Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

The story begins in the small town, New Hampshire; following the lives of a number of characters on a normal day. Throughout the book, time flashes back and forth between events before and after the shooting at Sterling High School that killed ten people. In the past, it is learned that Peter (the shooter) and Josie (the main character) were once close friends. Peter was always the target of severe bullying at school, and Josie often stuck up for him. The friends slowly drifted apart as they got older. In high school Peter is constantly bullied by Matt (Josie's boyfriend) and his crew; which led to the shooting. Later it is discovered that Josie accidently shot Matt once before Peter made the fatal shot. So both Peter and Josie spend years in prison, and soon after Peter commits suicide.

The reason I chose to read this story is because it is an example of gun violence. It proves that most gun crimes happen with kids or teenagers. Kids are at risk from handgun violence every day, and this story is an example of one. Not all children are at risk of handgun violence, but something should still be done to keep any children from being hurt by handgun violence. It would prevent things like in Nineteen Minutes from ever happening again.

I think that bullying is a very big deal, and it has really has. Especially since recently a girl killed herself as a result of being bullied. It doesn't always end where the person who is being bullied kill themselves. Bullying can also end like Columbine did, where a kid goes crazy like, "Peter's rampage"(Picoult 408). I think that something should be done to keep others from being bullied, so that a school shooting never happens.

Works Cited
Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes. New York, NY: Washington Square Press, 2007. Print.

Guns & Violence

Most people who are killed yearly by a gun are under the age of twenty. Most of these people are young teenagers and little kids. Some of this is due to the graphic material in the media which does not show the real pain from being shot. It also fails to show the heavy burden left on the families of those who were shot. Many gunshot victims however do not have health insurance so the taxpayers must bear the burden of medical costs.The media focuses on only the negative gun incidents, not the positive ones. The ones where people are killed. Not the ones where a gun saved a persons life. People blame the gun too much. They never blame the person holding the gun. Instead of taking away peoples guns we need to take away the crazy people behind them. Also gun violence is exaggerated in America. There are other countries with higher death counts from guns than America.

I do think that guns are a problem. Mostly with kids twenty years and younger. The reason for this I think is there are, "too many guns, too easy for a wacko kid to grab and go bonkers"(Kim 22). I can't stand the fact that because of people being hurt in gun violence the taxpayers are having to pay more just because most of the people being shot have no health insurance. I do not think that it is right for us to have to pay more. We could help stop this if we could limit the sale of firearms.

Kim, Henny. Guns & Violence. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Print.

15yr old boy loses his life because of gun violence

Kadeem Blackwood, a 15yr old boy who went by the name of Snipez was killed by gun violence. He most likely died because of where he lived, in Derby, a place where teenage gangs organize. One of Kadeems cousins said, "He was a boy that wouldn't cause any trouble, but would stand up for himself". He was shot in the chest most likely over territory between teenage gangs. The violence of the teenage gangs has escilated.

This story about a young boy dying shows us just what can happen when guns are in the wrong hands. These teenage gangs are probably the number one cause of death of kids from guns. This is a good example of how private owning of a firearm can lead to more violence. Though this is not true in every case, it holds true in most of the gun violence among kids and teenagers. This is one reason that I think they should have limits on who should or shouldn't have a firearm. Just so that those with a bad history of violence cannot get their hands on a gun, preventing things like what happened to Kadeem Blackwood.

"Gun Violence." YouTube.com. Nov 13, 2008. Web. 8 April 2010.

Private Ownership of Handguns Does It Lower or Raise Gun Violence

Two cities, both with equal populations, crime rates, and economies. They are Seattle and Vancouver, but there is one thing that they dont have in common and that is their murder rates by handguns. In Seattle the death rates are twice that of Vancouvers. The reason for this is because in Seattle guns are available to anyone. On the other hand in Vancouver, "guns are tightly restricted and difficult to obtain"(Safran 17). Claire Safran also talks about the stories of children being killed by handguns leaving the families to grieve.
Daniel Polsby talks about how people who do not have access to a firearm are easy targets for people who do. People who have firearms take advantage of those who do not. He tells us that if most citizens are armed there will be more peace within society because criminals a wary of attacking someonne who might have a gun. So, "If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have them"(Polsby 31).

I think that the differences between the two cities, Seattle and Vancouver, should be taken into consideration. It shows us just how much harm firearms can bring to those around us. On the other hand though I do think that people with a history of a good record should be allowed to own a firearm. They can be very useful if you are attacked.

Safran, Claire. Gun Control: Private Ownership of Handguns Leads to Higher Rates of Gun Violence. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc. 1997. Print.

Polsby, Daniel D. Gun Control: Private Ownership of Handguns Leads to Lower Rates of Gun Violence. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, Inc. 1997. Print.