THE FOUR LETTER WORD OF POLITICS:GUN CONTROL

QUESTION: Should Congress enact new GunControl/Safety Measures as

recommended by President Obama?

OBJECTIVES: The students will be able to:1.) Explain the rights / freedoms contained in the 2nd Amendment of the US

Constitution2.) Explain key terminology related to gun control / gun safety measures such as assault weapon, magazine, clip, Brady Law, automatic weapon, NRA, NICS, and universal background checks3.) Summarize and evaluate competing positions on whether new gun control / gun safety measures by Congress, as recommended by President Obama, are necessary.4.) Analyze key US Supreme Court cases dealing with gun rights and evaluate the meaning of these cases for future gun control legislation5.) Practice the dispositions of effective citizens by participating in a deliberation about what Congress should do, if anything, about gun control / gun safety measures.

STEP 1 – Complete the Agree / Disagree Exercise Below:

AGREE / DISAGREE

STATEMENT ON GUN ISSUES AGREE / DISAGREE

The 2nd Amendment protects an individual’s right to own and possess guns in the US.Current gun laws adequately protect the safety of citizens.The best solution to stopping violent crime is to require criminal background checks for all gun sales even at gun shows and by private individuals.Congress should reinstate the ban on assault weapons.The best solution to stopping violent crime is to study the connection between violent video games and increased violent actions by individuals.The real cause of gun violence is one of mental illness.Congress should enact legislation limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.Congress should ban the use of armor-piercing bullets by anyone other than members of the military and law enforcement.Congress should increase the penalties for anyone illegally selling guns including “straw purchasers”.'The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”Every school district should allow its teachers and security officers to carry weapons on school grounds.Congress should increase the penalty for any crime involving a gun to life in prison with no parole.

Step 2 – The 2nd Amendment – Discuss the meaning of its terms.

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.

Step 3 – RESEARCH THE FOLLOWING CASES AND SUMAMRIZE THE LAW OF THE 2ND AMENDMENT AS INTERPRETED BY THE US SUPREME COURT

Summaries of Prior Second Amendment Supreme Court Cases

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)SUMMARIZE THE MAJORITY DECISION OF THE USSC (SCALIA’S OPINION):

SUMMARIZE THE DISSENTING OPINION OF THE USSC (STEVENS AND/OR BREYER’S OPINIONS):

McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010)SUMMARIZE THE MAJORITY DECISION OF THE USSC (ALITO’S OPINION):

STEP 4 - VOCABULARY REVIEW – USE THE WEB TO SEARCH FOR THE MEANING OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS.

TERM DEFINITION1. Firearm a portable gun, being a barreled weapon that launches one or

more projectiles, such as a pistol or rifle

2. Automatic Weapon

any firearm that will continue to fire so long as the trigger is pressed and held and there is ammunition in the magazine/chamber.

3. Assault Weapon

Definitions Vary - most commonly defined as a semi-automatic firearm possessing certain features similar to those of military firearms.

Semi-automatic firearms fire one bullet (round) each time the trigger is pulled; the spent cartridge case is ejected and another cartridge is loaded into the chamber, without requiring the manual operation of a bolt handle, a lever, or a sliding handgrip.

An assault weapon has a detachable magazine, in conjunction with one, two, or more other features such as a pistol grip, a folding or collapsing stock, a flash suppressor, or a bayonet lug.

4. Magazine  an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating firearm

5. Clips  a device that is used to store multiple rounds of ammunition together as a unit, ready for insertion into the magazine or cylinder of a firearm. This speeds up the process of loading and reloading the firearm as several rounds can be loaded at once, rather than one round being loaded at a time. 

6. Gun Show a temporary exhibition or gathering in the United States where firearms, firearm accessories, ammunition, literature, and miscellaneous collectibles are displayed, bought, sold, traded, and discussed

7. Straw Purchaser

any purchase wherein an agent agrees to acquire a good or service for someone who is unable or unwilling to purchase the good or service himself, and the agent transfers the goods/services to that person after purchasing them

8. Executive Order

Power of the President to give directions and rules for members of the Executive Branch to follow. It has the effect of a law within the Executive Branch

9. Universal refer to closing loopholes in federal gun sales laws

Background Checks U.S. law requires background checks for all people who try to buy

firearms from federally licensed dealers. But federal law does not require background checks for "private transactions," like sales at gun shows. 

10. Federal Firearms License (FFA)

A license that enables an individual or a company to engage in a business pertaining to the manufacture of firearms and ammunition or the interstate and intrastate sale of firearms. 

11. Concealed Carry Laws

The practice of carrying a handgun or other weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in close proximity. While there is no federal law specifically addressing the issuance of concealed carry permits, 49 states have passed laws allowing citizens to carry certain concealed firearms in public, either without a permit or after obtaining a permit from local government and/or law enforcement

12. Brady Law Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993) is an Act of the United States Congress that instituted federal background checks on firearm purchasers in the United States.

The Brady Act requires that background checks be conducted on individuals before a firearm may be purchased from a federally licensed dealer, manufacturer or importer—unless an exception applies. If there are no additional state restrictions, a firearm may be transferred to an individual upon approval by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) maintained by the FBI.

Step 5 – Watch the Videos on both sides of the Issue of Gun Control and review the articles of your choosing below. Be careful to choose resources from both sides of the issue. You may also use other resources that are not included on this list. Be sure to keep a record of the websites for other sources.

Make a list of arguments for and against the new Gun Control measures being considered by Congress.

RESOURCES:

Background Articles/ResourcesText of the Second Amendment - National Archives Gun Laws in the United States - Wikipedia

Basic History of Newtown and Gun Politics in U.S. - BBCWhat's In Obama's Gun Control Proposal - NY Times

Articles Supporting New Legislation

Opinion piece in support of Obama’s proposals- Washington Post Article refuting National Review’s John Lott’s assertions about background checks - National Review

Articles Opposing New Legislation

Opinion piece opposed to new gun legislation - Wall Street Journal John Lott asserts that background checks occur with a vast majority of gun sales and can be dangerous to lawful gun owners - National Review

NRA ARTICLE - http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/12/21/nra-breaks-silence-calls-for-more-guns-to-protect-schools

Additional Web Resources and Opinions:

History of gun control is cautionary tale for those seeking regulations after Conn. shooting - Washington

PostThe Secret History of Guns - The AtlanticInteractive Timeline of Gun Laws - Wall Street JournalInteractive Map of State Proposed Gun Laws - USA TodayEverything you need to know about Obama’s gun control plan - Washington Post

ARGUMENTS FOR CONGRESS PASSING THE NEW GUN CONTROL MEASURES

ARGUMENTS AGAINST PASSING THE NEW GUN CONTROL MEASURES

STEP 6 – Engage in a careful deliberation via simulated Congressional Hearing on the issue of the proposed new gun control / gun safety measures.

Step 7 – Assessment - As a culminating activity, each student will work in groups of 3 to 4 with each group determining which way they want to present their findings and position on this issue. The presentation must be persuasive and must involve all group members contributing to the process. Choices include without limitation the following:

A group oral report A Group Power Point A Video Advertisement – Persuasive attempt to sway public opinion on the topic A poster with oral presentation

TOTAL POINTS: 100 (25 points for the Congressional Hearing and 75 points for the Group Presentation)

VIDEO SEQUENCE

1. CHARLTON HESTON - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ju4Gla2odw

2. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4352315&newclip President Obama summarizes his gun control proposals

3. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4352086 NRA Executive VP and CEO testifies to Senate      Judiciary Committee regarding his views on Gun    Control legislation.

4.http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4352045Former Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords urges Senate to act on gun control measures.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/43230355. Author John Lott explains why he is opposed to       President Obama’s proposed ban on assault

weapons.

6. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4352044    Baltimore police officer, James Johnson, speaking for the National Law Enforcement Partnership, in support of President Obama's and Senator Feinstein's gun law proposals.     

7. http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/RAA The National Rifle Association released a                statement and advertisement in response to    President Obama’s gun proposals.