Schaubach

Ruby Schaubach
College Composition 111
Research Paper
December 13, 2016
Concealed weapons
The United States continues to evolve, changing things that have been
outdated. The government fixes the ruined highways, gives technology to
the public systems, and provides money to the people in need. However, the
nation also has multiple traditions (like the amendments) that have been in
around since the start of the country. One that is often the source of major
controversy is the second amendment. The second amendment guarantees
Americans the right to bear arms. The two arguments for this right have
butted heads since it was written in the constitution. When the right was
written, they didnt have the NRA, or concealed carry laws, so while we
evolve the amendment must also.
In the 18th century our nation lacked the need for the complicated
logistics that come with the right to bear arms. In the present we are
crowded with the gun control laws and acts that different in each state. The
obvious question is continually on repeat throughout the news: should we
keep putting more laws restricting guns, or let it be since it is in the
constitution? The actuality of guns being delegalized is slim to none , with the

Schaubach, 2
population knowing that they turn to other more specific gun laws, like
concealed carry. This argument coming back into the light of the media
every time there is a school, or mass shooting. Ultimately, it is left up to
each state to choose what kind and how many gun control laws they put in
place. But there is a multitude of reasons why people want to have a
concealed weapon, there have been arguments that it effects the nations
society poorly.
Concealed carry is the right to legally carry a firearm on your person
hidden from the public. It allows you to take your weapon with you to most
places. However, some places of business (such as movie theaters, schools,
and churches) do not allow firearms inside. It also depends on the state as
to what amount of training is required. Carrying a weapon was made legal in
every state in 2013 (Dale). Despite the legality of conceal carry, states such
as West Virginia, have laws and acts in action that makes the act of
purchasing firearms and legally carrying them much easier than some other
states. West Virginia allows their residents to carry concealed firearms
without training or a permit, granted that they are at least the age of 21, and
within the state. The pro-gun people within West Virginia argue that felons,
those who have been convicted of domestic violence, cannot obtain a
firearm because they have previous criminal records. There have been nine
states that have passed this law that allows concealed carrying without a

Schaubach, 3
permit: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Vermont, West
Virginia and Wyoming (Marsks).
Many people are still skeptical however, and believe that giving people
more freedom with guns will simply result in more violent crimes , or mass
shootings. While the proponents of conceal carrying claim that mass
shooters will target gun-free areas, but only 12% of mass shootings between
1966 to 2016 took place in those gun-free zones. The study also showed
that 84% of these high fatality attacks happened in areas where there was
no evidence that the guns werent allowed (Beck). Also, 43% of these mass
shooters died during the attack that suggests that dying at the end was not a
concern to them (Jackson). Mass shooters often have been diagnosed with
mental disorders, or have a history of violence. In response, some have
called into question as to why the United States has not made obtaining a
firearm more difficult.
Advocates for stricter gun control often believe that few restrictions on
fire arms can lead to a horrible incident of mass shootings. Those who
support an increase of gun control state that in the past 25 years, violent
crime has gone down, but the numbers of mass shootings per year has had a
large increase (Turkewitz).

A recent mass shooting occurred at Sandy Hook

Elementary School. On December 14th 2012 at 9:35 am, 20 children and 6

adult staff members were killed during a 5-minute spree of shooting. The

Schaubach, 4
shooter then turned the weapon himself. After mass shootings, the public
tends to talk more on the subject of gun laws and how to prevent firearms
from getting into the wrong hands. Media has a large roll in influencing the
opinions after such horrific events take place. After mass shootings,
everyone asks the question: Why did this happen and how can we prevent
this from happening again? People point to several causes. They claim this
wouldnt had happened if guns were not as easily accessible to the public .
However, in this situation the Sandy Hooke shooter stole the weapon from
his mother and then preceded to kill her before going to the elementary
school. Knowing this it is easy to claim that teachers should just be allowed
to carry concealed weapons on themselves to use as self-defense. If a
teacher were to have had a concealed firearm they could have utilized it and
the entire event could have gone down differently. But, according to
Christina Beck, with teachers having gun the potential for accidents
(confusion of who is the shooter) which could just escalate the scenario.
The debate on concealed weapons and how they should be used could
go on and on. In our society, we have concluded by leaving it up to the
states, so that It can be more or less unanimous. Each side has valid points
in why or why not the citizens of the United states should be allowed to
possess fire arms. If guns are legal there are more people that can protect

Schaubach, 5
themselves using these weapons. If nobody has guns, however, then in
result would we need to protect ourselves in the first place?

Works Cited
Beck, Christina. "Guns on Campus Unlikely to Increase Safety, Study Finds." <I>Christian
Science Monitor</I>. 26 Oct. 2016: n/a. <I>SIRS Issues Researcher.</I> Web. 09 Dec.
2016.

Schaubach, 6
Dale, Daniel. "Insurance to Help 'Get Away with Murder'." <I>Toronto Star</I>. 26 Sep. 2016:
A.1. <I>SIRS Issues Researcher.</I> Web. 12 Dec. 2016.
Jackson, Molly. "Armed Citizen Stops Hatchet Attack in Wash. State. How Common Is That?."
<I>Christian Science Monitor</I>. 14 Mar. 2016: n.p. <I>SIRS Issues Researcher.</I>
Web. 05 Dec. 2016.
Marks, Rusty. "West Virginia Law Enforcement Keeping Eye on New Concealed Carry Law."
<I>State Journal (Charleston)</I>. Aug 5-Aug 11 2016: 1+. <I>SIRS Issues
Researcher.</I> Web. 05 Dec. 2016.
Turkewitz, Julie, and Troy Griggs. "Looking for Security, More in U.S. Pick Up a Handgun."
<I>New York Times</I>. 15 Oct. 2016: A.11. <I>SIRS Issues Researcher.</I> Web. 12
Dec. 2016.