... the devastating school shooting at Columbine High School, Minnesota governor Jesse Venture said in an official announcement, "To me, it justifies conceal and carry more." Upon social pressure from outraged citizens of Minnesota (where concealed weapons are restricted), however, the governor retracted his statement (Pearkstein). Would ... in the 1930's and '40's. These laws allow those in authority (most commonly the police or local sheriff) to distribute conceal-and-carry permits to people upon their own discretion, as they see need (Korwin). Between 1984 and 1992, according to Californi...

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... State of Colorado changed their concealed weapons laws so that they are permitted on college campuses. In March 2012, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that "a citizen who possesses a license to carry a concealed handgun cannot be prohibited from doing so on a college campus" (Jonsson, 1). The court overturned a 1994 ban by university officials that prohibited guns on campus. The court's ruling favored ... in favor of having concealed weapons on campus, so ultimately they can protect themselves from harm. However interestingly enough John Woods, a graduate student at UT, has spoken out ...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... concealed firearms on campuses, including dorms, libraries, and classsrooms has been an ongoing discussion. The Philadelphia Inquirer posted an article by Kathy Boccella called 'Student group pushes for right to carry concealed weapons on campus' discussing the issue. On February 14th, 2008, a former student of Northern Illionis University went on a rampage killing 6 people, and wounding 15. Another inicident occured ... I came up with my decision. If college campuses legalize the right to obtain a concealed weapon there will be much more violence in our college education systems. Allo...

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... average person is neither smart enough, adept enough nor responsible enough to be trusted with firearms, especially when using firearms for protection. The right to carry permit laws reduces violent crime for two reasons. They reduce the number of attempted crimes, because criminals can't tell which potential victims are armed and ... defend themselves. Secondly, national crime victimization surveys show that victims who use firearms to defend themselves are statistically less likely to be injured. In short, carry laws deter crime, because they increase the criminal's risk of doing busi...

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... crimes "benefited the most from the right to legally posses firearms. Lott concluded his book by asking: Will allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns save lives? The answer is positive (http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/493638). This conclusion seems outrageous to the critics ... public could easily lead to a more heavily armed army of robbers and assaulters- which would only result in a higher crime rate ("Should People Carry a Gun- 257). However, the assumption that easy access to guns causes crimes is refuted by the facts. The research conducted by the Natio...

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... long as it is constitutional. "Illinois is one of only two states the other is Wisconsin that does not allow some sort of concealed carry by its' residents". 48 other states allow concealed weapons with some restrictions such as training. This shows citizens that 48 out of the ... people, if there is an age limit, you could just ask someone else, old enough, to get it for you. Remorseless, criminals are going to carry concealed weapons even if the law states that they cannot be carried. A criminal is someone who has committed a crime or is committing a crime. They ... are usually, in mo...

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... Second Amendment means that they have to right, according to the words in the Second Amendment, to be able to carry a gun on them at all times without question. It does not mean that they can carry a gun that can cause mass destruction such as a cannon or automatic machine gun (Gun Cite) . It states ... that he or she my carry a gun for his or her personal protection and to protect his or her property. However, opponents of gun control feel that there ... Republicans feel that when people are armed, criminals will be fearful. To support this statement the state of Florida adopted a righ...

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... in the process save many people from getting killed or injured. Although there are a few legitimate groups who must carry guns such as military, police, and security forces, there is simply no need for civilians to carry them. Some gun advocates claim that they carry guns around as a form of self-protection. However, this has been scientifically proven to be untrue. A study done ... by the University of Pennsylvania on 677 shootings over the span of two and a half years indicates that people who carry guns are 4.5 times more likely to be shot than an unarmed person, and 4.2 times more l...

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... Amendment and believe that it should be interpreted to guarantee citizens free access to fire arms. The NRA has strenuously lobbied for the passage of state laws allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons. In arguing that the Second Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arm, the NRA argues that the Fourteenth Amendment enforces the Second (1). The Fourteenth Amendment states: No ... firearms, yet it is universally seen as the murder capital of the United States. Vermont, a state where civilians do not need a license to carry firearms, has the best crime rate in the nation. Since ...

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... day, when the victim is at home and unable to defend themselves. One of the possible reasons for the decline in crime in the U.S. is the wider acceptance of concealed carry laws. Currently, 34 states, including Indiana, are "shall-issue" states. This means that unless the state government can prove that you should not own a weapon, they are required to issue ... the permit to carry concealed in a timely manner. The only way you can be denied a permit is if you have 1) been convicted of a felony, 2) been convicted of domestic abuse, or 3) have been committed to ... their firearms in ord...

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... criminals acquire guns from underground markets. That leaves honest, law-abiding people at a distinct disadvantage" (Cramer and Burnett 20). So, if there was no gun control and people could carry guns around with them as they pleased, the amount of gun homicides probably would not increase significantly anyway. If one person pulled out a gun on someone, so could everyone else ... was done out of hate, not self-defense. This caused many gun-control activists to question the right of Zimmerman to carry his handgun. These activists for gun control cried for more legislation; legislation th...

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... let people hold firearms even if they are concealed and have a license. The reason for these states not allowing people to carry guns is to protect citizens from using guns in an unlawful way. To receive a license and be able to carry a firearm is not just something that you get over night. There is a thorough background check that is activated when applying ... and even then you must come up with a good reason for a person to carry a firearm. The NRA's viewpoint is to have protection for oneself and others by assisting when or if needed. In recent times in the NRA Charlton Heston the P...

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... streets. The NRA has been often called the strongest lobbyists organization in politics today. Time and time again the pro-gun supporters have won their point. In Oregon, hunters can carry a sidearm during bow hunting season. This came about after a lengthy debate on if it was the Fish and Wildlife Department's place to decide when citizens can or can not ... carry a weapon. (Outdoor life, 2003). The Supreme Court decided, in 1997, that the mandatory waiting period imposed by the Brady Bill was in fact unconstitutional. The NRA has had some high ... Bush, even though he resigned his l...

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... in Texas, killing 22 people and himself. At least three survivors said they had guns in their glove compartment in their car, or in their homes; but were afraid to carry them into the restaurant because of the concealed weapon laws. Texas has since lifted these laws. In 1987, Florida enacted a right to ... carry law (right to carry a gun), and murder and crime rates have steadily decreased. In contrast to all that history has taught us, our nations own capitol, the District of Columbia, has banned nearly all ... ...

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... right to intervene when the lives of innocent people are at stake. The National Rifle Association argues that lawmakers should enforce the law, but if people carry guns for their own protection against those who carry guns to do harm, it would make sense to remove all guns from the streets, then no one would need a gun. There shouldn't be a ban on ... all guns because law enforcement officers need to carry firearms, but to make it safer when off duty, all guns should be left at the station. For sportsmen to be able to hunt, their guns should be registered and ... ...

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... to keep and bear arms without being denied the right by the state or any institution. In other words, all American citizens are allowed to keep and bear arms and carry guns or arms for self-defense. Although the 2nd Amendment does provide the federal government authority to regulate the issuance of arms, it does not mean that the state has ... it will increase the circulation of illegal arms on the black market and fuel crime rate in the country. However, statistics affirm that about 37% of Americans own guns and carry them for self-defense and security reasons. The high gun ownership r...

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... in gun ownership will serve to increase the number of homicides (Duggan). Another example exemplified that if criminals are deterred from committing crimes when potential victims are more likely to carry a firearm, then more gun ownership may lead to a reduction in criminal activity (Duggan). These points are very convincing and do show the flaws in those following anti-control, but there ... killing someone over a dispute, not having a gun will not stop that person from killing. In that case, the new gun control revisions will not reduce crime. Also, the people who carry guns due to th...

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... and other countries. Professor Gary Kleck conducted a study he called "Point Blank, Guns and Violence in America." His research showed that crime is usually prevented while people are allowed to carry firearms. In America, legal use of firearms outnumbers the criminal use, and the removal of firearms from citizens will eliminate the righteous use of protecting one's self and the protection ... county was born that way. Our traditions, which have always protected our liberty and safety, should remain as is, and the preservation of our traditions relies on citizens' right to carry a firea...

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... of gun control advocates seem irrelevant and it becomes clear that guns should not be controlled. The Supreme Court has been very careful in limiting the rights of individuals to carry firearms. They have also been debating about whether the framers intended the Second Amendment to apply to individuals, or to state militias. In U S v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875) the court ruled ... , Hitler took action to pass legislature to ban private ownership of firearms. Hitler said, "The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subjected people to carry arms- (Whitley). ...

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... of gun control advocates seem irrelevant and it becomes clear that guns should not be controlled. The Supreme Court has been very careful in limiting the rights of individuals to carry firearms. They have also been debating about whether the framers intended the Second Amendment to apply to individuals, or to state militias. In U S v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542 (1875) the court ruled ... , Hitler took action to pass legislature to ban private ownership of firearms. Hitler said, "The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subjected people to carry arms- (Whitley). ...

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... died. Australia and Canada have weighed similar bans. John Lott and David Mustard of the University of Chicago use cross-sectional data to affirm their argument that allowing citizens to carry concealed weapons deters violent crimes without increasing the number of accidental deaths. Former University of Chicago professor John Lott (2000), the author of More Guns, Less Crime, argues that rather ... than banning handguns, state government's should give law-abiding citizens the right to carry concealed handguns to defend themselves. "By the very nature of these handguns being concealed, c...

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... for gun control know they cannot take all guns away from people. Because guns will be smuggled in, sold, and hidden. It's every law abiding American's right to own and carry a firearm. However, this does not mean regulations should not take the firearms away that is deadly to everyday citizens. Sure, gun lovers state the government is trying to take away ... enough. 17,048 people were killed in one year due to firearm. A firearm kills almost 47 people everyday. Everyday 46 families lose a loved one. Everyday, 46 people don't get to carry one their life. Everyday, 46 job owners have to f...

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... concluded that over 20,000 gun control laws "had no impact in reducing criminal violence" (Baimbridge, par. 8). A nationwide study found that violent crimes fell after states made it legal to carry concealed handguns. Homicide decreased 8.5 percent, rape fell 5 percent, and aggravated assault dropped 7 percent (Cauchon A4). In the District of Columbia, no civilian can legally buy or ... carry a handgun, nor keep a loaded or assembled gun in the home. In the years before 1976, the District of Columbia had a fairly low crime rate, but since then, it has risen ... ...

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... it affect? The answer is that gun control laws affect law-abiding citizens only. By their very nature, the criminals will continue to violate these new laws and continue to carry firearms, regardless of the law. Criminals will continue to find crime much easier knowing that when they attack their victims that they will be most likely be unarmed. Innocent people ... Health Association convention in Indianapolis, a patron bent over and a derringer fell from his pocket. The gun hit the ground, discharged, and wounded two convention delegates. This person had a permit to carry the gun, and ...

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... want to buy a gun, but I can't because I'm living in California and another 18 year old could in Colorado. Also, another example is that in some states, they allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, while in other states citizens can't. I don't think this is fair at all because I think they should make laws that suits the whole U.S., and not make different laws ... and burns than from gun deaths (Please see accident chart in the back G.1) As I said before teenagers that have guns don't kill many people. For example, about 186,000 teenagers carry guns to school for protection and self-...

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