Dick & De Crevecoeur VS Society

Horatio Alger's 'Ragged Dick' explores 'rags to riches' theory throughout the novel, a young homeless orphan who eventually flourishes to a respectable clerk by working hard to achieve an education and takes every opportunity that is available to him, which is (fictional) proof of De Crevecoeur's theory of 'handwork'. De Crevecoeur states "idleness is the most heinous sin that can be committed". He also suggests that hard-work and determination is the only way to get anywhere in the United States of America. 

The idea present in Ragged Dick, is the notion that education is the way forward. However, a modern social issue that challenges this idea, is that after leaving education it is harder for one to gain a job. A film that challenges Ragged Dick, especially in today's society, is 'The Internship' (2013).

There is a scene within 'The Internship' in which the characters talk about the 'fantasy' that is the American Dream. Young, tech-savvy geniuses are fighting for the same job, because they feel as though, it is hard to get a job, even after being educated. There is also the idea that people who aren't educated, can try and work there way up, although being extremely difficult in todays world. 

Realistically, the idea that in order for someone to succeed they have to be educated, yes is still present, for those who are not may have difficulty, but on the other hand, even if you are educated, the American Dream, isn't so readily available.

Gun Control

http://dailycaller.com/2012/12/17/why-im-against-gun-control/

This article is not wholly against gun control however it does explain that gun control will not work and does not make people safer. Peter Tucci suggests that restrictions on gun control such as background checks would not work as there are many owned guns in the country (270 million) in which criminals can get there hands on with no background check, through family and friends or theft. Also the fact that there are so many firearms in the US makes it hard to ban guns as not only will that violate the 2nd Amendment but it will be hard for the government to eliminate every gun. He also states that gun control will affect law abiding citizens and will remove the protection they feel by having a gun.

http://www.demandaction.org/issues

This is an activist website who want tough action on gun control, they have three plans of action, make background checks needed for all gun purchases, ban military weapons and high capacity magazines, make gun trafficking a federal crime.
1. it is necessary for background checks as 40% of guns sold are online or at gun shows with no background checks - as of 2012 that is 6.6 m guns.

2. military guns can be purchased by people even with criminal record or mental illness by an unlicensed private seller (no background checks) which is a problem as between Jan 2009 -  Sept 2013 14% of mass shootings were with military style assault weapons.

3. there is no clear effective statute against gun trafficking however thousands of guns are purchased out of state and in cities like New York 90% of gun violence are from weapons from outside the city. No one is keeping track on the export of theses weapons.

I agree with demand action and that there should be more enforcement from federal law to keep records and tracks of guns, even if guns can never be banned entirely there should be definite restrictions on who can sell and buy guns and where the guns go.

Safe and secure…???

ANTI-GUN CONTROL http://www.armedandsecure.org
Armed and Secure is a website, TV commercial and radio ad that is Anti-gun control, it believes that the right to own firearms, is the only way to protect oneself. An example of that is posted by 'Armed and Secure is a video that can be found on youtube.  http://youtu.be/4-CU0PmzET4

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http://www.demandaction.org/">http://www.demandaction.org
Whereas, Demandaplan.org explores the millions that want to take action against gun violence and put a stop to any gun related tragedies that occur just because people are allowed by the second amendment, to own a gun. Here is a highly popular commercial, made by demand action, featuring celebrities and their view on gun culture. http://youtu.be/1SqDocHFJ8k

gun control

http://www.comeandtakeit.com/index.html

The first of the websites I have chosen to discuss is "come and take it", which in itself sounds confrontational and stubborn already. The website is keen to point out what is said in the constitution and how to go against the constitution would be un-American. another of it's focuses is to tell the people that it is particularly important for an American to defend themselves. Rather than highlighting the role guns have in making an American feel safe, it's instead more worried about making you more conscious and afraid and that to be an American without a gun means you're not safe, almost to say to not trust your fellow countrymen. Their aim is to make the people who view the website to be scared and feel afraid if they do not have a gun on the person, which is a desperate attempt to make people believe that guns are a positive thing.

The website generally seems to be hugely right wing and massively patriotic. It sells American flags and states that all the "goods" sold are 100% American material and used American workers to make them. It states that they do not advocate the use of slave labour from the "communist countries". This to me is a ploy of heightening the person, who views the website, level of patriotism as a way of converting them onto their side to make them a pro gun campaigner.

http://www.gun-control-facts.com/Anti-Gun.php

I think that the US has not wanted guns to be part of their way of life for some time. This website states that even in the 1930's heavy taxations and strict regulation laws were put in place to make gun control more manageable. This ploy of making the availability of guns recede is a sign that the US doesn't actually want guns. They are merely stuck with an amendment, which some see as a bible, that means that they have to put up right wing citizens which leaves a country with regulations that it doesn't really want.
However, this website does not want a ban on all guns; it would rather have the screw tightened as far as the regulation and distribution of guns is concerned. The reason it gives for this is so guns are kept out of the hands of "shady dealers" and "dangerous individuals". Other reasons it gives is that the statistics of children and women murdered are quite shocking. I believe that this is a ploy that makes the viewer of the website feel sympathy and gain an understanding that the most innocent are getting killed by irresponsible, mental (couldn't think of a more PC word) individuals.

Should Americans be allowed guns?

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is the right to bear arms, an amendment which has caused much debate. Owning a gun is seen as a given right, in the land of the free, with gun ownership being traced back to the times of settlers. However, many argue that although guns can be viewed as quintessentially American, they have no place in society today, and view them as unnecessary and dangerous, which has been highlighted in cases such as the Sandy Hook school shooting.

For Gun Control: http://www.policymic.com/articles/72067/gun-control-debate-the-argument-that-every-gun-owner-needs-to-start-making
This website allows people to post their perspectives on topical arguments, giving balance and incite into issues. This particular article interested me as it pointed out why it would be a good idea to allow for gun control, highlighting all the benefits that would be gained from this. The writer discusses the notion that more guns means more crime, and therefore the best way to solve this is to have no guns at all, but also realises that this means that crime will still continue in other means. Having no guns just means that people who really want to commit a crime will find another way to do so. The writer also identifies that Obama, who said that it is an 'obligation' to try and save one child if we could, is making a promise that really cannot be fulfilled. While the writer is saying that gun control is a good thing, I believe what they are really saying is that it is down to the people who own and use guns to be responsible for their actions.

Against Gun Control: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/movies/assaulted-civil-rights-under-fire-is-a-paean-to-the-second-amendment.html?ref=guncontrol
The New York Times is one of the most iconic newspapers within the United States. This article is written about a documentary about defending gun control called ‘Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire’, directed by Kris Koenig. It details how the documentary talks about how gun ownership is the only way to defend those who are vulnerable, such as women and the disabled. They even go as far as to liken gun control laws to that of Hitler and Stalin. This shows that some Americans feel very passionate and strongly about defending their rights of gun ownership, as they feel it is their personal responsibility and their right to protect themselves and their families. After all as Thomas Jefferson said (Proposed Virginia Constitution 1776) "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms".

Gun Control in the USA

Having the right to own a gun in the US, and actually owning one is seen as the normal as it is part of the country’s history and culture relating back the second amendment. In the past, owning a fire arm was a way a man got his power and respect – i.e. in the Wild West with Cowboys – but in today’s society they are seen more of an item to defend yourself with and a necessity to have like the latest iPhone.  Although owning a gun still today does bring power and authority but, people today abuse that power with examples such as: Colorado Cinema shootings, Sandy Hook shootings. Hence why gun control is so controversial. Below are some links for and against Gun Control:

FOR GUN CONTROL

http://listverse.com/2013/04/21/10-arguments-for-gun-control/

This website published by Listverse is seen as reliable and unbiased source that looks at all the facts equally and uses them to supports arguments. With the link above it talks about the 10 main arguments for gun control, looking at a range of different aspects such as: deaths, crimes, political and cultural negative connotation and how these views and opinions change internally with in the USA and how other countries around the globe view gun ownership and control. It highlights on how by people owning guns to feel safe and protect themselves, only leads to more homicides, then equally it leads to more suicides. If people buy guns to protect themselves, it argues that if guns were nationally banned then everyone would feel safer as they would be living in a better society – a gun free one, but at the ratio of gun to people I don’t think this will happen as the ration is high as there are 270 million (that we know of) out there.

     I personally understand the views of this website. How that guns do generally have a negative connotation of death and violence around them and usually they do get used in the wrong way. That is why having them banned in the USA you would expect the death rate and violence to go down as you wouldn’t get meaningless and random attacks such as the ones that were mentioned earlier, as the people that committed them would never be able to obtain a gun or firearm of any sort at all.

AGAINST GUN CONTROL

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/arguments-against-gun-control.html

This website published by Buzzle – a company that researches and develops ideas, which they then write about on their site making it a source of free unbiased data on a range of topics – explains some of the main reasons why Americans should be allowed guns. It relates back to a point in my preliminary saying that guns are part of the country’s history and culture relating it back to Thomas Jefferson. It talks about how people need guns to defend themsleves and helps them to reduce crime levels – which makes the people of the US feel safer and happier.

 

Here is just a link of a website I found interesting about guns in American giving me background knowledge for this blog:

 

http://americangunfacts.com/

 

Dance Hall in Arizona 1884

(http://www.archives.gov/research/american-west/images/168.jpg)

After the Louisiana Purchase, exploration to the West boomed, and more and more people moved westward. This opened up more opportunities to Americans, with more land to occupy.
This is a picture of a dance hall in Arizona taken in 1884 by Anton Muzzonvich. I chose this picture as I found it interesting as there are both white and coloured people included in the image, which you would probably not expect to see. They are also all mixed together, instead of being separated into groups, which is also not expected.
I also found it interesting, that they are setting up places such as dance halls in the west, so soon after moving there. It shows that life there is not all about hard work, and that the people like to relax, unwind and socialise.