Need Help

[firstsgtsteiner]

My lovely sociology professor has assigned a very long paper to us, and by chance I have gotten the assignment on gun violence statistics. Now this guy has (as all liberal arts professors do) a major stick up his ass about guns, in fact the entire course has revolved around dun violence and the "masculinity of gun ownership", not even kidding, this guy is published with books on gun culture in america ( and very left leaning), but I digress.... I want to load this paper with statistics on how guns and ccw holders have prevented crime. Can anyone point me to a good source for this?

[Bendersquint]

My lovely sociology professor has assigned a very long paper to us, and by chance I have gotten the assignment on gun violence statistics. Now this guy has (as all liberal arts professors do) a major stick up his ass about guns, in fact the entire course has revolved around dun violence and the "masculinity of gun ownership", not even kidding, this guy is published with books on gun culture in america ( and very left leaning), but I digress.... I want to load this paper with statistics on how guns and ccw holders have prevented crime. Can anyone point me to a good source for this?

ATF and FBI have published statistics on this in the past, I would start there.

[continuity]

... I want to load this paper with statistics on how guns and ccw holders have prevented crime. Can anyone point me to a good source for this?

Agree with firstsgtsteiner for raw data. For documented examples, the NRA's "Armed Citizen" is a resource.

[poikilotrm]

Liberals are statists. Statists worship government. Government stats are the way to go. "Our President Obama's FBI says..." It'll F--k with him on a lot of levels.

[SRM]

fisherman in cody wyo. getting attacked by grizzlies.
can not defend your self with a firearm WITHOUT federal charges.
interesting. F--k THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Libertarian_Geek]

My lovely sociology professor has assigned a very long paper to us, and by chance I have gotten the assignment on gun violence statistics. Now this guy has (as all liberal arts professors do) a major stick up his ass about guns, in fact the entire course has revolved around dun violence and the "masculinity of gun ownership", not even kidding, this guy is published with books on gun culture in america ( and very left leaning), but I digress.... I want to load this paper with statistics on how guns and ccw holders have prevented crime. Can anyone point me to a good source for this?

Check your online resources for data. EBSCO Academic Search Premier, Gale, etc.. Most colleges now provide a vast array of excellent research material online. That's not to say that bias doesn't exist in the journals and articles.

[TROOPER]

Agree with firstsgtsteiner for raw data. For documented examples, the NRA's "Armed Citizen" is a resource.

I would shy away from this source since it isn't considered "neutral", even if it is telling the truth. The FBI's main page has homicide rates by year, by state, by method, and by race. You could also look at generic statistics per state on a before-and-after basis for their "must issue". Florida, for example, saw a statistically significant drop in violent crime after certain handgun freedoms were recognized. You could look at different nations, but it is very difficult to separate out cultural differences as it pertains to violence.

You can score brownie points if you quote the Brady folks, but you'll want to check their data against reality as they have a habit of making things up. The FBI's site is going to be your number one resource. In the paper, be sure to refer to it as "Eric Holder's justice department finds.... " for maximum humor.

Research Kennesaw, Georgia.


But before any of that, you need to ask yourself what your mission is. Are you trying to sway the instructor's opinion? Can his opinion even be swayed? Do you want an "A", do you want to learn? Just be aware that there are unofficial consequences for your paper, regardless of how you write it. Pick your consequences first, then pick the action that will yield those consequences. That instructor is a gate-keeper to your goals... he is NOT the goal itself.

[Libertarian_Geek]

Trooper offers wise words:

...
But before any of that, you need to ask yourself what your mission is. Are you trying to sway the instructor's opinion? Can his opinion even be swayed? Do you want an "A", do you want to learn? Just be aware that there are unofficial consequences for your paper, regardless of how you write it. Pick your consequences first, then pick the action that will yield those consequences. That instructor is a gate-keeper to your goals... he is NOT the goal itself.

I'm back in college too and my goals there are:

1> To get an education
2> To get a diploma as proof of my education

Neither of my goals are to change the opinions of the college's employees or students. If you must write an argumentative or persuasive essay or speech, know your audience and pander shamelessly. Work it. Manipulate it. Be focused on your goals and don't get distracted by your ego.

[Brittsc]

I once wrote and essay in favor of more gun control. I was told if you write about something you didn't know as much about or was opposite of what you felt you would find it easier to write the essay after doing your research. Did it change my opinion, hell no. But like geek said, just had to get that diploma!!

[firstsgtsteiner]

OK, after coming back to this after a few day, a lot of info....

Bender, thanks the FBI gave me a substantial amount of data.

Continuity, NRA is good for that but to legitimately use it I need to cite a left leaning page, which I did for fairness.

Poikilotrm, not trying to "F--k" with anyone, thats not how you change minds, thats how you make their resolve stronger in their views, and defeats the purpose...

SRM, its the bears castle law, your in their house stealing their fish they can kill you legally....

Trooper, see above, not injecting humor or pissing people off, not conducive to changing minds....

Libertarian, Never do/write/say anything against what you believe for a grade, job or whatever, If you don't get the grade or whatever because of your views then so be it, don't sell your beliefs for anything, thats a major problem today. Its not ego, its principle and what the right thing is to do.....

Knowing I am the youngblood here I'm figuring ill catch some crap for the above, but its ok, thanks all for your opinions and suggestions.

[Libertarian_Geek]

Libertarian, Never do/write/say anything against what you believe for a grade, job or whatever, If you don't get the grade or whatever because of your views then so be it, don't sell your beliefs for anything, thats a major problem today. Its not ego, its principle and what the right thing is to do.....

They shouldn't be grading me on my views and opinions, so they have no business knowing them.

Work and the rest of my life is another matter.

[poikilotrm]

Poikilotrm, not trying to "F--k" with anyone, thats not how you change minds, thats how you make their resolve stronger in their views, and defeats the purpose...

You misinterpret my meaning. If he is a leftist and you use data derived from his "God" he will have a hard time refuting it. Use his cognitive dissonance against him, a little psychological judo if you will.

[TROOPER]

Libertarian, Never do/write/say anything against what you believe for a grade, job or whatever, If you don't get the grade or whatever because of your views then so be it, don't sell your beliefs for anything, thats a major problem today. Its not ego, its principle and what the right thing is to do.....

LOL.

You're killing me, kid! Oh, that's just too damned funny! This is funnier than the black-and-white segment of an infomercial where people can't do anything right!

Your goal isn't to espouse your beliefs. That is a misconception of college. Part of your "higher education" is the ability to lie convincingly, empathize with your target audience, and sell BULLSHIT as though it has value. You are NOT in an "institution of higher learning" to learn what you already know. You please professor - you get "A"s. In an 'ideal world', "pleasing the professor" is articulately, eloquently, and succinctly stating a mature point arrived at by quality deductive reasoning based on comprehensive factual data. Heads up; you're not in an ideal world. The professor is smarter than you give him credit for, and if he doesn't like your views or your snarky, high-horse tone, then you'll find your grammatical points cost you more dearly than they would've otherwise.... and brother, you've got plenty of grammar errors in just the bit that I've quoted above.

It seems that one way or another, you're going to get a lesson out of this. The only interesting point in this whole scenario is how you're still operating under the assumption that "good guys always win". Try taking that 'no-compromise' attitude into a relationship -- you'll be very right, and very alone.

[doubloon]

... the ability to lie convincingly, empathize with your target audience, and sell BULLSHIT as though it has value. ...

These are the tools that will reap great success in the business world, any business, even the business of humanitarianism. And don't kid yourself that something which moves money is not a business or that anyone who tells you different isn't either manipulating you or being manipulated.

The only refuge left in this world for ethics, honesty and morals is family, if you're lucky, and friends, if you're really lucky.

Straight from the heart.

[MJF1911]

I had a similar situation, however it was an environmental studies asst. professor that I butted heads with.

If you write what they want, you'll get a good grade and move along. If you write what you want (which I did) you'll probably have a fight on your hands. I won the fight, got my grade, she got fired. It was highly stressful and took a year to accomplish, in the end the head of the dept. also got fired.

No amount of facts and proper citations are going to sway your professor.

[Libertarian_Geek]

At the risk of broad-brushing things, I'm 38 and am back in college. I see lots of versions of my younger self in class.