Darran

darran01px2020

Taking a Shot at Gun Control

Guns are typically stereotyped as “things that protect people”, but that is not the case. Research has shown that for every time a gun was utilized in self-defense, four involuntary shootings, seven murders, and 11 suicides occurred. Elliot Spitzer, a retired governor, once said: “Yes, people pull the trigger - but guns are the instrument of death. Gun control is necessary, and delay means more death and horror.” Now, guns are used in homicides, suicides, and other felony-related crimes. They are harmful to children and adult alike, and also to all animals. Because of this, we should ban guns.

Children are the seeds for our future, the next brilliant generation that will invent the newest and most useful devices. But how can that be, when the young minds of the future are being splattered across the walls of their very own homes? That indeed is the case, as an average death of kids with guns is 72. In the short time of ten years, from 1999 to 2010, A shocking number of 15,576 kids were hurt with firearms, almost three times more than the amount of troops wounded in battle, according to the CDA (Children’s Defense Fund). In the United States, guns still kill twice as many kids as cancer, 5 times as many as heart disease, and nearly 25 times more than infection, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, a former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics once quoted: “We see guns as much as a threat in their (children’s) life as we used to see bacteria and viruses. If you look at what’s killing children and disabling them, guns are one of the major things.” Other major surveys found out that 33% of Americans own guns, and half of these people don’t lock them up. In that 33%, around forty percent of those households have kids ages under 18. Consequently, guns in households can be just as dangerous to kids as in the battlefield to soldiers.

Originally, guns were meant to protect people, but now, they are meant to murder and kill others. While some may argue that this is incorrect, a recent survey found out that of all the recorded public shootings, no armed civilian has ever pulled out a gun in the last 20 years. Furthermore, research has shown that a firearm in a household is 22 times more possible to be used in self-murder, 7 times more practical to be utilized in a killing, and 4 times more expected to be used in a unintentional injury or death, compared to defending yourself. Also, another survey found out that most gun owners have not yet shot the gun. Additionally, most deaths by handguns aren’t felony-related. Most of 2012’s approximate firearm death toll of 21,311 people were either suicides or homicides resultant from disagreements between people who were familiar with each other. In actuality, its estimated that less than 7.5% of all firearm deaths are crime- related. According to the United Sates government, every time someone used a firearm to kill in self-defense, an average of 109 lives perished in firearm homicides, suicides, and accidental shootings. In conclusion, guns are wrongly linked to self-defense and instead should be treated with great caution.

Guns are not only dangerous to humans, but animals are vulnerable to the as well. In the last few decades, hunting animals has become a common sport, but many who oppose consider it too much. In many countries, such as Africa and the United States, debates spark over controlling endangered animals. In Africa, the demand for Rhino horn is especially high. American officials say that crushed Rhino horn can fetch over 25,000 dollars per pound in places like Asia, especially in Indonesia. That price that can top the American street value of Class B drugs, making the exotic substance literally as valuable as gold. Wolves and other animals are also being hunted to extinction, not only for sport, but also for their valuable pelts. All these factors equal a disaster: Not only will we have lost another species, it will also affect natural wildlife. This is also called Trophic Cascade. Yellowstone National Park is one such location having experienced Trophic Cascade- once the wolves were hunted to extinction, many animal populations exploded, since they had no more natural predators. Slowly, wildlife disappeared along with the vegetation. Finally, wolves were reintroduced in 1995. The change was immediate, and within a decade, Yellowstone resumed its former glory. As a result, loose firearm laws have caused animals to be endangered and sometimes extinct. If animals continue to disappear, we will affect the wildlife on a global scale, something that would certainly be catastrophic.

Guns are harmful to all living creatures, from humans to animals. They should be completely banned, regardless of consequences. While it is a daunting prospect to confesticate over 70 million guns, there is a saying that goes: “ Where you have the most armed citizens in America, you have the lowest violent crime rate. Where you have the worst gun control, you have the highest crime rate.” Remember, there is only a thin line between self-defense and deadly force. My Past, Present and Future By: Darran Shen C2

Yesterday. . . I was joyful that I constantly traveled, But I was depressed that I couldn’t go on some carnival rides. I enjoyed playing with toy cars, but I disliked to swim. I was nervous interacting with girls, but I was confident when I was making lego. I lost staring contests all the times, But I always won Uno games.

Today. . . I am joyful that I have My very own Computer, but I am depressed that I can’t read all the books I want. I Enjoy reading books, but I dislike to read Chinese. I am nervous about school, But confident about making friends. I always lose in running, But win in swimming.

Tomorrow. . . I will be joyful that I lived to such age, But I will be depressed that I won’t be able to run and play. I will enjoy Watching TV, But I will dislike moving around. I will be nervous about various sicknesses, But will be confident that will live another few years. I will lose when playing cards, But win in Poker.

This is one of the poems I wrote for LA class (Video) media type="custom" key="24210382"

And those are the poems. Enjoy.

A Imagery Poem

The Cake By: Darran Shen C2  Why did the gigantic fly With big red eyes have to land on the big brown birthday cake with six super silly candles ANd vanilla icing covered in chocolate syrup with a strawberry on top

AN IRONY POEM

Disappointing food By: Darran Shen C2  The smell of food floats in our noses, With complete clarity, We run Downstairs and take a look, Food and water everywhere, A giant Pig and a roasted duck. From the grapevines I hear Christmas is near Food and water everywhere, Steaming inthe plate. I fly to the table, ready to Swallow the pig Food and water everywhere, Yet Mom says its for charity

A Nonet Poem

The end of the year by: Darran Shen C2

Now it is Autumn, the time of red So quickly has the year passed by Spring ’ s gone, and so has summer Winter will come soon it will start to snow The year ’ s over New year ’ s here Seasons gone

A ABC Poem

A is for Animal, B is for bear...

By: Darran Shen C2 Ant Bear Cat Dog Elk Fish Goat Horse Ibis Jaguar Koala Leech Monkey Nightingale <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Octopus <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Pelican <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Quail <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Rabbit <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Sawfish <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Turtle <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Urubu <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Viper <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Whale <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Xiphia <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Yak <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Throw My Hands Up in the Air'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">Zebra

This is my FTM project. I made a dictionary similar to the one at the end of the book that Kevin gave Max. Some definitions are real, some fake, some related to the book, characters or events in the stories. All the words are real. I hope you find my project to be creative and that you enjoy learning new words from it. To get the dictionary, download the pdf file, and to watch my (failed) presentation, click play. Thanks! media type="custom" key="25416984"

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