K. D. Lunneborg - Analysis of Controversy: Gun Control

October 13, 2025

The following speech is an Analysis of Controversy that I wrote for my Wittenberg Academy Rhetoric I class. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to be able to review it, and now that I’ve turned it in as an assignment, I’m too lazy to do it now. Hah! So anyway, if I misunderstood stuff, or if there’s some errors, sorry about that.
I would also like to note that this is indeed and Analysis of Controversy, and only an analysis. I did not get to choose a side (sadly), but instead had to do the best job I could of giving both sides a fair explination. In other words, I did the job that reporters are supposed to be doing – reporting, without inserting my own politics into the matter. Anyway, enjoy!

As many have noticed, guns and gun control have become a hotly debated topic in recent days. There are two clear sides, each with well-built arguments, and a passion for their side. These, obviously, are the proponents for gun control, and the opponents of gun control. When approaching this issue, it is important to look at both side’s arguments – both the spoken arguments, and the unspoken ones. To be able to see these arguments easiest, I have divided each side’s arguments into four parts: the problems they have diagnosed, the cause, the cure they would like to implement, and the cost of that cure.

I would first like to lay out the arguments which promote gun control. Those who would like to promote gun control cite the problems of mass shootings, suicides due to available guns, and murders, especially accidental. They also note that these problems are due to the fact that it is too easy to get and carry guns. This is only the seen cause, however. We will look at the unseen cause soon. To fix this, they are suggesting that we should pass legislation to restrict guns more. This legislation would include more requirements on licensing, more background checks, red flag laws, among others. The seen cost to this legislation is that it would be harder to get guns. Again, we must remember that there is an unseen side to this argument. We will look at that later.

The opponents to gun control, however, bring up that they don’t have a way of protecting themselves or those around them. They say that the cause of this is that it is too hard to get and carry guns. Instead of restricting guns more, they suggest that we should allow open and concealed carry under constitutional carry laws, as well as remove unnecessary restrictions on licensing. These constitutional carry laws are laws that cite the second amendment, which states the right to bear arms in public. The cost of this is that there would be a greater potential for mass shootings, suicides, and murders. This is, again, the problem that the proponents for gun control bring up. So, the thing that most people are seeing in the cost for this cure presented by the opponents, is the exact same thing they are seeing in the problem the proponents are trying to solve.

Now that we have seen the overview of both sides of the argument, I would like to bring up the underview, that is, the unseen parts of the arguments. First, the cause that the proponents are not bringing up. Namely, that criminals are not afraid to murder people. This unseen cause lends itself to the opponents’ argument, as criminals would be afraid if there were people who would react against them. Second, there is also an unseen cost that the proponents did not mention. This is that, without the people who would be able to react against criminals, they are more likely to get away.

In conclusion, the simplest way to explain the problems on each side of the argument, is to look at exactly that – the problems. If you remember, I separated each side’s arguments into the problem, the cause, the cure, and the cost. The problem lays out exactly what we are looking for on either side. The proponents bring up the idea of shootings as the major problem, while the opponents say that the regular citizen’s inability to stop the shootings is a larger problem. I hope this helps lay out the arguments from both those who are for gun control and from those who are against it. Thank you.