On many College campuses today even the mention of the word “gun” can lead to a panic for all those that hear it. America is a very different place today than it was only a mere fifty years ago. In the mid 1900s it was not uncommon for high-schools and even some grade-schools to incorporate firearm safety and education courses into physical activity classes. Many students learned how to safely handle and shoot firearms under the direct supervision of a trained adult. So why is it that today even the mention of “gun” leads so many children, students, and adults into a panic? I believe that a large part of the public has been mislead by the media and celebrities into thinking that all guns, except a police officers, are dangerous and meant to …show more content…
This is a very complex issue that largely is based on the publics current views and perception of crime and firearms, it can change very quickly in the event of an administrative change such as the one we are going through now with the Trump administration who was supported heavily by the NRA and other pro-firearm groups. One of now President Trumps central claims on his 2016 campaign trail was that illegal immigrants from Mexico were bringing almost exclusively crime to the US and a lot of it. This claim is/was not at all factual and was only meant to make voters think that illegal Mexican immigrants were all violent criminals and to thus vote for Trump as he ran a very strong platform against these illegal immigrants. This platform was backed heavily by the NRA and similar groups. While Presidents can provoke certain feelings from the public during their campaigning, it is important to note that regardless of the public’s changing views, it has been proven by many studies, such as Fortunato’s, that firearms in the hands of legal, responsible owners do lead to crime being lowered. These studies are founded on facts and research, not by emotional appeals that Presidential candidates often use heavily. It is apparent that Presidential candidates can heavily influence public opinion, if they make an issue seem like a huge problem, such as gun control and illegal immigrants, they can gather support from many people who will believe them. So why is it that in America the public bases so many of its opinions, such as those on gun control and concealed carry, on emotional views and not factual based views? Clearly, more research is needed on concealed carry to better inform the public on its true purpose and