American gun laws

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Feb 9, 2024

American gun laws

Goals

- Look into U.S. weapon legislation (2nd Amendment);

- Look into gun violence and school shootings;

- Listen to some parts of documentaries and podcasts on this topic;

- Give a passionate speech to advocate for/against a stricter gun legislation in the United States (competition)

The speech

• groups of 2:
• work out passionate speech about (against) the abolition of the right to bear arms in the United States;
•  incorporate various arguments from the videos and podcasts that we will watch and listen to;
• mention one counterargument, which you will then refute (= prove them wrong!);
• groups of 4: 
• present speeches to each other;
• choose the best speech or best arguments
• choose one member to represent your group in front of class.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner?

2 prizes:

• 1 awarded by a public vote;
• 1 awarded by Miss Van Gelder.

However! During the group activities, you are to speak only English! If the teacher catches you speaking Dutch, you might lose the opportunity to win a prize.

Planning

• This lesson: gather information on the topic
• Next lesson(s): work on speech + start speeches 

What do you know about gun laws and 2nd Amendment in the U.S.?

2nd Amendment

The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms and is an important part of the American Constitution.

Federal gun laws

1. National Firearms Act (NFA): Regulates the sale, transfer, and possession of certain firearms, including machine guns, short-barreled rifles, suppressors, and destructive devices.
   
2. Gun Control Act (GCA): Sets rules and restrictions on the sale and transfer of firearms, including requirements for background checks on gun sales by licensed dealers and prohibiting the sale of firearms to certain categories of individuals, such as convicted felons and individuals with mental health backgrounds.
   
3. Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act: Requires a national background check for handgun purchases from licensed dealers.

• 4. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): prohibits firearm possession for individuals with a conviction for domestic violence or a restraining order.
  

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

• extended background checks for firearm purchasers under the age of 21;
• clarification of Federal Firearms License requirements ;
• funding for state red flag laws and other crisis intervention programs;
• further incrimination of arms trafficking and straw purchases;
• partial closure of the boyfriend loophole. 

=  first federal gun control legislation enacted in 28 years.

June 25th 2022

However...

• No background check required in private sales  This "gun show loophole" allows for the sale of firearms without ensuring that the buyer is legally allowed to possess a gun.
  
• Concealed carry laws vary:  While all states have some form of concealed carry laws, the requirements and restrictions vary greatly. 
• Stand Your Ground Laws:  allow individuals to use deadly force in self-defense without the duty to retreat, even if they are outside their homes. 
• Open Carry Laws: Several states allow the open carrying of firearms in public without a permit: no training or background check requirements. 
• No federal regulation on gun storage:  may be accessible to children or unauthorized users > accidental shootings
• No federal limit on ammunition purchases

Some facts....

• Americans own approximately 270 million guns, which gives America the highest rate of gun ownership with, 89 guns for every 100 people.
•  Each day 12 children die from gun violence in America. Another 32 are shot and injured.
• Guns are the leading cause of death among American children and teens. 1 out of 10 gun deaths are age 19 or younger.
• Since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, more than 338,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence at school.

Sources:

https://www.dosomething.org

https://www.sandyhookpromise.org

List school shootings since Columbine

https://www.security.org/blog/a-timeline-of-school-shootings-since-columbine/

For the remaining of this lesson...

Watch and listen to the clips and podcast provided in the following slides. Take notes of information that you can use for the speech.

1. Joe Rogan on the gun control debate (YouTube)

2. NRA spokesman at the 2024 NRA Presidential Forum (YouTube)

3. This is American Life: The parents step in (Podcast)

4. Shooting survivor confronts NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch (YouTube)

This American life: the parents step in

Start: 36:50

This American Life