National Rifles Association (ANSWERED)

QUESTION

Read the instructions carefully before posting.

Choose only ONE of the options below for your post. I will base your grade on the following:

How thoroughly and informatively you answered each question from the option you chose (there is no maximum or minimum number of words).
Your use and citation of evidence from solid academic sources (minimum 2 sources), using both in-text citations and full citations at the end of your post in a standard MLA, APA or Chicago style format
The quality of your writing, including spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, sentence and paragraph construction, etc.

Option #1) Political Parties:

If you choose option #1, follow these steps and use at least two separate sources from the list below in creating your post.

Go to http://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz and take the political quiz. When you are finished it will initially show which presidential candidate you most agree with on the issues. We are not interested in the candidate but in the political party so on that results page, click on the “party” tab to see which party you most agree with .

In your post, explain your results:

Write a summary of your quiz results: which party (not candidate) did you have the most in common with, and on what percentage of the issues did you agree with that party? If you identified most with a minor party, also mention which of the two major parties (Republican or Democrat) you most agreed with. Explain your reaction to the results.
Using evidence from at least one solid academic source, explain how likely your party is to see electoral success bothat the level of Texas government and at the level of the national (US) government in the next election, which occurs in November 2022 (if you most identified with a minor third party, you can assess the electoral chances of the major party you most identified with instead).
The results of the quiz are calculated by comparing your answers to the national party platform, which is different from the state party platform. Find a policy proposal – which may come in the form of them promoting a new law, a change to an existing law, the repeal of a law, an executive order, etc. – from the official Texas party platform(which will be posted somewhere on the official state party website) and make an evidence-based argument for or against it (if the party you most identify with does not have a Texas chapter, you may use the state platform of the major party you most agreed with). Use and cite evidence from at least one solid academic source to make your case for or against the party’s policy proposal. I am not looking for an explanation or justification of your opinion or beliefs about the policy proposal, but an evidence-based argument that uses statistics, research studies, case studies, expert analysis or the like from cited, solid academic sources to back up your position. State your position clearly and back it up with evidence.

Option #2) Interest Groups:

If you choose option #2, follow these steps and use at least two separate sources from the list below in creating your post.

Identify one interest group actively lobbying Texas government regarding a topic that you care about (some groups are mentioned in the Interest Groups chapter of the textbook, others may be mentioned in news stories about a topic in which you are interested). Explain whether the group operates mainly at the international, national or state level. Remember to use an interest group as defined by the book and lecture – not a social movement, political party or category of people or groups.
Describe the interest group’s main goals and objectives, especially regarding your chosen topic. You may use the group’s official website as a primary source. Remember to cite it properly.
Make an evidence-based argument either in support of or opposition to the interest group’s objectivesregarding your chosen topic. Note that “objectives” are not their overall goals, but the specific actions they intend to take to achieve their goals. State your position clearly. Use and cite at least one solid academic source to defend your position (do not use information from the interest group itself as a source of evidence – evidence must come from outside the group). I am not looking for an explanation of your opinion or beliefs about the objectives, but an evidence-based argument that engages with statistics, research studies, case studies, expert analysis or the like from cited, solid academic sources.
Respond to another student’s post. Choose a student who responded to a different topic/option or chose a different interest group than you did. You may agree or disagree with their position but your response should be more than just opinion – use and cite solid academic sources to deepen and extend the discussion.

Option #3) Expose Media Bias:

If you choose option #3, follow these steps and use at least two separate sources from the list below in creating your post.

Find an example of what you consider biased reporting – this may be an article from a newspaper or magazine, a video from a TV news channel, or an audio clip from a radio news program. The article or video should be somehow relevant to Texas politics or government. Finding biased reporting may be made easier by viewing the Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart (https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/) and choosing a media outlet on the far left or the far right on the chart. Post a functioning link to the article or clip you are analyzing and provide a full citation.
Read this articleor this article about identifying media bias. Use the techniques in them to explain the nature of the bias and any techniques in your example of biased reporting used to sway the reader/viewer/listener. Note that you are to analyze bias in reporting, not bias exhibited by someone who is the subject of the reporting (for example, do not choose a speech by a politician covered by a new outlet and then analyze the bias in the politician’s speech. Instead, analyze the bias in the outlet’s coverage of the speech). In what way is the news source showing preference for or against a certain person, party, policy or idea? Note any of the following: use of language, tone, word choice, etc.; facts that were omitted, gotten wrong or taken out of context; editing or cropping; use of flattering or unflattering images or descriptions; use of music or lighting to manipulate emotion; any other evidence that the report is one-sided and biased.
Use and cite evidence from at least one solid academic sourceto make the case that bias is evident. You might use articles from Politifact.com or Factcheck.org, other news stories from solid academic sources, primary data sources, etc. In other words, use a source outside of the article you are analyzing to establish and prove the presence of bias.
Respond to another student’s post. Choose a student who responded to a different topic/option than you did. Your response should be more than just opinion – you may agree or disagree with their analysis but you must use and cite solid academic sources to make your case in order to deepen and extend the discussion.

Important Additional Instructions:

Please treat your post like a mini research paper and pay attention to paragraph and sentence construction, spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation, flow, citation of sources (using both in-text citations and full citations at the end in standard MLA or APA style), etc. I have tried to broaden the sources you may use from the traditional “solid academic source” hierarchy in order to make life easier for you. I have included sources from a wide variety of ideological viewpoints, but with reputations for factual accuracy. Use only sources from the following list. If you want to use a source that does not appear here, check with me or check the interactive Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart – if the source appears in the top, green section it is appropriate for this class.

You may choose from any of the peer-reviewed journals on JSTOR. Any one of the journals would count as a single source.
You may choose an academic book (check with me if you are not certain it would count as an academic book). Any one chapter in the book would count as a source. You may use multiple chapters and each chapter would count as a separate source.
You may choose a source of primary data or primary historical information. Any one would count as a single source.
You may choose an academic/university study (often found on .edu websites). Any one of the studies would count as a single source.
You may choose to receive two extra points by putting the last three words of your post in italic
You may choose from the following news sources. Any one of these would count as a source.
- - Approved Texas Sources:Texas Tribune, Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Dallas Observer, San-Antonio Express-News, Texas Observer, Texas Monthly, D Magazine
  - Approved TV and Radio News Network Websites: ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CSPAN, BBC, CBC, NPR (note that this list does not include FOX, MSNBC or CNN)
  - Approved Major Newspaper Websites: Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, L.A. Times, Christian Science Monitor, The Guardian
  - Approved Major Newsmagazine Websites: Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, The Economist, National Journal, The Atlantic, Bloomberg Businessweek, Fortune, Business Insider, Forbes, New Yorker, Foreign Affairs, Mother Jones, National Review, New Republic, The Nation, The Weekly Standard, Rolling Stone, The Hill
  - Approved Wire Services: Associated Press, Reuters
  - Approved Think Tanks: Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for American Progress, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Economic Policy Institute, Institute for Policy Studies, Rockridge Institute, Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Constitution Project, Council on Foreign Relations, New America Foundation, Resources for the Future, Henry L. Stimson Center, The RAND Corporation, Urban Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Goldwater Institute, Mackinac Center for Public Policy, CATO Institute, American Enterprise Institute, Center for Immigration Studies, Center for Security Policy, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Heritage Foundation
  - Approved Factcheckers and Media Bias Watchdogs: Politifact.com, Factcheck.org, Media Bias / Fact Check (MBFC News), TruthOrFiction.com, Lead Stories, Hoax Slayer, Full Fact, Media Matters for America, Media Research Center
  - Approved Online Sources, Blogs and Vlogs: Constitution Center, Oyez.org, Politico, Google News, Yahoo News, Huffington Post, Drudge Report, Democracy Now!, Vox, Vice, The Conversation, Ballotpedia, OpenSecrets, Project Vote Smart, ThoughtCo, Medium
  - Approved Polling Sites: Gallup.com, FiveThirtyEight.com, The Texas Politics Project, polls conducted by universities.

If you find another source that you think is solid but is not on this list, please discuss it with me first or check the interactive Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart – if the source appears in the top, green section it is appropriate for this class.

Any post containing plagiarized information–either from the course materials or from outside information–will receive a grade of zero and be submitted to the Dean of Students office. It is essential that you are including proper citations for all of the information used in your post that is not written in your own words. Information about plagiarism and citations can be found here: Plagiarism and Citation Guide.pdf

This assignment addresses the following state-mandated Student Learning Outcomes and Competencies:

Evaluate the role of public opinion, interest groups, and political parties in Texas.
Describe state and local political systems and their relationship with the federal government.
Analyze issues, policies and political culture of Texas.
Critical Thinking
Communication Skills
Social Responsibility
Personal Responsibility

ANSWER

Interest Group: National Rifles Association

The National Rifles Association (NRA) is a civil rights organization whose main goal is to protect citizens’ rights as guaranteed by the Second Amendment, i.e., the rights to purchase, exhibit, and possess firearms. The NRA operates at the national level. The organization has five main goals: to protect the Second Amendment rights, train security agencies, militia, and law-abiding private citizens on gun safety, promote shooting sports and enhance public safety (Brunson, 2018). Among other strategies, the organization uses its lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA), to influence national gun policies (Brunson, 2018). For example, it has successfully campaigned for constitutional carry laws in state governments, such as Texas. Constitutional carry allows eligible citizens to carry firearms outside their homes without needing a government-issued permit.

I support the organization’s constitutional carry initiatives due to the lack of statistical evidence connecting the legislation with increased crime rates. Hamill et al. (2019) conducted a retrospective analysis to determine the relationship between legislation and gun-related homicides and violent crimes. They found no statistically significant association between the legislation and violent crimes over the last 30 years (Hamill et al., 2019). Another analysis by Donohue (2003) applied the Lott and Mustard statistical model to determine whether or not constitutional carry increases crime rates. The authors analyzed both evidence for and against constitutional carry and concluded that more evidence supports the notion that constitutional carry reduces, rather than increases, crime (Donohue, 2003, p.326). Donohue notes that most anti-constitutional carry empirical data only dispute the legislation’s ability to reduce crimes and the statistical significance of these reductions. Still, none have demonstrated that constitutional carry laws increase crimes.

This analysis concludes that constitutional carry does not increase violent crimes. Many gun control activists, including myself, have long believed that constitutional carry legislations are responsible for mass shootings because they create easy access to guns. However, research evidence does not support these claims. The increase in violent crimes, especially school shootings, is understandably frustrating. Nevertheless, pinning down one legislation for these crimes despite the overwhelming evidence indicating otherwise is irrational. Until the real culprit of violent crimes is found, we must allow other lawful citizens to exercise their rights.

References

Brunson, S. (2018, March 12). Is the NRA an educational organization? A lobby group? A nonprofit? A media outlet? Yes. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/is-the-nra-an-educational-organization-a-lobby-group-a-nonprofit-a-media-outlet-yes-92806

Donohue, J. J. (2003). The impact of concealed-carry laws. Evaluating gun policy, 287-324. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.527.82&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Hamill, M. E., Hernandez, M. C., Bailey, K. R., Zielinski, M. D., Matos, M. A., & Schiller, H. J. (2019). State level firearm concealed-carry legislation and rates of homicide and other violent crime. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 228(1), 1-8.