The document opposes gun control and argues that: 1) The Second Amendment protects gun ownership to prevent tyranny; 2) Proposed gun control laws would not stop criminals or address mental health issues related to mass shootings; 3) Registration could lead to government confiscation of weapons. The document recommends better enforcement of current laws and education instead of new restrictions.

1. Opposing Gun Control
By: Cameron Russell

2. History
• Second Amendment
adopted on Dec. 15, 1791
• Written to protect against
Tyranny (government
checks and balances)
• Supported by both
Federalist and
antifederalists in 1700’s
• James Madison: “The
right of the people to
keep and bear arms shall
not be infringed”

3. Events
• April 17, 2007 Virginia Tech 33
people killed
• April 20, 1999 Columbine High
School 15 people killed
• July 20, 2010 Aurora Co. 12
people killed, 58 injured
• December 14, 2012 Sandy
Hook Elementary 26 people
killed
• All shooters above had
clinically diagnosable mental
health problems

4. Today’s Gun Talk
• Obama wants to ban
automatic military style
weapons
• Wants to ban semi-
automatic guns holding
over ten rounds
• Wants background checks
nationwide
• Wants nationwide gun
registration

5. Comparing Differences
• Idaho
– Population 1,567,582(2010)
– Easy to purchase guns
– 12 gun related deaths(2010)
– 22,460 active concealed weapons
permits in Ada County alone(2013)
• District of Columbia
– Population 601,723(2010)
– Very long
application/registration/backgroun
d check process to purchase
firearm
– No concealed weapon carry
permitted
– 99 gun related deaths (2010)

6. Problems With Gun Control
• Criminals don’t obey laws
or “gun laws”
• Background checks won’t
check mental health
• Banning semi-auto’s with
more than ten rounds
includes a lot of pistols
(self defense guns)
• Registration would make
it easy for government to
confiscate all weapons (in
case of tyranny)

7. Recommendations
• Better enforce current
gun laws (keep guns
from felons)
• Keep guns in safe
secure place
• Better firearm safety
education

9. Bibliography
• Cullin, Dave. "The Depressive and the
Psychopath." Slate. N.p., 20 Apr. 2004. Web. 10
Apr. 2013.
• Friedman, Emily. "Va. Tech Shooter Seung-Hui
Cho's Mental Health Records Released."
abcNews. N.p., 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
• Toldson, Ivory A. "Massacres, Mental Health and
Black Kids ." The Root. N.p., 27 Dec. 2012. Web.
10 Apr. 2013.

10. Bibliography
• Cullin, Dave. "The Depressive and the
Psychopath." Slate. N.p., 20 Apr. 2004. Web. 10
Apr. 2013.
• Friedman, Emily. "Va. Tech Shooter Seung-Hui
Cho's Mental Health Records Released."
abcNews. N.p., 19 Aug. 2009. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
• Toldson, Ivory A. "Massacres, Mental Health and
Black Kids ." The Root. N.p., 27 Dec. 2012. Web.
10 Apr. 2013.