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Project 2 Essay - n/a
Principles of English Composition II (ENGL 1213)
University of Oklahoma
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ENGL 1213
Professor Nabhan 10 March 2023 Word Count: 1538 Alan M. Gottlieb and The Second Amendment Foundation The topic of gun control and gun rights, which stems from the Second Amendment, arises from many different opinions and points of views on whether guns should be legal or not. Alan M. Gottlieb, a conservative gun-rights activist, founded the Second Amendment Foundation or better known as the SAF in 1974. They are a group that ensures their beliefs over their “constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms” is fulfilled (Second Amendment Foundation). They mainly focus on informing and educating people on this very real and controversial debate to ensure individuals are making informed decisions when it comes to voting on gun laws and gun control. Although they update and provide opinions for many people, Alan M. Gottlieb’s views and position are the main focus here. Gottlieb has not only written but published more than twenty-three books, dedicating his whole life to inform individuals on their rights to buy and own firearms, as well as advocating for guns and gun laws in America. In one of the many books he has published, “Things You Can Do to Defend Your Gun Rights,” he believes a big danger that can significantly affect gun rights is the lack of information and the abundance of misinformation (Gottlieb and Kopel). Lots of Americans use the media as a means of receiving what they think is valuable information on topics like the one at hand, but in reality the media only gives very surface level descriptions on gun-related statistics and events. Gottlieb likes to use the hard facts presented in gun statistics to prove the media heavily influences these statistical analyses on gun-related violence. Through Gottlieb’s
writing, he is clearly very done with the negative connotation the media and anti-gun activists have surrounded guns with. One of Alan’s most popular books is surrounding the United States v. Emerson court case, which happened in 2001 against Timothy Joe Emerson. After a divorce, Emerson was on a restrictive order, but was later brought to courts because he owned a firearm during this order. He tried to argue with the court and say with the Second amendment he shouldn’t face any lawsuits or consequences. Gottlieb’s book, “Gun Rights Affirmed: Emerson Case,” talks about how Emerson was in the end let off the hook and the importance this case had in shaping the pro-gun movement for the future. In his book, Gottlieb says “More importantly it's in direct conflict with the Emerson case, with the Heller case, and with the Miller case, where the bootlegger Miller's shotgun was held to be not protected by the Second Amendment only after government lawyers lied and said shotguns had been of no use in the late war in France, thus allowing the "What, Me Worry?" court to find the weapon "not of militia usefulness" (Gottlieb). To bring up this case he first begins with Sonya Sotomayer’s presence in the Supreme Court, who was President Obama’s appointment while he was in office, which is thought to be the conclusion of using the Second amendment as a means of protection in court. He uses this case’s relevant ideas in order to support the fact that the Second amendment is going to be excluded from being used in court as a constitutional protection. If pro-gun control activists win this debate, which they are currently, then not only will guns be taken from all Americans but the constitutional freedoms that come with the Second amendment will as well, and most likely this debate won’t stop there. In his book “Things You Can Do to Defend Your Gun Rights,” aside from the precautionary attempts toward lack of knowledge, Gottlieb also informs his readers of the individuals who pretend to be on the side of pro-guns, but really are disguising themselves and
thing I did notice that maybe he hasn’t realized is that a lot of values he holds also line up with some of those that anti-gun activists share. One way that can be a very effective way in persuading Gottlieb is to see first hand that all anti-gun movements aren’t all bad, doing so by sitting in on an anti-gun meeting to see how his values align with theirs. This allows him to gain a deeper understanding of the idea that anti-gun activists may just be pro-gun control to feel safer in their communities. If he can look at it from a different perspective and see that instead of getting rid of all guns completely, they want to make it more difficult for people who tend to misuse guns and cause harm to obtain these firearms and make them a deadly weapon. Although this value of protection is seen throughout the pro-gun movement, that is ultimately the goal of the pro-gun control movement but just seen from a different perspective, especially with the increase in mass shootings and deadly killings in recent years. Another thing to point out when attempting to persuade him is that rather than the issue being all on guns, the pro-gun control group believes the real issue is the people who tend to obtain these weapons. This will still allow the pro-gun community to keep their guns, but ensure felons, psychopaths, and those who seek to kill won’t obtain these weapons and use them for the wrong purpose. In project 3 I plan to use an approach that widens his perspective and allows him to deeper understand the other side of the argument because he values honesty, protection, and safety so deeply. When taking a step back to really analyze the SAF founder, Alan Gottlieb, he proves time and time again to be a very good fit in attempting to persuade his thoughts and beliefs on gun control and gun laws. Through his writings and foundation, he shows how deeply he values honesty and shares the many beliefs and values that pro-gun activists also believe in. He also is able to identify and reject false information he learns about this debate. By attending meetings hosted by anti-gun activists, it opens potential doors that may not only widen his ideas on gun
control, but also introduce and steer his mind to new ideas and opinions. Although Alan has proven that he leans very conservative on the political spectrum, these meetings are very effective in the sense that it opens his eyes to the positive views on this side of the argument. If this form of persuasion is successful and with the power he holds within the pro-gun community, he has potential to persuade others within the pro-gun community to see how the anti-gun movement is actually not as harmful as it’s portrayed to be. By convincing pro-gun activists that the views of anti-gun activists may not be as harmful as they are thought to be, there is potential to end this long, ongoing debate and allows for both the pro-gun community to use their guns for purposeful uses and the anti-gun community to still feel safer within their communities with stricter gun laws in place.
Project 2 Essay - n/a
Course: Principles of English Composition II (ENGL 1213)
University: University of Oklahoma
