Outside Reading- Editorial January

Editorial

A Clamor for Gun Limits, but Few Expect Real Changes

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and JENNIFER STEINHAUER

Published: January 13, 2011

    When I first began to read this piece I expected to find another biased and uninformative article on gun control, which has been a touchy subject for many years. Almost every article I have read on this topic is basically just finger pointing, and has no real focus on the actual process in perhaps getting a gun law in the least. For many people it is one side or the other, you either hate guns and want them banned, or you state that your 2^nd amendment is being threatened and it is our right to carry a gun. There is no middle ground according to many, or at least not in the pieces I have read. Luckily I was pleasantly surprised that these two authors managed to stay above the fray and keep their own personal opinions out of it. Another reason I enjoyed this piece was that they managed to be informative on gun control and were many people think it is headed, as well as the progress on laws for gun control or lack thereof. This piece’s main focus was on the renewed call of gun control, after the shooting in Arizona, this inferno of opinions has been rekindled back into a roaring blaze. It also focuses on how that very few people expect real and lasting changes to the gun laws.

    Overall the combination of these two writers created a clear and simple voice which at first seemed almost clinical; I was afraid that this tone would continue through the piece, luckily they portrayed a touch of sadness throughout the piece, which added to the two author’s humanity. They created this tone by using formal first person, simple yet informative word choices, and multiple quotes created the overall form and feeling of the piece. While of course it is not advised to keep this sort of somber tone in a piece, it was most certainly appropriate for the topic at hand. For the most part these authors did manage to stay unbiased, but when they mention that a gun show will be held just a week after the shooting, there is anger in their tone. This anger isn’t full blown fury, but more of quite disgust at those who are holding it. Another reason I enjoyed this article is because it portrayed both sides of this argument, and it portrayed them in the same, fair light. For me this article was very informative, which I believe the purpose of this article, it wasn’t to bash one side or the other, but merely to inform where gun control is going. As for being an AP essay I would most certainly give this piece as pass. The tone is in first person and is formal and unbiased, just as dictated by AP standards. This piece also offers outside information from both sides of the argument, thus adding to the overall well rounded feeling of the piece. Overall this piece was a refreshing addition to many biased and uninformative gun control pieces, the honesty and unbiased nature made this piece wonderful.