Persuasive essay techniques and applications

¶ … Right to Bear Arms

The issue of exercising the right to bear arms is, more often than not, associated with the debate on whether or not gun control should be imposed to civil society. The rationale behind gun control is that it is a detriment and threat to civil society, wherein gun ownership could lead to an individual's tendency to resort to using guns or arms as an immediate response to conflicts or misunderstandings. On the other side of the coin lies the issue of one's right to bear arms, an individual right that, ultimately, cannot be questioned because this is a privilege and right already given to the individual prior his/her entering the social contract that led to the creation of the civil society and the government.

Given these opposing arguments for and against the right to bear arms, this research looks at the debate once more, with a thorough analysis of each side to the issue. This research assumes the position that an individual must be given the privilege the right to bear arms or guns. In arguing this position, this research argues that the right to bear arms is not only a measure for self-defense, but also to increase the behavior of preparedness and self-reliance among the citizenry or members of the civil society.

Reynolds' (2007) report on the increasing occurrence of gun ownership among communities in the U.S. supports this argument. In his report, he stated that societies such as those found in Idaho have already imposed ordinances that support citizens to practice gun ownership. In a particular ordinance, Ordinance 208 in Greenleaf, Idaho, the imposition of gun ownership is a legal step that does not aim to counteract an increase in violence in communities, but rather, as a "statement about preparedness in the event of an emergency, and an effort to promote a culture of self- reliance."

The strength of Reynolds' report lies on the evidence he had shown to support his arguments, wherein he cited a study that compared communities that have high and low rates of burglaries and break-ins. One similarity that communities with high rates of burglaries share is the fact that these communities have "restrictive gun laws," which proves that indeed, gun control acts more as a detriment rather than a support to the status of peace and order in civil society. Its only weakness is perhaps the unpopular view that support for gun ownership elicits from the general public, owing from the fact that misconceptions about gun ownership and stereotypes about gun owners still influence the public's opinion on the issue.