The strongest argument - Essay Example

It shows that Lott has a stronger case, because he presents validated claims with relevant examples, statistics, and authority, though he has some weak assumptions, while Mitchard focuses too much on anecdotal evidence and one authority to support her claims. Lott presents stronger claims than Mitchard with pervasive use of statistics, logic, and ethos. Lott claims that carrying guns in school can deter violence, which happens outside schools already. First, he establishes the pervasiveness of gun-carrying laws through the historical trend that supports carrying guns: “In 1985, just eight states had right-to-carry laws.

Today [2003], 35 states do.” Second, he uses more statistics to demonstrate that where there are guns, violence is lesser: “[studies give evidence] that on average, states that adopt right-to-carry laws experience a 60% drop in the rates at which the attacks occur, and a 78% drop in the rates at which people are killed or injured from such attacks.” These statistics are relevant, although the last one mentioned here is a bit outdated. Still, they offer information that having guns can deter violence.

Lott also uses relevant authorities to support him. He says: “Annual surveys of crime victims in the United States by the Justice Department show that when confronted by a criminal, people are safest if they have a gun.” This means that people feel they are safer, since they can protect themselves. This has no correlation though with lesser violence rates. Lott also conducted studies on gun violence. This gives him ethos on why and how guns can reduce and stop school violence. Lott also handles objections to his claims.

He notes that one of the main sources of objections that people use comes from the media. The news alone shows many people dying because of guns, and even from law-abiding citizens who had sanity lapses and use their guns during intensely emotional events. Lott underscores that the “2 million times