Arming Is Not the Solution

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Arming Is Not the Solution The author of “Right to Bear Arms”, Linda Chavez, is bringing up an interesting topic about the rights of possessing guns for personal protection. Based on multiple personal experiences she has endured in her life, Chavez believes that bearing arms is an individual right. Her argument is convincing if we looked at it from the victim’s point of view; on the other hand, it is not persuasive because it is ignoring the risks and consequences behind spreading weapons among civilians. It’s not questionable that people should have the right to defend themselves when someone attacks them; in fact, being a victim herself clearly explains why the author stands up so strongly for the right to bear arms. Last summer, my two cousins were working at their father’s shop as usual. One night, a person with a big knife entered the shop; he went to the front desk and asked my cousin to give him all the available money. Luckily, my other cousin went to the back office and grabbed a gun and threatened the thief. He forced him to leave the knife and lay down on the floor until the police showed up. Such incident would definitely support the writer’s point of view and give her a clear justification for her argument, particularly in a situation where using a personal gun against the attacker might save a family member’s life. On the other hand, and because Chavez is depending on her personal experience for not having a weapon to defend herself in couple of incidents, she was only expressing the situation as a victim. She is assuming that the victim will be able to protect him/herself more efficiently with a gun in case of criminal attack, therefore, she ignores the fact that the chances of escalating the situation when the victim has a weapon is considerably high. Unlike the victim, the attacker is usually more prepared for using a gun, and in most cases, he
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