Article Critique: People Are More Likely To Kill When They Have a Gun - Essay Example

Article Critique: People Are More Likely To Kill When They Have a GunSummary The article titled “People Are More Likely To Kill When They Have A Gun” was authored by Cynthia Tucker and the main argument that the author is trying to make in the article is that if citizens are allowed to own and carry guns they are most likely to kill another individual over a small feud because human beings lose their ability to think in a rational manner when they are angry (Tucker 1). The author states that various events of killing with a gun take place throughout US but still individuals continue to promote relaxed gun laws and the policy makers only come into action when the incident is huge enough to gain publicity.

The author talks about an incident occurring near a theater. In this incident two individuals entered a dispute, one of them who had a concealed weapon license got angry and shot the other individual. The author states that although people have been arguing against complete ban on guns, they have been promoting that license should be provided after thorough medical and background checks. The author states that guns should be banned completely because in this incident ex-police officer made the kill that was well trained to carry a concealed weapon.

Critique The validity of the article is quite questionable firstly because there is a lack of information regarding the author. The website only provides an email address through which the author can be contacted and states that the author has won Pulitzer Prize for commentary during the period of 2007. This exhibits that the author is a good journalist but at the same time the author seems to lack the experience on the subject of gun control. Being a good journalist or a good blogger or columnist does not make an individual an expert of different subjects.

I do not agree with the author’s conclusion that complete ban on weapons will decrease the incidences of people getting killed by guns. This is because people mostly use guns in self defense and all human beings are not irrational when they experience anger or they enter into a dispute. A few incidences of gun shots being fired as a result of anger is simply not enough to justify a complete ban on weapons. If guns are completely banned, the citizens who use them for their protection will be at a disadvantage against the criminals.

Instead of banning guns, strict actions need to be taken against people who fire their weapons in an irrational manner in order to deter future incidences that are similar to the one that has been quoted by the author. The article lacks validity and credibility. One of the reasons due to which the article seems invalid is that the author has not provided enough evidence to support their claims and due to this their claims seem to be biased. The author has cited details provided by an organization related to events of shootings where individuals did not use their weapons in self defense.

But they have not cited the other side’s argument and the number of times criminal activity involving use of guns is deterred due to concealed weapon laws. Works CitedTucker, Cynthia. "PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO KILL WHEN THEY HAVE A GUN." Yahoo News, 2014. Web. 21 Mar 2014. .