Take Action: Ashley

When I began researching how to have my voice heard on this subject I realized how specific petitions are. Like my fellow group member, Allison, I would disagree with certain parts. This made me uncomfortable to sign my name or give personal information. I wanted to wholeheartedly agree with something I was going to sign and support. Turns out I really liked the way Allison phrased her petition and the details she included. After conducting my interview with my dad I realized how important it is for deeper background checks, especially in mental health. I do not believe the only people who should be able to own a gun are law enforcement and that was what a lot of the other petitions were stating. However, I do believe things need to change and it is too easy to obtain a gun license. Although it only took one quick click to sign this petition it felt powerful to support something I really believe in. I was happy to see someone else felt the same way I do and I do not think any action is too small. Every change needs to start somewhere.

As for where I lie in regards to teaching about social justice issues, I feel strongly that they should be included in the classroom. There is no age too young to begin because there is always a softer way of putting things. Not every detail needs to be included if it is too mature for the age group. I feel students should not be left in the dark on subjects just because they may not be always pleasant to teach. Essentially we are teaching children how to be effective members of society when they are done with school. After high school some may continue education or get a job. Which ever the case they need to have the background knowledge on how to deal with today's issues and how to contribute to the common good. If they are not provided practice or experience they will be lost. Students should also be given the opportunity to feel empowered and know that they can always make a change.

This entire current event project was really beneficial for me. It forced me to become more involved with a huge issue our country is facing today and do my own research. I feel more confident on my opinions on gun control because I have evidence to support my claims. The interview with my dad opened my eyes and allowed us to have a conversation we most likely would not have had without this project. I was able to learn his beliefs and keep them in consideration when forming my own.

After participating in this project and doing research I believe it is too easy to obtain a gun license and more components should be involved in the application process. I think stricter background checks and medical records need to be examined. I also believe that each individual who will be under the same roof of the gun owner needs to be given a background check because they will have access to that gun. I do believe people have a right to protect themselves and own guns but not everyone is capable of the severe responsibilities that come with being a gun owner. People could argue that medical records are private and should not be included in gun licensing but I feel we have had too many tragedies created by mentally ill people. Teaching gun control to children may be very difficult but I think the upper levels should be introduced to it. It does not have to include all of the gruesome details but children should be aware of the problem and be able to form their own opinions on the subject. Most likely they have already been exposed to the problems by hearing their parents talk or watching the news and they just have an outlet to express their opinions and ask questions. The classroom should feel safe for them to explore this issue and any others.

Take Action: Amanda Dwyer

The "take action" portion of this blog was the most difficult for me.There are many different petitions that can be signed, but like Allison said it is hard to find one that I totally agreed with. There are so many different opinions on this topic. Everyone writes about their own views on the topic when it comes to petitions. Writing a letter to government was another option, but I feel like so many people do that and I doubt the government reads every single letter they receive. I feel like that would just be a waste of time because there is a good chance my letter doesn't get read. I ended up finding a petition that I mostly agreed on. It was designed after the Sandy Hook incident. The petition was designed by the president and vice president. The petition was intended to ban all assault weapons. I do agree with this because I believe the only people that need a weapon are people in law enforcement. I know there are people who have firearms because they want to hunt. I think that is fine, but they have to go through extensive background checks and take the class in order to obtain the weapon. At the top of the petition it told readers that everyday there are thirty-four Americans killed by firearms. That is a high number, especially when something can be done about it. It felt good to take action on the topic. I know that I contributed towards something crucial to the world.

I truly believe that education is an instrument for the public good. Social justice needs to be taught to children. They need to know what is going on in the world around them, so they can become better citizens. I think the classroom is the best place for them to learn this because it is a safe environment for them to learn. The teacher in the classroom has to make it a safe environment. It gives students a chance to form their own opinions on a specific topic. Often times children hear about what is happening in the world from their families so automatically they are going to believe what their families believe. If the topics are introduced in school and the teacher keeps her biases out of it than children can think and learn for themselves.

I think this current events project was great. It gave me a chance to learn more about gun laws and opinions, a topic that I have always been interested in. It was nice to take some time and do some research on the topic and learn about others opinions. It was also nice working in a group for this because you learn about your partners opinions and past experiences on the topic. I have never blogged before, so it was nice to be able to learn about blogging.

 I think this topic, gun control, needs to be taught to students in the upper level grades. They need to know the basics of it. I don't think it needs to be taught in too much detail, but just enough so they can form their own opinions on the topic and further research it if they would like. I believe it is a very important topic to teach even though it may be a little difficult.

Taking Action: Allison

When considering what to do for the "take action" portion of this blog I was not sure where to begin. At first I remembered when the Sandy Hook massacre took place they sent giant cards around to sign which was perfect for this, but that was months ago; so I started brainstorming what to do now. I looked up blogs and petitions on google, trying to find something I agreed with. However what I struggled with was finding an article or petition that I agreed COMPLETELY with. I had found petitions on the We The People White House petition site that I kind of agreed with, but not all of it. I also looked into Dianne Fienstein's new bill and supporting that but her resources seemed to not be very strong and her quotes were misused. I did not feel comfortable signing any of these because I did not in my heart 100% agree with what they were saying and it didn't feel right to only half agree. If I am going to stand up for what I believe in, I'm standing up for ONLY what I believe in, not some different version of it. When I realized somebody else's petition may not be a good way to take action I realized I needed to find a way I could present my thoughts, and my thoughts only. The best way I saw to do this was through my own petition on the We the People website. This way I can word my own petition and see if anyone agrees with MY ideas, not somebody else's. It felt great to make my own changes and not let someone else do it. We are all so lazy and consumed within our own lives, we forget we are what changes the world. I do not know if my petition will make a difference or if people will even sign it, but I took the first step in making a change and that is all anyone can do.
Here is the link to my petition if anyone would like to sign, Gun Control Petition .
As to the topic of social justice I believe this should definitely be used within the classroom. My only thought though is that you need to be able to make whatever you are teaching and sharing relatable and appropriate to whatever age the class is. The classroom is a place to learn and discover yourself. The children need to be able to be aware of social issues because that is the world they are currently living in. Social justice in the classroom is opening their eyes and making them aware of the world around them; by sheltering the students from what is going on the world it is blinding them from the truth. We may thinking that keeping our children in the dark is protecting them but it is also hurting them. The classroom is the perfect place for social justice because that is where people go to learn and be educated. Education is the perfect instrument for the public good.

Major Contents on Gun Control

What are the critical attributes of your current event?

Critical attributes is a teaching strategy that focuses on transmitting the procedural knowledge of identifying the essential elements of a concept so that students do not form inaccurate concepts on the topic. The critical attributes on our current event, gun control, are to make sure students are aware of the procedural knowledge.  Students need to be aware of the steps needed to complete to obtain a gun license. They need to be aware of the classes they need to take to obtain the license, they need to know about the background check, they need to know about the extensive application that needs to be filled out, and most importantly where to go to apply for the license to carry. These are critical factors for teachers to tell their students when teaching them about this current event. It is important not to leave any important information out because it is uncomfortable to talk about with children. They need to know the important factors about guns, so they can form their own accurate views on the subject.

Informational Knowledge

  Gun violence in the United States: includes recent events and tragedies

•  Gun violence is one of the leading causes of premature mortality in the United States
•  Main agencies involved with firearms licensing: local police departments and the Office of  Public Safety’s Firearms Records Bureau
• The different types of fire arms licenses: Class A, Class B, FID card and their requirements
•  Each state has its own laws regarding right-to-carry
•  Gun Control Laws’ Goals:
• Prohibit a person from owning a gun
• Restrictions of carrying guns
• Enhance public safety

Procedural Knowledge

• Steps needed to be completed in order to gain a gun permit
•       Where to go to gain more information on gun control
•       Where to go to fill out paper work to request a gun permit
•       How to undergo a background check
•       Where to go to take classes on shooting and gun handling 

How would you break this concept up to teach us as we read the blog, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, what the concepts within the current event/ issue mean?

To begin teaching this concept I think you would need to first start by asking what people know about gun control and their feelings on the topic; it is important to know how much information they are aware of. I think then it would be best to talk about current events (depending on the age) to make the students more aware of how gun control is affecting the community and get them interested on the topic. They could also find and bring in a current event they found on the topic that they found interesting and reflect on it with their classmates. Then the teaching would need to be broken down into the current laws and regulations for the different types of guns, having bold lists of the current requirements for the class to revert back to. This could then lead into a discussion of what requirements should be added, deleted, or altered; the class themselves could make their own list of requirements. I think a final great way to really get students interested and informed on the topic would to be a debate. Gun control is an extremely controversial topic and by having a debate they must find information on both sides of the topic.

Interview on Gun Control

My Interview with my friend Steven. He is 21 years old and is currently a student in Massachusetts.

Q. Is this a problem you think is important? Why/ Why not?

A. "Absolutely. Because without laws or control things would get out of hand and things can escalade quickly. Guns are very powerful and should be taken very seriously, and without laws people can lose lives. Guns are a necessity in life for things such as protection and hunting but without proper laws it’d be anarchy. "

Q. Do you think others in our community think this is an important problem? why/ why not?

A. "Very much so, with what has been happening lately around the world and in the news people are taking gun control more seriously than ever. There are two sides of it people are scared of weapons and want them banned and on the other side people believe that they deserve weapons as long as they are handled in the right way, but where is the line drawn?"

Q. What are advantages of the current laws and regulations on obtaining a gun license?

A. "The biggest advantage is that you cannot get a gun on site and that there is some kind of waiting period and background check involved. Also guns salesman have the right to deny selling a gun to someone who seems to have the wrong intentions."

Q. What are disadvantages of the current laws and regulations on obtaining a gun license and how may they be improved?

A. "There are loopholes for people who probably do not deserve to have a gun with criminal backgrounds or mental instabilities. The policy could be improved by having deeper background checks such as looking at mental background checks as well as a longer waiting period. "

Q. Do you feel the regulations need to be replaced? If so, why?

A. "The policy does not need to be replaced, but improved immensely. The current policies are clearly flawed especially when looking at the current events that have taken place. These events are serious and should not be taken lightly or ignored as they have seemed to be."

Q. What disagreements, if any, about the regulations exist in this community?

A. "They need to reevaluate how they go about things with people as they are in the world, people want to see the NRA take more actions and improve the currents laws and regulations to obtain a gun. The amount of mass murders recently have really shaken up the community and cleared people’s eyes to the problems with the current laws and regulations."

Reflection

I believe completely with the interview and it was nice to interview someone who actually agrees with me on the laws. However it was interesting to interview Steve when I know his brother and father are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to gun control.  He grew up in a family that would hunt and supported the NRA and everything they do.  I think it would honestly be hard for me to interview someone who did not have the same ideas and beliefs as me on the topic because I feel so strongly about how flawed the current requirements are.  It was nice to be able to interview someone and speak to them about a current topic that is so important that we would not usually discuss; it is kind of eye opening to see the conversations that one would not have.

Here is a picture of me and Steven.

 

Gun Control Interview

I am interviewing my father Bobby. He works in law enforcement.

Q. Is this a problem you think is important? Why or why not?
A. I think this problem is very important. There needs to be regulations on people being able to obtain a gun license and then the type of weapon they can actually possess.  The regulations that are in place today seem to be effective. Too many bad people get their hands on guns. They have the resources to somehow obtain the weapon without a license and that is the problem.  The problem is not those who are getting a license because they have to go through an extensive process to obtain a license and weapon. 

Q. Do you think others in the community see this as a problem?
A. Not only people in the community see guns as a problem, but most people in the United States view guns as a problem. So many people are granted a gun license and it scares people in the community. Especially after all the school shootings we have had recently.  Most of us have been brought up in a society where guns are frowned upon. They are seen as bad, and most people in the community fear them. They wonder why a person needs a gun anyway unless they are in law enforcement. A lot of citizens do not agree that people be granted a license to carry, but some do think it is necessary to carry. It is ongoing debate.

Q. Do you feel the existing policy deals with the problem?

 A. I think the policies we have in place today are effective. It is not simple to obtain a gun license and purchase a weapon. There are several steps that people who apply for a gun have to go through. They have to provide ID, they have to fill out an extensive application, they have to have a background check, and they have to have a mental health check, and so on. People who apply and obtain a gun license are usually not the ones who are hurting others with the weapon. It’s the bad people who are not obtaining a license and somehow getting their hands on guns and using them for the wrong reasons.

Reflection on Interview:

 It is interesting to interview someone on a current event topic. Current events always seem to lead to heated discussions because everyone always has their own opinion on the topic. My dad is a police officer so he has different opinions and beliefs on the topic than a businessman would. It is interesting to hear what he has to say on the topic. He brought up a lot of good points in his interview and it got me thinking. He said the problem really isn’t those who are applying for a license and obtaining a weapon, it’s those who are not obtaining a license and getting their hands on a weapon some other way. It makes me wonder how? It is scary to think about all of the people in the world who are carrying a gun for all the wrong reasons. I would like to find another person who isn’t in law enforcement and interview them on this topic to find out their views on it.

 

Here is a photo my my father and I.

 

 

 

 

Gun Control Interview with John Raynes

For the interview portion of this blog assignment I interviewed my dad, John Raynes. My dad proudly served his country and was in the Air Force for 21 ½ years before retiring. His current job position is a resource manager at a private elementary school in South Carolina. While he was active duty in the Air Force he worked in law enforcement, special operations, photography, and civil engineering. My dad has a lot of knowledge on gun control so I felt he was the perfect person to interview in order to learn more about the problem. After giving my dad a quick briefing of what my group’s blog was about and the issues of gun control I began the interview.

Q: Do you think this problem is important? If so, why?

A: “I think gun control is a major issue in our country today. They try and control the guns from the law-abiding citizens, not for the people that actually break the law. People who break the law are going to break the law no matter what. I feel as though I am ripped across the coals because of a few people. I mean look at it this way, one of the strictest gun control is in Chicago, Illinois and they are the murder capital of the United States. Why add more laws to the books when you are not even enforcing the laws that are on the books? A main problem with our country is we are very reactive, not proactive.”

Q: Do you think others in your community think this is an important problem as well?

A: “The majority of the people in my community feel the same way I do about guns. It is definitely a regional thing. The south is a more gun-cultured society. People down here are used to learning about guns and seeing them. When you have people elsewhere who do not know about them it is easier for them to feel afraid of them and want them gone."

Q: Do you feel the existing policies deal with the problems?

A: “Our society was built on rights and one of our rights was to bear arms. I served my country for 21 ½ years to protect that right and I’m entitled to the right more so than most because of the sacrifice that I gave for my country. All of the current policies such as classes, ID checks, and background checks are great but only to a certain point. The reality of it is bad people are going to get guns. They have the money to get them, and the resources to get them, and I feel I have the right to protect myself from those determined bad people.”

Q: Are there any improvements you feel should be made?

A: “Here is the thing. This is not a gun problem; it is a mental health problem. Why? Because you have to be out of your mind to kill 29 children. You have to be out of your mind to go into a movie theatre and shoot a bunch of people in a theatre that are unarmed. You have to be out of your mind to go into a church during a service and just start shooting innocent Christians. It is not about the gun, it is about the operator of the gun. Take the Oklahoma City bomber, Tim McVeigh for example. He blew up people with a fertilizer and diesel fuel bomb. There are no strict regulations on buying fertilizer. One improvement I feel should be made is keeping track of people who have been in the mental system. They should somehow be flagged so law enforcement can take it into consideration when giving out gun permits. If someone was in for severe PTSD, it might be a bad idea to give him a gun. I know I’ll just hear it’s patient privacy for that one but it needs to be fixed in situations like that. I’m worried about the person that’s a psychopath, but they don’t want to address that because it’s not politically correct."

Q: Can you think of an example where this improvement would have prevented a problem?

A: “Yeah, take the Sandy Hook tragedy for example. Adam Lanza had mental problems, and his mom bonds with him by taking him shooting. She also let him play violent video games for hours, which put ideas into his head that he may have not been able to distinguish right from wrong. In my eyes she was fanning the flames. She shouldn’t have been able to own guns because of her son’s mental disabilities. All in all, our country fails to deal with mental health.”

Q: You have left me with a lot to reflect upon, is there anything you would like to end on?

A: “Yes, please read the second amendment. The reason our founding fathers devised the second amendment was to protect us from tyranny. And a main point to get from this is it’s not the gun it’s the operator. Blaming the gun is like blaming the fork because you’re fat.” 

Reflection on Interview:

After I said goodbye to by dad and logged off Skype I began looking at all of my notes I took from our interview. It was clear from my notes that this was a topic my dad felt very passionate about because he has a lot to say about the problem. My dad has always been a person with strong opinions however he backs them up with strong evidence. He is also respectful to not push his views on anyone, but he is always happy to share his views and opinions. He introduced me to new issues with our country's current gun policies that I plan to do more research on. The topic of mental disabilities is a whole other field to look into. I am curious to see if the government really takes mental disabilities into consideration when assigning gun permits. It is a hard thing to address because of the strict patient privacy policies and it could also lead to discrimination issues. I agree with my dad's belief that the family members of the person wishing to gain a gun permit should be given a background check as well. They will have access to this gun and should be educated and mentally stable to handle the responsibilities of owning a gun. I also felt my dad brought up an excellent point of blaming the operator not the gun. A gun does not begin shooting people on its own, it needs someone to pull the trigger. I believe our country needs to really figure out the best way to address our gun problem because it seems to only be getting worse. We need to somehow find a way to prevent the wrong people from owning guns and not punish the law abiding citizens in the process. Unforuntatly, like with many other things, a few people can ruin something for the whole. 

Here is a photograph of my dad, John Raynes, and I: 

- Ashley Raynes

Introduction

Our names are Amanda, Allison, and Ashley! We are three block students of Spring 2013 at Salem State University. We created this blog to develop gun control awareness. We will be focusing on gun possession laws in Massachusetts. Gun control has been in the spotlight recently due to recurring tragedies. We will explore the steps people are required to complete in order obtain a gun permit and voice our opinions on whether we think the current policies are enough. Let's start by learning about the current policies on guns in Massachusetts. According to the mass.gov website, a resident of Massachusetts who is at least 15 years of age can begin the process of obtaining a gun permit. Firearms licenses are issued out by municipal police departments. The two main agencies involved with firearms licensing are the local police departments and the Office of Public Safety's Firearms Records Bureau. There are different types of firearms licenses. There is Class "A" LTC which permits the purchase, possession and carrying of all ammunition, handguns, rifles, shotguns, and feeding devices. Class "B" LTC permits the purchase, possession and carrying of all ammunition, non-large capacity handguns, and all rifles and shotguns. Then there is the Firearms Identification Card (FID) which permits the purchase, possession and carrying of non-large capacity rifles, shotguns, and ammunition only. You must be 21 years old to obtain a Class "A" or "B" permit. FID applicants are required to be 18 years old or 15-17 years old as long as they have parental consent. Besides the forms that are required to be filled out, a person must also complete a training before gaining a license.

To learn more and see where we got our information please click here:
Massachusetts Gun Licensing Requirements 

It is rare to watch the news at night and not hear about another shooting in America or see flashbacks of past tragedies. Now we will each share where we stand on gun control as of now.

I am Ashley and I currently believe it is too easy to obtain a gun license and purchase guns today. It makes me uneasy to read about the steps a person has to take in my state to be able to carry a gun, or anywhere in the United States for that matter. I appreciate that they run background checks before distributing licenses, however a young adult who may have evil intentions may not have any crimes reported yet. I also feel the people the person who wishes to get a gun license lives with should be required to fill out forms as well. Everyone who lives in the house where there will be guns needs to be completely educated on gun safety and mentally capable of knowing right from wrong. Guns can get in the wrong hands too easily and I think it is important to make steps towards safer gun distribution. I do believe people should have the right to protect themselves, however I do not think everyone is made to be a gun owner. I am realistic and I know guns will never be eliminated from the public I think it is time for Americans to learn more about gun control and how we can ensure safety.

I am Amanda and I believe that it is too easy to obtain a gun license and purchase guns today in Massachusetts. The process doesn't seem in depth enough for someone who wants to carry a gun. Carrying a gun is a serious thing. The weapon can be harmful not only to the owner but to the people around him or her. In order for a person to receive a gun license they have to take a Basic Firearms Safety Course. Once the course is taken, the person can go to their local police station and apply for a gun. The police department runs a background check on the person to make sure they have no restraining orders, determine if they are suitable, and determine if they have any convictions and so on. The person also has to go for a mental health check. A person may have a clear background check, but may have crimes that have not been reported or the person may have baneful intentions with the weapon once in their possession. When a person has a mental health check it is only to assure they have never been institutionalized. It does not inform the police department if they are being treated or have been treated for a mental health issue. For example, a person trying to get a gun permit could be treated for bipolar but the officials would never know because they aren't required to disclose that information. I am grateful that all of these steps are acknowledged, but are they really proving that someone is capable of carrying a gun? In my opinion, the answer is no. It is too easy for someone to become a gun owner. I respect the idea that people want to protect themselves, and I know that guns will never be omitted in Massachusetts, but I think it is time for Americans to learn about how people obtain guns and what we can do to change the laws on gun ownership.

Hi I am Allison and I believe that the process to obtain a gun in Massachusetts is too easy. Yes, proper paperwork and background checks must be done but I do not feel like that is enough. Just because somebody has not committed a crime does not mean they are not going to. Just because someone wants to own a gun for protection does not mean that everyone in that home feels the same; not everyone in that home may be a good person with humane intentions. Many of the horrific crimes that have happened recently are due to it being too easy to legally obtain a gun, or guns being too easy to take from other people. Also the gun laws do not process mental illness as part of the FBI background check which I believe to be the most vital flaw in the process of getting a gun. I do not believe people should be penalized for having mental disorders, but to be given one of the most powerful items in the world that makes it so simple to hurt or kill someone is too much of a danger to themselves and the people around them.  I am also aware that there are people who hunt for sport (which I personally also do not agree with) as well as those who want a gun to protect themselves, especially due to the recent events. However if we weren’t allowing people to easily get possession of guns less people would be so scared and feel the need to have their own. It’s a vicious cycle that somebody needs to stop and that will only happen  if we as citizens come together, learn the most we can about the topic, and make America a safer place to live.