Gun Violence And Media Perspective Research (Essay Sample)

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Gun Violence: A Media Perspective
Gun-related violence is a major social problem affecting the United States. In the recent years, gun-related violence has had much media attention, and there are diverse opinions in every media platform. Liberal and conservative media outlets express distinct sentiments on the issue depending on their political stand. Gun violence is a constant problem and media platforms deliver news on the issue consistently with arguments supporting their stance. In the recent incidences such as the Orlando shooting, people and the media were outraged with different opinions voiced on whether there should be more gun control or not. The liberal media supports the Democrats stance on the issue while the conservative outlets back the Republicans stance.
The liberal media platforms such as NY Times and LA Times support the Democrats attitude towards gun violence that there should be additional gun control laws as the ease of access to guns increases the tendency of violence. The conservative media such as Fox News and Orange County Register back the Republicans stance on gun rights that gun control does not have an effect on gun violence as more guns in the hands of upright citizens actually means less crime. Conservative media argue that gun violence is as a result of other circumstantial factors such as poverty and mentally ill assailants and not the gun culture in America.
Liberal media outlets support the Democrats interpretation of The Second Amendment, that it does not give the general public the right to own guns, but only to the states’ National Guards. They back the idea of additional gun control laws to limit the gun violence incidences in America. NY Times and LA Times view gun ownership as the prime factor to the gun-related violence occurring in the country. They argue that gun control is necessary because it will limit criminals’ ability to obtain firearms with ease. During the recent aftermath of the Orlando shootings, the liberal media conveyed their opinion on the need for additional gun laws as the widespread ownership of guns in the American culture increases the frequency of violent shootings. They argue that the presence of guns in households leads to their use in domestic disputes, community mass killings, and suicides. The media compares the gun control laws with other countries such as Canada where an individual cannot obtain a license to purchase a gun if he has a history of violence or mental instability. The liberal media NY Times advocate that people do not need guns for protection because it’s the government duty to protect its citizens CITATION The16 \l 1033 (The New York Times, 2016).
Conservative media outlets advocate the Republicans interpretation of The Second Amendment, which gives people the right to possess and own arms. They argue that gun control is not necessary as every individual has the right to protect themselves from harm by owning firearms. Fox News view gun violence as a problem caused by other factors that do not relate to gun ownership and the gun culture in America. They argue that poverty in certain communities increase the crime rates that eventually leads to gun violence. In their point of view, criminals will obtain firearms regardless of gun control laws so the government should focus on measures to reduce crime rates and rehabilitating criminals. After the Orlando shootings, Fox News argued that the assailants targeted the region because it’s a gun free zone supporting their stance that ownership of guns helps citizens to protect themselves. Conservative media outlets claim that additional gun control laws will not lower gun-related crime rate, only application of current laws will achieve that CITATION Fox171 \l 1033 (Fox News, 2017).
The liberal media outlets advocate for every potential gun owner to pass a background check before obtaining a permit to own a firearm. They present messages that express there are lower gun violence incidences in regions with more restrictive laws on guns. The NY Times claim that most of the mass public shooting that took place between the year 2009 and 2014 in which more than four people were killed occurred in regions where gun ownership was not banned, and an armed security was present. They argue that with the past weapon control and safety laws passed such as control over the purchase of bomb-making ingredients it is clear that control laws have an influence. They also claim that any individual owning a gun other than a hunting rifle intends to kill others even in self-defense and hence this should not be acceptable in a civilized society CITATION Eva16 \l 1033 (Evan DeFilippis, 2016).
The conservative media outlets advocate that every US citizen should have the right to own a firearm. They present messages that express that there are fatal gun violence incidences in regions where guns are banned as criminals and assailants tend to target gun free zones. Fox News claim that even in countries where gun ownership is prohibited assailants can still cause deadlier massacres with other weapons hence gun control is not a solution to curbing violence. In their point of view, gun violence stems from poverty, gang related disputes, social dysfunction in certain communities and mentally ill ind...