Friday, March 20, 2020

Conservative Perspectives on Gun Control

Conservative Perspectives on Gun Control The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution is perhaps the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights, if not the entire document. The second amendment is all that stands in the way between American citizens and total chaos. Without the second amendment, nothing would prevent a duly elected president (who is also the nations commander-in-chief) from declaring martial law and using the nations military forces to systematically usurp and dismantle the remaining civil rights of its citizens. The second amendment is Americas greatest defense against the forces of totalitarianism. Interpretation of the Second Amendment The simple wording of the second amendment has been widely interpreted, and gun-control advocates have sought to obfuscate the language in order to further their agenda. Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the amendment, upon which gun-control advocates have rested much of their arguments is the part that reads a well-regulated militia. Those who seek to erode the amendment, claim that the right to bear arms is extended solely to militias, and since both the number of militias and the effectiveness of them have diminished since the 1700s, the amendment is now moot. Local and state government bodies have frequently sought to strip the amendment of its power by imposing draconian regulations and requirements. For 32 years, gun owners in Washington D.C. were not legally permitted to own a handgun or carry one within the districts territory. In June 2008, however, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the districts law was unconstitutional. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia observed that regardless of whether violent crime is a problem, the enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table ... Whatever the reason, handguns are the most popular weapon chosen by Americans for self-defense in the home, and a complete prohibition of their use is invalid. Perspectives of Gun Control Advocates While handguns were the issue in Washington, D.C., gun control advocates elsewhere have decried the access to and usage of fully-automatic weapons and other high-powered firearms by the general public. Theyve sought to limit or even prohibit ownership of these so-called assault weapons in a misguided attempt to protect the public. In 1989, California became the first state to pass an outright ban on fully-automatic rifles, machine guns and other firearms considered to be assault weapons. Since then, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, and New Jersey have passed similar laws. One reason gun control opponents are so adamant about keeping these firearms on the open market is because the access to weapons by the American military has far outpaced the access to weapons by the American public in both number and power. If a nation is unable to defend itself against the forces of tyranny within its government because the right to bear arms is so badly eroded, it undermines the spirit and intention of the second amendment. Liberals also advocate legislation restricting the types of ammunition available for firearms, as well as the types of people who can own them. Ex-cons or people with prior mental illnesses, for example, are prohibited from owning or carrying guns in certain states, and the Brady Bill, which became law in 1994, mandates prospective gun owners undergo a five-day waiting period so local law enforcement authorities can conduct background checks. Every regulation, restriction or law that infringes upon Americans right to keep and bear arms, prevents America from being a country that is truly free.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Veronica Roth Fiction and Movie List

Veronica Roth Fiction and Movie List Veronica Roth wrote the first of the books that would become the best-selling Divergent series when she was still in college, earning a degree in creative writing. She wrote Divergent during winter break before her graduation in 2010 and sold the book the same year. It debuted at No. 6 on The New York Times best-seller list. It captured the imagination of the public, and two more books in the series followed: Insurgent and Allegiant. In the three young-adult science fiction novels, she told a coming-of-age story set in post-apocalyptic Chicago. Following the release of several Divergent series companion novellas and short stories, Roth began what may become a second series with the release of Carve the Mark in 2017. Books and Short Fiction by Veronica Roth 2011 -  Divergent  is the first book in a young-adult dystopian trilogy that takes place in a future Chicago. The story is told from the perspective of Tris, a 16-year-old. This future society is split into five factions based on the virtue they cultivate- Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful)  and Erudite (the intelligent). Every 16-year-old must choose which faction they will devote their lives to and then undergo a rigorous initiation into the group. Beatrice, or Tris, must choose between her family and who she truly is.2012 -  Insurgent, the second book in the  Divergent  trilogy, deals with the fallout of Tris choice and a looming war between factions.2012 -  Free Four  - This  short story  retells the knife throwing scene from Divergent  from Tobias perspective.2013 -  Shards Ashes  - This anthology of short stories included a selection from  Veronica Roth.2013 -  Allegiant  - The last book i n the  Divergent  trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent. 2013 - Four: The Transfer is a  novella that examines the world of the Divergent series through the eyes of Tobias Eaton.2014- The Initiate - Tobias  initiation into Dauntless, his first tattoo, and his interest in training new initiates are all covered in this novella.2014 - Four: The Son - This novella explores Tobias  struggles with the Dauntless hierarchy as he learns a secret about his past that could affect his future.2014 - Four: The Traitor  - The novella runs parallel with the early events in Divergent and includes the first meeting of Tobias and Tris Prior.2014 -  Four: A Divergent Story Collection is a  companion volume to the Divergent series that is told from the perspective of Tobias. It includes The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son and The Traitor, all of which were originally published separately.2017 - Carve the Mark  is a science fiction fantasy set on a planet where violence rules and every person receives a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape t he future. The currentgift given to Cyra and Akos, two characters from separate tribes, make them vulnerable to the control of others. When the enmity between their factions and families seems insurmountable, they decide to help each other to survive. 2017  - We Can Be Mended is a short story epilogue that takes place five years after Allegiant. It focuses on the character Four. Movies Made From Roth Books Four big-screen movies have been made from the three books of the Divergent series: Divergent (2014)Insurgent (2015)The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016)The Divergent Series: Ascendent (2017)