“Gun Control: A rhetorical Analysis of Megan Weintrauts Government should create stricter gun laws.”
“Government should create stricter gun laws,” by Megan Weintraut was written on January 26th of this year. Megan Weintraut is a senior mathematics major that felt the need that she needed to discuss the issues of gun law. Her argument really explains how it is just too easy for anyone to get a gun. The second Amendment says, “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.” (p.1) Megan states that this was established to create a nationwide civilian army during a time when Britain’s organized and professional army threatened the development of America. Now people will have guns because they feel they need it to be protected on the Streets. Most Americans today can live on a daily basis without the worry of having to use a firearm.
The essay I read really speaks to anyone that does go out and lives a life away from their own home. When you are leaving your house you are putting yourself into danger at any given time because you can not control what other people do. Megan explains that 70 million American gun owners only own a gun for self defense. (p.3) Because more people own firearms it increases the rate of homicide. Also, the federal law does not restrict the number of guns that can be purchased at one time. Four states California, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia limit their citizens to one gun every thirty days. (p.5) The age of which you are able to buy a firearm is when you are twenty one years of age. Many twenty one year olds are still in college and are still immature young adults. Megan does a good job of telling her audience that shootings at schools do take place when young adults do get their hands on a fire arm. Shootings have taken place at the Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and the most recent being Arizona. The issue around the school shootings has introduced us to possibly changing the rules behind the right to bear arms, but the Second Amendments right to bear arms puts a damper on that issue. (p.6) Many individuals under the age of twenty- one who have a firearm is probably because they have stolen it from their parents. It is hard to actually know how many people get weapons illegally. Gun control is a rough topic because of the fact that our constitution tells us we have the right to bear arms.
The article uses the rhetorical appeal of mostly ethos, with a small amount of logos and pathos. Megan uses mostly ethos because she really connects the issue to the real world. For instance she says that “Guns have become decreasingly essential for personal survival” because we have companies that raise and kill animals for our mass food production. (p.2) Also she uses a lot of statistical information to let the audience know what actually happens when people own fire arms. Logos is introduced because some of her information is what she thinks is most logical such as when she quotes
Chris Rock because he said “if a bullet costs $5,000, there would be no more innocent bystanders.”(p.6) If every bullet had a high cost it would make the usage of firearms more valuable and people would have to figure out what is the most correct way to use a firearm, such as actual self-defense and not gang related violence. The emotion of the article, or mainly known as pathos comes from when she discuss the school shootings and the fact that sixty-six percent of television shows contain violence. When you read that it hits you of how dangerous firearms can be especially when they get into the wrong persons hand. The article connects to the real world of how important stabilizing gun control can be.
The overall article I felt was very good and really spoke out to the reader. The only problem I had with the article been the fact that the other side was not introduced more; the actual people with the guns. She states that 70 million people say they have the gun for self defense, but why do they need to feel like a gun is protection. What was the actual lifestyle of these seventy million people? Also how many of the people with firearms, only use their firearms for hunting purposes? Gun control is not a very common topic for me because I am from a small town outside of Ithaca where gun violence is only heard of from the people in Ithaca. The only kind of gun control I hear about is the usage of weapons for hunting. Gun control will always be a rough topic and one that no matter what, one side will get mad.
“Government should create stricter gun control,” by Megan Weintraut really spoke to me about how important bearing firearms, is to the human life. Many people do not understand that when people do not use a weapon correctly other people pay for their consequences. Also many people do not worry about firearms issues because it is not relevant in their own lives, such as myself.
The essay I read really speaks to anyone that does go out and lives a life away from their own home. When you are leaving your house you are putting yourself into danger at any given time because you can not control what other people do. Megan explains that 70 million American gun owners only own a gun for self defense. (p.3) Because more people own firearms it increases the rate of homicide. Also, the federal law does not restrict the number of guns that can be purchased at one time. Four states California, Maryland, New Jersey and Virginia limit their citizens to one gun every thirty days. (p.5) The age of which you are able to buy a firearm is when you are twenty one years of age. Many twenty one year olds are still in college and are still immature young adults. Megan does a good job of telling her audience that shootings at schools do take place when young adults do get their hands on a fire arm. Shootings have taken place at the Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and the most recent being Arizona. The issue around the school shootings has introduced us to possibly changing the rules behind the right to bear arms, but the Second Amendments right to bear arms puts a damper on that issue. (p.6) Many individuals under the age of twenty- one who have a firearm is probably because they have stolen it from their parents. It is hard to actually know how many people get weapons illegally. Gun control is a rough topic because of the fact that our constitution tells us we have the right to bear arms.
The article uses the rhetorical appeal of mostly ethos, with a small amount of logos and pathos. Megan uses mostly ethos because she really connects the issue to the real world. For instance she says that “Guns have become decreasingly essential for personal survival” because we have companies that raise and kill animals for our mass food production. (p.2) Also she uses a lot of statistical information to let the audience know what actually happens when people own fire arms. Logos is introduced because some of her information is what she thinks is most logical such as when she quotes
Chris Rock because he said “if a bullet costs $5,000, there would be no more innocent bystanders.”(p.6) If every bullet had a high cost it would make the usage of firearms more valuable and people would have to figure out what is the most correct way to use a firearm, such as actual self-defense and not gang related violence. The emotion of the article, or mainly known as pathos comes from when she discuss the school shootings and the fact that sixty-six percent of television shows contain violence. When you read that it hits you of how dangerous firearms can be especially when they get into the wrong persons hand. The article connects to the real world of how important stabilizing gun control can be.
The overall article I felt was very good and really spoke out to the reader. The only problem I had with the article been the fact that the other side was not introduced more; the actual people with the guns. She states that 70 million people say they have the gun for self defense, but why do they need to feel like a gun is protection. What was the actual lifestyle of these seventy million people? Also how many of the people with firearms, only use their firearms for hunting purposes? Gun control is not a very common topic for me because I am from a small town outside of Ithaca where gun violence is only heard of from the people in Ithaca. The only kind of gun control I hear about is the usage of weapons for hunting. Gun control will always be a rough topic and one that no matter what, one side will get mad.
“Government should create stricter gun control,” by Megan Weintraut really spoke to me about how important bearing firearms, is to the human life. Many people do not understand that when people do not use a weapon correctly other people pay for their consequences. Also many people do not worry about firearms issues because it is not relevant in their own lives, such as myself.
Works Cited
Weintraut, Megan. “Government should create stricter gun laws.” Jan. 26th, 2011.
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