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AG (Attention Getter)

This past Monday, a shooter killed three students and three staff members at the Covenant Religious school in Nashville, Tennessee. It is just the latest example of assault weapons taking innocent lives in America.

BG (Background)

Assault weapons themselves are a controversial term, and many people have varying opinions of what they actually are, but the general consensus is that guns that are clearly high-capacity, rapid-fire, and not used for hunting/sport. And after this shooting in Tennessee, conversations surronding assault weapon reform or perhaps a ban are being revived.

Q (Question)

Should the U.S. look to ban assault weapons?

Answer (Summary Of Speech)

Regardless of whether our country should pursue an all-out ban or not, it's clear that we need to take preventitive action to create a reduction in gun violence overall. First, we see that the endless cycle of violence/death needs to end. Next, we see that gun reform is entirely possible, and finally we see that a political compromise is possible.

R1 (First Reason)

The endless cycle of death must end. Pew Research Center 2/3/22 says that 45,000 people died in 2020 alone as a result of gun violence, making it the worst year for gun deaths in American history. It's clear from these statistics that this is a real, serious issue in the U.S. that needs to be dealt with. Also, 43% of those deaths were murder, and many are mass shootings, which are generally shootings injuring/killing three or more people. The reality is that we are only seeing an increase to this day, showing we need to take action.

R2 (Second Reason)

The required methods & techniques to combat assault weapon/gun violence are there. TIME 3/22/18 explains that there are many real ways that the U.S. can reduce gun violence in the near future, mainly by implementing more rigorous requirements for gun ownership. Just like you need a license nationwide to own a car, we could require permits for gun operation and ownership federally, ensuring every state has to follow along. We also can increase funding and requirements for background checks when purchasing a gun, and we can combat the problem even earlier by providing more support for mental health awareness and resources. We can implement more specific security measures like using biometric security to prevent theft or misuse by children, and we can initiate more research in general to learn more about the issue.

R3 (Third Reason)

A political compromise is possible. Many on both sides of the aisle, with some Democrats accusing Republicans of "not caring about our children" and some Republicans claiming that Democrats "want to take your guns away, no matter who you are". It's clear that both sides have extreme misconceptions about the other's beliefs and as a result, they just clash repeatedly. However, as The New York Times 6/24/22 explains, a recent bipartisan bill demonstrats that to some extent, a consensus can be reached. It's clear that the majority of Americans want their political leaders to take action and to create a compromise, so our leaders should try harder to do so.

C (Conclusion)

So when it comes to whether or not the U.S. should pursue an all-out ban, it's largely unclear. But it is clear that action needs to be taken, given the endless cycle of death, and it's clear that we have the methods to do so. And in the political area of things, a compromise can most certainly be reached. So well Tennessee is just the latest example of gun violence taking innocent lives, it is also a clear sign that change is necessary.