Persuasive Speech: The Ethical Dilemma Of Gun Control

As a teenager, eager to take on the rights and responsibilities of young adulthood, it has been easy, even complacent, to ignore the major political quarrels and controversies of these past few years. That is, until recently when the fundamental principles of safety and privacy have collided in the ethical dilemma of gun control, a hotbed issue that affects all of us irrespective of our political party membership or our support of the Second Amendment. After the very different but equally tragic mass shootings in Las Vegas and Parkland, Florida, we are all faced with a moral imperative to choose a position about gun control. It is now the responsibility of each of us to talk about, debate and support a platform against gun violence.

The ethical dilemma, with compelling arguments both for and against gun control measures, took on new significance in Nebraska with our governor’s recent informal invitation to host the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) annual convention in our state. The decision was met with an equilibrium of outraged backlash and fervent support for the controversial position of Governor Ricketts.

Recent mass shootings in schools have propelled the controversy into the hands of students who must realize both sides have cogent arguments for their position. I have challenged myself to become more informed, and more tolerant. When my friends and classmates oppose my views and even argue strenuously against them, I have chosen to acknowledge their point of view and their right to express it, convincing them the answers are complex and sometimes conflicting. I encourage that everyone with a viewpoint deserves to be heard. What I refuse to do any longer is declare the problem is not mine, too big to control, or too controversial to reach compromise. It is in these difficult ethical dilemmas that we truly reveal what defines us, even as