Persuasive Speech: Should Students Carry Guns On College Campus

STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CARRY GUNS ON COLLEGE CAMPUS

Specific Purpose: To motivate my audience to stand against the law that allows students to carry guns on college campus.

Central Idea: Allowing guns on college campus can create tension on the campus and possibly increase the rate of gun violence in schools.

INTRODUCTION

I. The Attention Step

A. About 5 months ago, Mustafa is a United Arab Emirate student like me who goes to Virginia State College. He was involved in a heated racial argument with some classmates which ended after some other classmates intervened. Later that same day, on his way back home from school, Mustafa was followed by some guys who gunned him down right in front of his apartment. That was it, he died

Dialogue. The campus is like a community, the only difference is the diversity in culture, race, ethnicity and religion. The most effective means of resolving any difference in opinion or belief is through dialogue and not possession of guns, especially on campus. After all the campus is an environment for intellectual development, not a battle ground or firing squad.

B. Intervene or report any form of bully that you know of. Some victims of violence are not bold enough to speak out, before any bully escalates into violence, if you can, intervene or report the incidence. A video of Ibn Ali Miller, a New Jersey youth who intervened in a teenage street fight, went viral earlier this month and he was honored by the Atlantic City Council for his bravery. Such act of bravery should happen more on the campus rather than allowing guns on individuals to protect themselves.

Imagine if our campuses were safer due to acts like that of Ibn Ali Miller rather than students carrying guns to protect themselves.

Transition: Campus safety is the responsibility of every individual, so envision yourself as an agent of safety on our campuses.

IV. The Visualization Step

A. Imagine yourself educating your friends who differ in their opinions about certain issues such as race, religion or worldviews. 1. Perhaps that may have saved Mustafa, the kid I talked about in the