The gun control debate is a hot and heavy one, as anyone who is even slightly informed in terms of current events knows.
With both sides of the issue constantly pointing fingers at each other, bringing up anecdotes and statistics, misusing facts, and painting pictures of injustice, it can be frustrating to work at a solution for gun violence deaths. One thing is for certain: the pro-gun side of the debate insists upon using cities like Chicago with high gun violence deaths in order to claim that gun control laws don't work.
In a political debate, it can often be true that both sides of an issue misuse information for their own gain, painting problems in a different light can convince an audience at times. However, the blatant misuse of facts is dishonorable and deceitful.
In "The Truth - and lies - about Chicago's gun laws," an article which appeared online in the Chicago Tribune, Dahleen Glanton takes a stand against "...pro-gun advocates using our city to promote their political agenda," and pieces together a compelling argument for why those in opposition to gun control groups need to reevaluate their own beliefs.
Glanton begins her column by outlining the building trend of pro-gun groups using Chicago as a scapegoat for why stricter gun control should not be enforced.
It has been stated time and time again that Chicago has the strictest gun control laws in the country, yet it has a high number of gun-related deaths, so gun control must not work. However, this is in actuality, not the case, as New York has stricter laws than Chicago. She concedes that "With 762 people killed last year, no one has to remind us that we have a serious gun problem. We own it. And we have to do something about it."
Glanton's argument concludes with her assertion that lawmakers could do something about the gun epidemic in America, by reducing the ease of the acquisition of guns. However, she is quick to proclaim that "The gun lovers in Washington don't want to talk about these things, though. It's a lot easier to just keep picking on Chicago."
Within the controversial issue topic, gun rights, one stakeholder position that deserves to be explored is the perspective and actions of gun control groups, specifically their opposition to the easy acquisition of guns in America.
"The Truth - and lies - about Chicago's gun laws" articulates the controversy of acquiring guns by explaining how pro-gun advocates blindly use data and outdated arguments, in this case, that Chicago's strict gun laws do nothing to reduce gun violence. The controversy of acquiring guns focuses on many aspects of the gun control debate in America, specifically the divide between pro-gun and gun-control advocates.
This article aligns with one stakeholder position, in particular, gun control groups, by highlighting the claims of pro-gun advocates who are in direct opposition to this stakeholder due to their belief that stricter gun laws infringe upon their rights and are unnecessary.
By bringing forth these claims and elaborating upon their hypocrisy, this article supports the original stakeholder position and strengthens its foundational argument.