Week 2 Sentence and Paragraph Outlines
Our Blind Spot about Guns Article by Nicholas Kristof Analysis
Sentence Outline
1. Thesis sentence (main idea)
Kristof (2019) argues that there are fewer restrictions on gun regulations than restrictions imposed on cars, but changing these restrictions will change the lives of many people.
2. Summary sentence
Kristof understands that if the government can improve strategies of gun regulation, America will experience a reduction in gun homicide among the citizens.
What is the author’s argument on the topic?
The author argues that guns have long remained a significant threat to human life since they are not adequately regulated. It is their uncontrolled use nature that leads to high rates of homicide cases, something that many people consider not true. However, in reality, society is negatively affected by the high presence of guns among members of society.
3. Introduction of author’s evidence (quote)
Kristof (2019) provides cases of reported homicides where guns are used and compares them with the number of motor vehicle accidents. He also demonstrates how vehicles are regulated to prevent instances of accidents by drivers having a series of rules to comply with something that is not applied when it comes to guns. For instance, Kristof states, “one constraint, the argument goes, is the Second Amendment. Yet the paradox is that a bit more than a century ago, there was no universally recognized individual right to bear arms in the United States. However, there was widely believed to be a “right to travel” that allowed people to drive cars without regulation” (p. 163).
4. Identify one writing strategy (rhetorical mode) the author uses to make their argument.
The author uses a comparing and contrasting writing strategy to show the difference in different scenarios for people to understand what it is like and what it would be like in the case proposed measures are put in place.
· What is your position on the topic?
Guns are important for personal and public use as they help increase levels of security. However, there should be a lot of control measures on how and when they should be used. There should be clear penalties for the abuse of guns as this would help reduce increasing cases of gun abuse, a reality that has been ignored for a long time.
5. Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?
Yes, I agree with the author because there have been many cases where licensed gun holders have used guns wrongly, leading to loss of life, and no action has been taken against them as they have been able to argue that they felt that their safety was being threatened. It is important for gun owners to be controlled so they can stop risking the lives of people who do not own guns.
Describe reasons why someone might disagree with the author’s stance.
Someone might disagree with the author’s argument since there are many other causes of death and that guns only contribute a fraction of the total number of deaths. Somebody opposing might argue that causes of death are diverse and only focusing on guns might not have any noticeable impact, so not much attention should be granted.
6. Introduce a source from library that supports your view
Leah Gernreich: It’s a national shame that guns have been exempted from product safety regulation. She says if we continue with business as usual, guns will kill more Americans than cars by 2015. New York is not one of these states thanks to strong laws that keep guns out of the wrong hands.
7. Describe the author’s audience and a possible opposing view
