Help needed for speech

[Archer]

Hello folks,

brand new member here. I'm a student who is giving a persuasive speech for one of my classes. I've decided that my topic will be:

Concealed carry is beneficial to the overall safety of both the individual and the public, and should be permitted everywhere.


The topic will delve into how precisely CC or Licensed handgun owners affect crime rates, and how CC on college campuses is particularly beneficial. It will also touch on the idiocy of "gun-free zones" as nothing more than potential killing fields where those who mean to do harm know they are unlikely to encounter opposition (i.e., Viginia Tech or Ft. Hood).


I have some ideas in mind as to how I am going to structure this. However, I do not want to halfa** it. I don't want it to be one of those speeches that provides alot of points with no statistical data to back them up. I will be primarily using the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, as well as some other sources. I am, however, TERRIBLE at analyzing and interpreting statisitcs.

So what I am asking for is someone who can help me incorporate the stats accurately and efficiently into my speech. Also, if you have any points you feel I should include, feel free to post them here. Keep in mind I would like to keep politics out of the speech as much as possible, the speech is designed to shed light on the benifits on carrying, not bash the liberals.


Also let me say thank you in advance for your future input.

 

[GuyRelford]

Hello folks,

brand new member here. I'm a student who is giving a persuasive speech for one of my classes. I've decided that my topic will be:

Concealed carry is beneficial to the overall safety of both the individual and the public, and should be permitted everywhere.


The topic will delve into how precisely CC or Licensed handgun owners affect crime rates, and how CC on college campuses is particularly beneficial. It will also touch on the idiocy of "gun-free zones" as nothing more than potential killing fields where those who mean to do harm know they are unlikely to encounter opposition (i.e., Viginia Tech or Ft. Hood).


I have some ideas in mind as to how I am going to structure this. However, I do not want to halfa** it. I don't want it to be one of those speeches that provides alot of points with no statistical data to back them up. I will be primarily using the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, as well as some other sources. I am, however, TERRIBLE at analyzing and interpreting statisitcs.

So what I am asking for is someone who can help me incorporate the stats accurately and efficiently into my speech. Also, if you have any points you feel I should include, feel free to post them here. Keep in mind I would like to keep politics out of the speech as much as possible, the speech is designed to shed light on the benifits on carrying, not bash the liberals.


Also let me say thank you in advance for your future input.

As one resource, check out "More Guns - Less Crime," by John R. Lott. It's widely available. There's also a great interview with Mr. Lott at Interview with John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime that puts his book into perspective.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

As well you may want to look into the work of Gary Kleck at Florida State.

Here's a useful link: GunCite-Gun Control-How Often Are Guns Used in Self-Defense?

 

[Archer]

As one resource, check out "More Guns - Less Crime," by John R. Lott. It's widely available. There's also a great interview with Mr. Lott at Interview with John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime that puts his book into perspective.

thanks, I already ordered it on amazon. I also went to borders and picked up Massad Ayoob's The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, which has been a pretty interesting read so far.

 

[Pale Rider]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/carry_issues_and_self_defense/51604-what_those_who_do_not_carry_should_know_about_those_of_us_who_do_carry.html#post561269

not as useful as research or a book, but may give you some good one liners and other things to throw in there.

 

[Shoots4Fun]

Some of this is a bit old, but this is an interesting site as well (not limited to carrying but it is included)...

Gun Facts - Your guide for debunking gun control myth

Hope it helps and good luck.

 

[in_betts]

I would also encourage you to include the statements from actual people who found themselves unarmed in a terrible situation because they thought they were doing the "right" thing by abiding by the law and not carrying when SHTF.

I don't have time to look it up right now but one gal from the Luby's shooting in Texas has been very outspoken as she had her weapon in the car, but it did her no good inside the restaurant. I will post more details later but you can google Luby's shooting an get her name.

 

[mrjarrell]

Personally, I wouldn't make it all about concealed carry. Open carry is completely legal in many places and acts as a strong deterrent, too. OC is legal in Indiana, with a LTCH, too. Carrying should be your issue, not just concealed carry. Many INGO members are open carriers, as are many people throughout the country.

 

[esrice]

Carrying should be your issue, not just concealed carry.

I agree. No sense in putting limits on things right out of the gate.

 

[esrice]

This could be helpful as well.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/general_firearms_discussion/35599-college_speech_paper.html

 

[Timjoebillybob]

I would also encourage you to include the statements from actual people who found themselves unarmed in a terrible situation because they thought they were doing the "right" thing by abiding by the law and not carrying when SHTF.

I don't have time to look it up right now but one gal from the Luby's shooting in Texas has been very outspoken as she had her weapon in the car, but it did her no good inside the restaurant. I will post more details later but you can google Luby's shooting an get her name.

The ladies name is Suzanna Hupp

 

[Bill of Rights]

The ladies name is Suzanna Hupp

Correct, a Texas veteranarian who was, for a time, a state legislator, and partly/mostly responsible for the passage of a law in Texas relaxing the unConstitutional restrictions on the carry of firearms.

Dr. Suzanna Gratia Hupp was forced to watch her father, then her mother, shot in the chest and head, respectively, while her own pistol was locked in her car in the parking lot in compliance with then-state law. When the murderer drove through the front window of the cafeteria, exited his truck, and began shooting, she had the perfect shot to end the killing of the innocent with the killing of the guilty, had she only had her pistol with her.

Approximately two months later, in Anniston, AL, there was a robbery of a Shoney's, in which the diners were being herded back to the back room. One of them pulled his pistol, killing one robber and wounding the other.

All of us know the story of what happened to Dr. Hupp's parents; it was all over the news how a man with a gun killed innocent people. Few know about the foiled robbery at the Anniston Shoney's.

Could it be that the media reporting of a SD shooting isn't as enthusiastic as that of the murder of innocents by a madman with a gun?

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Archer]

Personally, I wouldn't make it all about concealed carry. Open carry is completely legal in many places and acts as a strong deterrent, too. OC is legal in Indiana, with a LTCH, too. Carrying should be your issue, not just concealed carry. Many INGO members are open carriers, as are many people throughout the country.

Thanks for pointing that out. I revised the speech accordingly. Also, big thanks to everyone else for you continued input.

So far the speech is going well, I've been trudging through these statistics for the PowerPoint as well as the actual speech, and it's coming along nicely. I've discovered alot of interesting information, one tidbit especially that I will share with you.

New Jersey, that state from which I hail, has restrictive, suffocating legislature, tedious and exhaustive purchasing procedures which deter most law abiding citizens from purchasing a handgun. According to a study by CQ Press in 2008, New Jersey ranked 20th in the country as safest state based on murder rates. New Jersey is a “may-issue state”, but as I’ve stated, their restrictive views on concealed carry prevents most citizens from obtaining a permit. In 2008, despite their myriad of gun laws, there were 376 murders. Of those 376 murders, 236 were perpetrated using firearms. Of the 236 firearm-related murders, 202 of them were with handguns(FBI CIUS 2008). Obviously, keeping handguns out of the hands of citizens hasn’t slowed their use in crimes. NJ has not published their statewide percentage of CC permit holders.

Let’s take a look at South Dakota. South Dakota is ranked 5th safest state in terms of murder rates, and is a “shall-issue” state. They also boast the highest percentage of permit holders, with 7.45% of the population being armed. Predictably, their murder rates were far lower, at a paltry 22 in 2008. Of the 22 homicides, 13 used firearms. And of those 13 firearm-related murders, only 4 involved the use of a handgun.

For those who are scratching their heads at all these numbers(I know I was when I first looked at them), let me show you roughly how it will be presented on the PowerPoint.

NJ
-20th safest state
-“May-issue” (mostly restricted)
-unpublished percentage of permit holders
-376 murders in 2008
-236/376 firearm-related
-202/236 handgun-related

SD
-5th safest state
-“Shall-issue”
-7.45%(highest in US) of state is permit holders
-22 murders in 2008
-13/22 firearm-related
-4/13 handgun-related

Now, any opponent of concealed carry would waste no time in pointing out to me that the populations of NJ (8,682,661) and SD (804,194) are vastly different, thus rendering my facts inaccurate. To which I would reply (just a little smugly), that proponents of gun rights tend to be VERY accurate (pun intended), and that I did the math. If South Dakota had the population of New Jersey, they would have had 238 murders total (rounded up) in 2008. That is 138 less murders than New Jersey’s 376 total, whose gun laws are significantly more stringent than South Dakota. If we did the math just using the handgun numbers, South Dakota would have only 44 murders caused by handguns, 158 less than New Jersey’s 202. I would then make the point that 138 or 158 less lives lost is a very important number, and that allowing law-abiding citizens to carry in NJ certainly can’t hurt their dismal numbers. The only change in statistics I would predict would be a rise in justifiable homicides of felons in the act of committing a felony.



sorry this was so lengthy, but I feel that they are important figures that should be seen by all.

 

[mrjarrell]

SD is also an open carry state and lots of people do it there. They have state preemption protecting that style of carry. The western states are much safer than back east, not just due to lowered population. Much of it has to do with their attitude towards open and concealed carry. They, unlike Indiana, understand what their state constitutions say.

 

[Archer]

SD is also an open carry state and lots of people do it there. They have state preemption protecting that style of carry. The western states are much safer than back east, not just due to lowered population. Much of it has to do with their attitude towards open and concealed carry. They, unlike Indiana, understand what their state constitutions say.

I'm just thankful it isn't a hassle to purchase and carry here in IN. I used New Jersey in my example specifically because it's my home state, and as terrible as laws there are, places like New York City and Massachusetts are even worse

 

[Archer]

can anyone help me locate some statistics on how often or how many felonies are committed by CC'ers? I've seen some numbers for revoked permits in NC and a couple other states, but I'm hoping to find something nationwide. I know the number isn't very high, I want to use as a counter-arguement for gun free zones