Mathieu 1

William Mathieu
6 March 2016
Composition 1
Gun Control Image Analysis
Laws pertaining to gun control are one of the most frequently talked about things in the
national media. This, as of recently, is usually a tactic to sway voter opinion. I am here to talk
about the effect of gun control. The main questions in society today are usually something along
the lines of: Will stricter gun control cut down on the amount of crime? and Are gun control
laws infringing on our freedoms given to us by the Constitution?
Will stricter gun control laws cut down on the amount of crime? the answer to this
question can only be answered through trial and error. The probability that crime rates would
decrease is likely, but this has a lot of variables due to how strict the laws are. Most crimes are
committed with handguns throughout the USA. Handguns are also what are used for concealed
carry. A concealed carry permit allows one to legally carry a handgun for self-defense. Four
states do not require a permit, those four are Arizona, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska. Three of
those states with no permits are in the lowest eleven states for gun related murders. Chicago
implemented concealed carry the result was theft, burglary, and robbery rates all went 20%
down. So, it seems the real question is, Is it better to ban all handguns, or make it easier to
obtain a conceal carry license?
To the question of Are gun control laws infringing on our freedoms given to us by the
constitution? The real truthful answer isnt yes or no; it lies somewhere in between. The whole
point of the 2nd Amendment was to be able to protect ourselves from an oppressive government
or greater power. It wasnt meant to kill someone who is stealing your car. The whole point of

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concealed carry licenses, in fact, are for self-defense. This is a very reasonable idea, and in fact
and has saved many of lives. For instance A woman being dragged across a Texas parking lot as
she held onto her purse in an apparent mugging attempt was saved when a nearby stranger, who
was carrying a concealed weapon, joined the situation and held the suspects, a man, and a
woman, at gunpoint until police arrived (Newsmax 28). This is just one of the many examples
of a possible life-saving event. He didnt kill the man he simply prevented them from whatever
horrible thing that could have happened to that innocent lady. She couldve been assaulted,
raped, or even murdered. So, the Amendment is no longer meant for its originally applied
purpose, seeing there is no really threatening higher power at this moment. As time has gone by,
the Amendment has developed a new purpose really: protection for dangerous criminals.
The selected image applies to gun control and how it works for the most part.
Statistically, 34% of households in the USA have, at least, one gun. There are between 270-310
million registered guns in America (Swanns 3). Yet, if all these were to be taken away this would
take away protection for all those with registered guns, which usually arent the ones committing
crimes in the first place. All of those who illegally have guns or have them unregistered would
still have their weapons with the ability to attack defenseless other citizens. Gun control looks
good on paper, and could very well work if played out. The problem is if best the defense
mechanism for innocent people isnt there, it makes them easier to get prayed on. Also, if guns
were taken away, there becomes a government agency in charge of collecting weapons that
would most likely raise taxes. Taxes would likely be raised due to government spending being
raised because of a huge new agency being formed. That is only if the government decides not to
reimburse those for their weapons being taken. This would also hurt thousands of companies that
are weapon related.

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This picture shows a criminal that has a weapon although gun control laws have been
passed. Yet, the businessman who is being robbed doesnt have any means of protection. He is
pointing his hand in a gun like way, as if its sort of saying gun control still has protection on
paper, but not in reality. The man holding the gun is obviously dressed in less expensive, shadier
clothes than the man in the suit. Hes what you think of when you think of the ideal criminal.
Hes poor, baggy clothes, unkempt, has a crazy look in his eye. Then theres the businessman
who is wearing a nice looking suit and tie. As well as a wallet full of cash. Maybe hes signifying
the upper middle class of Americans, or maybe hes symbolizing an American congressman that
supports gun control and thinks this is a way to lessen the crime in America. Either way, this
image sends a clear message stating that gun control is likely not the answer to solving violence
in America.
The image is very bland in colors scheme. It only has one color that stands out, which is
the green in the well-dressed mans wallet. This cash in the picture standing out further shows
his likely importance in society. This is possibly trying to show pathos in trying to fear those of
higher-middle class that their safety without gun laws is in jeopardy. This means the source for
the image has clearly taken a stance of anti-gun control. Fear is one of the most effective ways to
sway the opinions of those in an un-opinionated stance, which is exactly why this source decided
to use it. It reaches out to those who might not care about the subject of gun control at all but fear
being victimized.
When discussing gun control a very well made argument can be made for either side. In
fact, there could probably be endless arguments over the matter of gun control. There are endless
statistics that can go both towards stricter gun control and vice versa. This is a conflict
Americans will likely always fight over, because its such an interactive part of the American

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lifestyle. Whether it be self-defense, hunting, competitive shooting, etc., Americans seem to have
a need for guns. Whether they get banned or become more accessible US citizens will always
have opposing views on this matter. So, should gun control laws become stricter in America?
This only comes with an answer that future lawmakers and voters can answer.

(5 Gun Control Arguments 1)

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Citation Page
"5 Gun Control Arguments and How to Destroy Them - The SHTF Journal." The SHTF
Journal RSS. N.p., 30 July 2014. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.
"Crime Rates in Chicago Plummet After IL Implements Concealed Carry." Ben Swanns Truth
In Media. N.p., 04 Sept. 2014. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.
"Guns Save Lives: 12 Stories Cited By Second Amendment Advocates."Newsmax. N.p., 28
Oct. 2014. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.