Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Commentaryguncontrol
Commentaryguncontrol
Expository Writing 2
November 20, 2015
Commentary: Those Who Say Guns Dont Kill People Are Anti-American Bigots
When it comes to the topic of gun control, most of us will readily agree that guns do not
kill anyone, its the people who kill others. While this agreement usually ends, however, is on the
question of if the easy access to and the amount of guns available is the real issue. While some
are convinced that people are the issue when it comes to guns, others believe guns themselves
are the problem. William H. Harwood takes the position on this topic in his article Those Who
Say Guns Dont Kill People Are Anti-American Bigots. Specifically, Harwood states. The vast
majority of violent acts committed with a gun in the US would be unlikely in Switzerland or
Canada. In other words, Harwood believes that if the United States applied the same gun rules
used in Switzerland or in Canada then the amount of violence and trouble caused by guns would
be significantly less. To support his position, Harwood offers the example of the mass shootings
that happened in Oregon and how predictable it was because of how easy it is to gain access to a
gun in this country, which is significant because it shows how something like that could happen
again and probably will. Unless we put up stricter laws for guns as a country.
In my view, Harwood is right to argue that guns are the issue and not the people. Some
protesters may question Harwoodss claim that For those who want to blame mental illness, this
is another red herring, and a not so subtle form of bigotry. Although it is true that mental illness
for the most part isnt the cause of those who carry out mass shootings, it does not necessarily
follow that of something being bigotry and a red herring. For instance, for some cases checking
for a mental illness should be checked for even if it is certain that there is none because you
never know. Also that could be just one of the many reasons why people believe why people are
at fault for the misuse of guns. My point here, is that gun control, should interest those who have
very strong feelings for the topic and are willing to debate it to the bitter end. Beyond this limited
audience, however, my point should speak to anyone interested in or affected by the larger issue
of gun control and who is at fault.
Vocabulary:
Bigotry (noun) - stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs
from one's own.
For those who say that if you take away easy access to guns, people will find other ways to kill
each other with just as much frequency, this is bigotry--and a bizarre new species of racism
The difficulties of battling prejudice and bigotry
Arguing about guns and bigotry with someone