa:” Thanks for the interruption. Teachers spend many hours preparing lessons, and even tutoring. One could argue that they work for free at times.”  Lawyers and engineers make far more than teachers do and who do you think helped them get there”?

 

                Anthony: “People always mention doctors, lawyers, computer scientists, and engineers as top money makers but what people don’t get is that to make real money in these careers; the practitioner must do a lot of freelancing.  Furthermore, teaching provides far more job security than the careers you listed. Ha-ha just imagine an engineer not doing their job right and still getting paid. What’s that called again? Tenure?  As a matter of fact why don’t we give teacher huge sums of money so that most students won’t be able to even afford them.”

 

                Vanessa: “Maybe we should continue this discussion some other time. I don’t think you’re getting it”.

 

                Anthony: “This conversation is over when I say it’s over.

                                    “It’s over.

               

 

               

 

 

 

 

               

 

               

 

 

 

 

               

The Diary Of A Mad Man

Michael Gomez

ENG 220

Prof. Gallagher

Essay # 1

The Diary of a Mad Man: An Amazing Semester.

 

                It was the fall of 2011 and the season was right as it began a new chapter in my life. It began the fall of past experiences, and the rise of a triumphant future. I was 22 years old entering my first semester at LaGuardia Community College, and although I did have prior college experience due to my time at John Jay College Of Criminal Justice, this new beginning for me was a very memorable and education experience. I will always remember all the first time experiences I had as well as everything I learned. In fact, this one semester made me a better student, and a better person.

 

                When I first walked through the halls of LaGuardia, I was surprised and amused by the sight of so many people from a variety of different cultural backgrounds all together in one building. Moreover, there have been many times in my life where I felt like a cast away much like Satan was in epic poem “Paradise Lost” by John Milton. But because I meet many people who shared the same interest with me such as reading, writing, philosophy, and musicianship I felt that I was finally allowed to be myself.

 

                Educational wise; I Learned a lot from my ENG 274: Creating non-fiction and a world history course I was attending. The creative writing class taught me that a story is literally everywhere. For this course, I’ve written short stories with simple topics such as me hanging out with friends, which was received by applauds, laughter, and smiles.  My history class focused a lot on the Roman era and it gave me a new outlook on current life while inspiring me to write poetry and musical lyrics subliminally focused on the fall of Rome. My least favorite class was an African Arts class that I had to register for due to a major requirement. I never really cared to analyzed sculptures or to hear a professor complaining over and over again on how people of the past where mistreated. Nonetheless, at the end of the course, I was glad it was over.

 

                In closing, although the LaGuardia fall semester of 2011 wasn’t perfect, I still wouldn’t take that time back. I can’t mention any favorite or least favorite teacher as each professor had their own unique personalities, and they all helped me grow as a person. Furthermore, although some classes had a higher work load, the trimming for me handing in projects, essays, exams, and speeches where all nicely spaced out so I didn’t have any low points during this time period.  Who Knows? Maybe that’s another reason why I liked this semester so much.