Gun Control

The websites I have chosen to look at are http://www.kc3.com/index-2.html and http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~zj5j-gttl/guns.htm. The first being a anti-gun control website and the second being a pro-gun control website.

The first website is called KC3 which stands for Kentucky Coalition to Carry Concealed. This in itself immediately tells us where the owners of the website stand in the gun control debate and indicate what message the website is trying to get across. What first struck me about this website is the use of the phrase "Because the right to protect yourself shouldn't stop at your front door." The phrase is situated right in the middle of the websites homepage and immediately your focus is drawn there. It is also a link to the websites main page so is a way to make the audience look at more information on the website. Once you click on this link the main page gives you a little more information about the groups stand in the gun control debate. You are also given the chance to join the group just by clicking on one link "click HERE to JOIN KC3". The words here and join being in capital letters is a way of the owner trying to grab the audiences attention and entice them join. Another part of the main page that caught my attention was the Thomas Jefferson quote "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." which can be found on the right hand side of the page. This seems to be a common feature of most anti-gun control websites as it is a way of echoing the views that anti gun-control groups with an important historical/political figure. When looking around the website further I found that on each page there was a different quotes from people such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and even reference to the 2nd Amendment. Although this website does not contain many images it is not heavily text based either, each sections is split up into small paragraphs which makes the website more appealing. The small paragraphs just give you an over view and the tone of the website is polite and seems as if the people behind it know and are passionate about the issue.

My second website has the title "A case for Gun Control" which again, immediately shows where the author stands in the gun control debate. Much like the anti-gun control website this site refers to the second amendment. However the author goes on to discuss why the second amendment is not absolute, looking at both the moral and legal reasons as to why this is so. In their argument, the author references many other sources and cases making their point stronger. Under a section titled the problem with guns this quote is used "they make it easy to kill or injure a person." The use of the word kill in particular is interesting as although this is a very true statement, kill is a powerful word. However I believe this is the effect the author wanted the word to have on the audience, kill is a powerful word, a gun is a powerful weapon with powerful consequences. In the final section of the website the author proposes their own plans for gun control as they state that "Although I would personally like to see as many civilian-owned guns eliminated from mainstream society as possible, I realize that this is not a politically realistic goal." This negative view point suggests that the view of the majority of Americans is conflicting to that of the author the website and he is happy to meet some where in the middle on this issue. This is not true of the anti-gun control website thus suggesting that maybe they have a stronger case than that of pro-gun control groups.

Initially I was more convinced by the pro-gun control website, although I think that this could be because of preconceived ideas that I already held. However the final part of the pro-gun control website implied that this is not a strong argument and one that will never be seen in put into action in American law. I think that if Americans were looking at the two websites they would probably be more convinced by the anti-gun control website as it reinforces the rights and freedoms you have as an American and that you should stand up for those. Therefore I feel the anti-gun control website is more convincing as it sticks to what it stands for and thus makes a better argument, however it did not change my views on gun control.