2. Analyze the short extreme argument that follows. Then identify its claims, reasons, and evidence. Issue: Ban on Assault Weapons Excerpt from “Three Simple Reasons Why an Assault-Weapons Ban is Bad Policy” “It’s always remarkable to me that assault-weapons bans dominate the gun-control conversation after mass shootings. Yes, I understand that AR-15s or similar weapons have been used in a number of recent attacks, but when we slow down, take a breath, and look at actual gun crime, the logic for banning the kind of weapon that millions of Americans use for entirely lawful purposes (including self-defense) starts to disappear. “Let’s break this down by three broad categories of gun deaths. “First, an assault-weapons ban is irrelevant to suicide deaths. The large majority of gun deaths are suicides, and there is no credible argument that an assault-weapons ban will have the slightest effect on suicide. I’m not sure that I’ve ever even heard anyone make the argument. “Second, an assault-weapons ban is statistically meaningless to homicide deaths. Rifles of all kinds kill fewer people annually than knives or even feet or fists. An assault-weapons ban (really a ban on future sales; proposed laws would not take a single so-called assault weapon off the streets) would be aimed at a firearm that is rarely used to kill. “Third, there’s no evidence that banning assault weapons would prevent mass shootings. This is a key point. The post-shooting debate is often conducted as if folks think that if a mass shooter can’t get an assault weapon, he won’t shoot at all. Blocking access to a new AR-15 is not remotely the same thing as stopping a mass shooting.” Source: French, David. “Three Simple Reasons Why an Assault-Weapons Ban is Bad Policy.” National Review, 27 Mar. 2018, www.nationalreview.com/corner/assault-weapons-ban-bad-policy-arguments-against/   Claims: Check all that apply. ___An assault weapon ban is just a ban on future sales.   ___Crime rates are lower and assault weapon sales are higher.   ___We should not ban assault weapons.   ___Guns don’t kill; people do.     Reasons: Check all that apply. ___A ban on assault weapons would not lower the number of people murdered.   ___Even with a ban on assault weapons, people would still buy them illegally.   ___A ban on assault weapons would not lower the number of suicides.   ___A ban on assault weapons would not keep mass shootings from happening.     Evidence: Check all that apply. ___Assault weapons enable the shooter to kill more people in less amount of time.   ___“I’m not even sure that I’ve ever even heard anyone make the argument.”   ___“Blocking access to a new AR-15 is not remotely the same thing as stopping a mass shooting.”   ____“Rifles of all kinds kill fewer people annually than knives or even feet or fists.”

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
10th Edition
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Chapter1: Introducing Social Psychology
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1RQ1
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Question
2. Analyze the short extreme argument that follows. Then identify its claims, reasons, and evidence.
Issue: Ban on Assault Weapons
Excerpt from “Three Simple Reasons Why an Assault-Weapons Ban is Bad Policy”
“It’s always remarkable to me that assault-weapons bans dominate the gun-control conversation after mass shootings. Yes, I understand that AR-15s or similar weapons have been used in a number of recent attacks, but when we slow down, take a breath, and look at actual gun crime, the logic for banning the kind of weapon that millions of Americans use for entirely lawful purposes (including self-defense) starts to disappear.
“Let’s break this down by three broad categories of gun deaths.
“First, an assault-weapons ban is irrelevant to suicide deaths. The large majority of gun deaths are suicides, and there is no credible argument that an assault-weapons ban will have the slightest effect on suicide. I’m not sure that I’ve ever even heard anyone make the argument.
“Second, an assault-weapons ban is statistically meaningless to homicide deaths. Rifles of all kinds kill fewer people annually than knives or even feet or fists. An assault-weapons ban (really a ban on future sales; proposed laws would not take a single so-called assault weapon off the streets) would be aimed at a firearm that is rarely used to kill.
“Third, there’s no evidence that banning assault weapons would prevent mass shootings. This is a key point. The post-shooting debate is often conducted as if folks think that if a mass shooter can’t get an assault weapon, he won’t shoot at all. Blocking access to a new AR-15 is not remotely the same thing as stopping a mass shooting.”
Source: French, David. “Three Simple Reasons Why an Assault-Weapons Ban is Bad Policy.” National Review, 27 Mar. 2018, www.nationalreview.com/corner/assault-weapons-ban-bad-policy-arguments-against/
 
Claims: Check all that apply.
___An assault weapon ban is just a ban on future sales.
 
___Crime rates are lower and assault weapon sales are higher.
 
___We should not ban assault weapons.
 
___Guns don’t kill; people do.
 
 
Reasons: Check all that apply.
___A ban on assault weapons would not lower the number of people murdered.
 
___Even with a ban on assault weapons, people would still buy them illegally.
 
___A ban on assault weapons would not lower the number of suicides.
 
___A ban on assault weapons would not keep mass shootings from happening.
 
 
Evidence: Check all that apply.
___Assault weapons enable the shooter to kill more people in less amount of time.
 
___“I’m not even sure that I’ve ever even heard anyone make the argument.”
 
___“Blocking access to a new AR-15 is not remotely the same thing as stopping a mass shooting.”
 
____“Rifles of all kinds kill fewer people annually than knives or even feet or fists.”
 
 
 
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