Annie

Loves cats, drawing, and other things.

Tag: Humanities

How Can We Keep People Safe, This Time Without Guns?

June 2, 2022 / / 0 Comments

 

In 2020 alone, more than 45000 Americans died to a gun (BBC). That is not even counting the firearm deaths in the rest of the world, or how many people were injured in a shooting! According to the 16th of the UN Sustainable Development Goals – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, “People everywhere need to be free of fear from all forms of violence” (UN). That includes gun violence, lethal or otherwise. Although there are many reasons why people own guns, banning guns also has some benefits, and there are many alternatives to giving people easier access to guns for self-defense.

There are many reasons why people want to own guns. For some people that live in high-crime areas, owning guns could be one of the only ways for them to protect themselves (Foundation For). For example, in 2001, two people broke into Terry Pickle’s shop in Salt Lake City, and just immediately started shooting (Armour). However, Pickle and his son picked up their own guns, and fired back, successfully driving out the intruders (Armour). Some others believe that owning guns would help them keep their workspaces safe, and that having guns at work would discourage crime. In fact, Stephanie Amour stated that “Gun-owner groups say employers who ban guns are stripping away workers’ right to defend themselves on the job” (Amour). Another reason is that for some people, firearms – and the right to own them – hold great symbolic meaning. In the USA, the Second Amendment of the US Constitution states that “…The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” (Legal Information Institute). The gun culture in the US has been passed down through generations, and many see it as a symbol, for many different things. According to Henry Allen, “[Firearms are] symbols of protection of the home…equality…fighting for liberation and family tradition.” For them, it is part of their culture. The above are some of the most prominent reasons why people own guns.

Banning guns would reduce the firearm death rates, but if guns are not handled carefully, they will cause a lot of damage. First, the banning of firearms would greatly reduce the firearm death rates. For example, in 2018, 74% of the homicides were due to firearms (Aradhya). If guns were banned, these 74% of people killed could be saved (Aradhya). In 1996, Australia reformed their gun laws for a stricter gun control policy, and since the new laws were passed, the number of firearm-related homicides fell exponentially (Kiely). Not only did the firearm homicide rate fall, the suicide rate also fell as well (Kiely). On the other hand, if guns are not handled with great care, they can cause a lot of damage. According to Philip Alpers, “…New Zealand police lost control of guns when they stopped registering 96% of firearms. Now it’s those most common, unpoliced firearms which almost invariably turn up in day-to-day gun crime” (Hunt). Almost 40,000 deaths a year involve firearms in the US alone (BBC). Banning guns have been proven effective in reducing the firearm death and crime rates, while not carefully monitoring firearms has the opposite effect.

Homicide Rates In Australia, From 1996 to 2013. Image Source

An alternative to giving citizens guns for self-protection is by focusing on how to reduce crime. One way this could be achieved is by inspecting – and improving, if need be – the police system so that more citizens can place their trust in the police. In the article “Gun Control Comes from a Place of Privilege”, the author states that for people living in high-crime areas, a gun could be the only way for them to protect themselves, because the police had given up on the area. However, giving the public easy access to guns would make it easier for criminals to get their hands on said guns as well. In order to make these high-crime areas safer, authorities could work towards getting the police system to a place where the police would not simply give up on high-crime areas. After all, the whole point of the police is to fight crime and keep the people safe. If the police cannot be trusted to resolve dangerous situations, then the people would not be safe. Likewise, leaders could place a higher emphasis on security in general. For example, people could install security cameras in places where crimes frequently occur, to deter criminals from committing crimes in such areas. Additionally, authorities could increase efforts to deter crime in the first place. Some say that instead of gun control, people should work on tougher sentencing, harsher penalties and better parenting in order to reduce crime (Stezelberger). While that would work, these changes would take a long time to implement – especially better parenting – so in the meantime, tightening gun control would be a way to make communities safer as people work towards these bigger goals. The above are all possible alternatives to guns that would still make people safer, but would also let communities benefit from the extra security that comes with tighter gun control.

In conclusion, while many have reasons for owning guns, there are also many benefits that comes with banning guns, and instead of having lax gun control in favor of giving people weapons for self-defense, there are many alternatives that can still keep people safe and provide the added security of proficient gun control at the same time. Even though guns are very important and can certainly save someone’s life, they can just as easily take it away. Like all tools, if guns are not monitored correctly, they can cause a lot of damage. If the 16th UN Sustainable Development Goal is to be achieved, then a certain amount of gun control would be necessary.

 

 

 

Works Cited

Allen, Henry. “Why Do Americans Love Guns? They’re Part of Our Culture.” Washington Post, 26 Dec. 2012. SIRS Issues Researcher, explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2262466416?accountid=4047.

Aradhya, Venus. “Should Guns Be Banned?” Voicesofyouth.org, 8 July 2021, www.voicesofyouth.org/blog/should-guns-be-banned. Accessed 12 May 2022.

Armour, Stephanie. “Companies That Ban Guns Put on Defensive.” USA Today, Dec. 2004. SIRS Issues Researcher, explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265675219?accountid=4047. Accessed 12 May 2022.

BBC.com. www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081. Accessed 25 May 2022.

“Buffalo Shooting: Ten Dead in Racially Motivated Attack at New York State Store.” BBC News. BBC News, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61452958. Accessed 15 May 2022.

Foundation For Economic Education. “Gun Control Comes from a Place of Priviledge.” CE Think Tank Newswire, Jan. 2022. SIRS Issues Researcher, explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2626089963?accountid=4047. Accessed 12 May 2022.

“Gun Violence Must Stop. Here’s What We Can Do to Prevent More Deaths.” Prevention Institute, www.preventioninstitute.org/focus-areas/preventing-violence-and-reducing-injury/preventing-violence-advocacy. Accessed 25 May 2022.

Hunt, Elle. “New Zealand: Ardern Flags Further Gun Control Reforms after Firearms Charges Peak.” Wellington, Mar. 2021. The Guardian, www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/15/new-zealand-ardern-flags-further-gun-control-reforms-after-firearms-charges-peak. Accessed 15 May 2022.

Kiely, Eugene. “Gun Control in Australia, Updated.” FactCheck.org, Oct. 2017, www.factcheck.org/2017/10/gun-control-australia-updated/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg_iTBhDrARIsAD3Ib5iErk0-cYRtEd5NdsXwr54ZOmwUnKETNWT4FqG_ucmUjWgymDrSyggaAl6cEALw_wcB.

Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/wex/second_amendment. Accessed 25 May 2022.

Stezelberger, Gerard. “Your View by a Gun Store Owner: Why We Must Stand up for Our Second…” Morning Call (Online), 6 Sept. 2019. SIRS Issues Researcher, explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2314112336?accountid=4047.

UN People. “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.” Sustainable Development Goals, UN, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/. Accessed 31 May 2022.

Richard Didn’t Get Rich When He Went to America. Instead He Got to Fight in a War

March 30, 2022 / / 0 Comments

My name is Richard. The full name is Richard Spencer Williams, but just call me Richard. For more than 20 years, I lived in the new lands across the sea, the place that is now known as America. I witnessed the first acts of discontent amongst the colonists, heard the splashing of the tea as it fell into the Boston Harbor, and marched with my fellow soldiers when the Patriots finally defeated us in Yorktown, in 1781.

This is the story of the American Revolution.

After the Revolution, many things changed. However, many things also stayed the same. For example, the rich, white men stayed in charge, and it wasn’t until many years later until the balance in power shifted. The Native Americans still got the short end of stick, along with women and the slaves. On the contrary, the American Revolution also created many new ideas that quickly spread across the globe – much like the corona virus. The first one of those revolutionary ideas is that “birth isn’t destiny”. Before the Revolution, the social status of an individual is decided the moment they’re born. If someone is born in a royal family, they would most likely remain royal for the rest of their lives. If someone is born a peasant, they stay a peasant. But in America, it doesn’t work that way anymore. People can ascend and descend the social hierarchy at any time, without their parents’ status deciding their fate. Another one of the more important new ideas is the creation of the title, “Mr.” or “Mrs.” President. Not “Your Highness” or “Your Majesty”. During that time, the word “President” is a fairly humble title, and for the leader of an entire country to be named “Mr. President” is virtually unheard of. Not only that, but the Americans also established their 4-year term plan, instead of having someone be leader for life. More of the novel ideas that came with the Revolution includes freedom of worship, the separation of church and state, a republican government, and giving the common people political power.

These new ideas from the Revolution will change how the world works, and the French actually had their own revolution, inspired by the Americans. All in all, the Revolution was well worth the trouble, even though there were some flaws that needs to be fixed. Eventually, though, everything settled down, and the world slowly changed and embraced the new ideas brought forth by the Revolution.

“Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!”

March 15, 2022 / / 1 Comment

“Give me liberty or give me death!” – Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775

Have you ever heard of this country called the USA? Well, it used to be part of Britain, and the US only became a country after a long revolution against its mother country in the 1700s. Before the Revolution, the Americans were just colonists settling in on the newly discovered continent of America, and while not all of the colonists were British – there were many different people from many different countries – all the colonists in the British colonies were under the control of the British Parliament. And the thing about the British Parliament at the time, is that they really liked putting taxes on people. They had their reasons, of course; they had just fought a long, 7-Year War with France and Spain for the rights to the new land across the sea, and wars are expensive. Now Britain needs to earn their money back, and they decided that they would do so by vigorously taxing the colonists. However, the colonists weren’t very happy with all the new taxes, and they demanded that they get some representation in the Parliament. In the meantime, the Parliament kept on passing Acts without the colonists’ consent, and through a series of riots, repealing, and passing new acts, all the tension eventually boiled over and started what we now know as the American Revolution. In this revolution, the colonists fight first for more freedom from the Parliament, then for the complete separation of the colonists and Britain.

In this video, we will explain the American Revolution in Plain English, and spoiler alert – though you probably know this already – the Americans win. But without any further ado, let’s get into the video. Enjoy!

Image from: History.com

Video edited with iMovie

Inspired by CommonCraft

Fatal Fever. Also Known as Deadly Disease.

January 26, 2022 / / 0 Comments

Fatal Fever by Gail Jarrow is about typhoid, a deadly disease that killed a lot of people in the US around the 1900s. More specifically, the book is about the “first healthy typhoid carrier ever found in the United States”, the infamous Typhoid Mary. The story follows the stories of three people: Dr. George Soper, Dr. Sara Josephine Baker, and of course, Mary Mallon. Even though the book mostly focuses on Mallon’s life, Soper and Baker had major contributions in tracking her down, so that she wouldn’t infect others with typhoid. However, Mallon is extremely uncooperative, and caused a lot of problems along the way.

This is a really interesting book to read, and I found several central ideas as well. I apologize in advance for my handwriting, and welcome into my notebook! 🙂

The first central idea I got was that people should cooperate with officials about problems that might concern the health of the public. That isn’t exactly how I phrased it in my notebook, but the general idea is very similar. Personal freedom is important, but if a bunch of people are going to get sick because you refuse to cooperate with the health officials, then… not a good idea (does that sound familiar? *cough* COVID *cough*)

As I read, I found some sort of theme as well. Sometimes, you need to put down your pride. This somewhat connects to my first idea as well, that people should cooperate with health officials. Mallon refuses to believe that she is a typhoid carrier, and she stated multiple times that she “is a clean person”. I think she feels insulted when Soper and others call her a typhoid carrier, because she might think that they’re saying she’s “dirty”.

So why exactly is Mary Mallon more… problematic than other typhoid carriers? Why isn’t the other carriers locked up like she was? Personally, I think that Mallon is more of a problem to the New York City health officials is because she refuses to cooperate. For this page, I used a cause-and-effect sort of method to take notes. The bubbly boxes are some thoughts that I had while I was reading.

And that concludes this (very short) peek into my notebook! I apologize (again) for my handwriting, I had to cram words into a small amount of space quite a few times, so some things might look a bit squished.

To be honest, I thought about COVID-19 a lot while I was reading this book. Deadly disease/virus that spreads from person to person? Check. People not cooperating with the health officials? … Yeah. Unfortunately.

Thanks for reading!

The Principles of Being a HumanIST

October 14, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The Principles of Being a HumanIST by Annie L

I think I’m like a 70% humanist, because I’m not exactly religious, but I agree with the ideas of the humanists. The reason why I think religion takes up 30% is because I think one of the important things about the Renaissance humanists is that they tried to balance their religion with their own ideas. I really admire the fact that they can find ways to let two different (big) ideas exist in their head at the same time, and since I’m not really religious, I only have one big idea inside my head at the moment. However, I think other than that I’m pretty humanist-like.

I know that being born into a good family is really important, but I also agree with the humanists that being born into a bad family doesn’t mean you can’t do great things. Sure, it might be harder, but it’s still possible. Since I’m not religious, I’m not exactly in a position to talk about going to heaven, but I do know that since we’re alive, we should just make the most of our time here. Even though people in history made lots of mistakes, I do believe that they also have lots of wisdom they left behind for us. Their ideas can help us make our time better. For example, Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Besides, the mistakes of ancient people can help us know what NOT to do, right? Sometimes I tend to ask  questions to my parents, like “Why is this thing called ‘this thing’?”, or “Why does this work the way it does?”. I also like to observe things around me. I think that fits pretty well into the humanist idea of “Questioning Everything”, even though observing isn’t quite questioning yet, it can certainly lead to questions. Lastly, yes I agree with the idea that knowledge is important. I think the reason for that is pretty self-explanatory though. If knowledge isn’t important then lots of things wouldn’t exist. For example… just about everything the Renaissance people made.

Roger Purloins a Purse (“Thank You, Ma’am” Found Poem)

September 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This Found Poem is created from the first page of “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes. The story is about a boy called Roger, who tried to steal a lady’s purse to buy himself a pair of shoes. My Found Poem shows the scene when Roger (the protagonist) first met the lady. The orange text is the  poem, while the black text is the rest of the passage. I showed the external character vs character conflict of Roger and the lady by including lots of verbs, such as “fell”, “kick”, “snatch”, etc. I added the dialogue at the end to show how the lady responded to Roger trying to steal her purse. Instead of calling the police, she told Roger to pick up her purse for her, and that he should be ashamed of what he tried to do. The picture in the background is a person with a purse, but it doesn’t mean anything metaphorically.

Image Source

Made with Venngage

“OUR STORIES MAKE HISTORY” Unit Final Project

April 20, 2020 / / 1 Comment

The reflection’s in the presentation. It’s quite a big presentation and there’s a lot of text (especially at the last part, where I made the reflection), so it might take a while to load. Also for the performance/project page I just put a link to the blog post (the animation’s interactive), so you can just stay on the blog, find it, and skip that page.

© 2025 Annie

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑

Skip to toolbar