Public Speaking assignment for college- need your input.

[GWARGHOUL]

So, I'm supposed to do an informative speech.

I feel pretty compelled to talk about the 2A, and the threats to it.. like Obama's "under the radar" work with the brady bunch, the whole context and meaning of the 2a.

I need some reliable and credible sources to site. Basically my main idea is "The second amendment, and the threats to it".

Need some stats on gun control states and murders..lives saved..

etc etc.

I appreciate your help guys.

 

[Strykervet]

I've had to do this. If I were you, I'd save this topic for the persuasive speech.

The actual 2A is a good citation, definitely use that. For data, look to the FBI, that is a start. You can use data from one source to refute data from another --say FBI statistics vs. Brady Bunch statistics. They say two different things (which is one reason why I think it will work better for persuasive).

Stay away from Wikipedia and anything not "academic". Try not to look down too much when giving your speech. Good luck!

 

[hso]

Forget the "under the radar" argument except for quoting the relevant article since there's no solid evidence substantiating that political promise. Focus on real documentable threats, which require much more real work.

 

[Mike OTDP]

Hmm...I remember writing argumentative papers in college. The professor specifically advised avoiding 2nd Amendment issues and abortion - because this is an educational exercise which will come under intense scrutiny for technique.

It's like debating the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. It's completely irrelevant - which is why the medieval scholars used it. They were interested in technique, not result.

I'd be more inclined to talk about something else. Like caliber selection, or holsters.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

My initial inclination is that if you are new to public speaking and you have to speak in front of the class for a grade, it may be best to use a topic less meaningful to you. I'm not trying to suggest an "easier" route, but I'm thinking that MOST people in that situation will be worried about the audience's reception and judgments enough to give the speaker a lot of anxiety.

Additionally, it sounds more like a persuasive speech that you are talking about here. If you want guns, you could give an informative speech, for example, on the weapons of WWI vs WWII or the weapons of different armies, etc.

This is just my initial thoughts. I'll post this, read the other posts, and may comment further.

 

[Ian]

How about choosing an interesting piece of firearms history and describing it instead of making a political argument? That's a way to make guns interesting and enjoyable without politics. It can make guns look cool to folks on the fence without hitting anyone over the head with a message, and may even open up some antis.

The development of the BAR is an interesting story, for instance, as is the history of the Cristobal arms factory in the Dominican Republic...

 

[Quoheleth]

In college, unless you're someplace like Hillsdale, stay away from 2A, abortion, and gay rights. You will loose, even if you win.

As a professional speaker, to one who is probably a novice, my advice to you is keep it light and fun for this kind of speech in class. Do something like "How to pack a suitcase," "Three ways to bathe a cat," or "Three things women wish they knew about college men." Something like that.

If you want to do a 2A speech, save it for your persuasive speech and then, instead of a pro-2A lecture, do something with a 2A backdoor - like something about the Fast & Furious scandal and the need to be attentive to what the gov't does. Plus, it gives you extra time to line up your arguments.

You want a personal opinion about subjects near & dear you? If you want to knock a speech out of the park, take the opposite side of the argument and argue that. You know all the pro arguments. Use those, turn it, and argue the opposite case. It forces you to take an academic approach instead of an emotional one. May not fly here with the 2A idea, but try it with some other ideal that's close to you - environmentalism, for example - and see how you do. That's my opinion, at least.

Q

 

[kozak6]

I need some reliable and credible sources to site.

Cite, not site. One problem with that is that there really aren't any. Even though Obama's actions and statements prior to the Presidency (and some during) indicate that he isn't a fan of the 2nd Amendment, he has actually been a relatively pro-gun president. He has accomplished more for the 2nd Amendment than Bush ever did.

At this point, it doesn't really seem to be a good thing for him to pursue. Gun control efforts tend to be a losing issue, which is particularly true with the recent hyperpartisanship we are seeing, and furthermore would severely damage his chances of reelection. He also makes significant efforts towards bipartisanship, even when unnecessary, so backroom deals don't really seem to fit his personality.

Basically my main idea is "The second amendment, and the threats to it".

I'd say that the most serious threats are from the BATFE. Gunwalker and the shotgun importability study, for example. We don't have all the details yet, though, and it will be very difficult to write about, let alone speak about.

It's good that you have some passion and interest, but I'd save this topic for later. It would probably be better to choose a more academic topic, and make sure you keep your intended audience in mind.

 

[oldbear]

The advise you have so received to stay away from the second amendment for an informational speech is good listen to it. Years ago when I had to do my informative speech, I talked my way through ironing a shirt. The professor who was a did hard "Womens' Libber" type loved it and I aced that speech. Do something fun and low key.

 

[Tim the student]

If you want to read some of the suggestions that have come up in threads past, use google to search THR.

Type in "site:www.thehighroad.org (search parameters, such as college+paper+source)" Omit the quotes. Good search terms will bring up all sorts of threads pretty much exactly like this one.

I'm in the camp that would advise you to save this for either a persuasive speech - and then, maybe focus on liberties as opposed to focusing on guns.

I myself have never experienced a prof holding a grudge because of differing political views, but some say they have.

 

[doc2rn]

When you discuss 2A you will be up against emotional bias with facts which doesnt sit well with the boards.
As others have advised save that topic for your persuasive speech.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

2A is open and fair game in my town.

I live in a very active hunting and sport shooting state, with a state and several citizens militia. The governor has also been very pro-2a.

I can't count how many Browning logos I see on trucks, and a few cars with "girls hunt too" stickers. Its a bit of a cultural heritage thing around here.

With that being said, I may do something else for my informative speech..something like chilli peppers and hot sauce. Save the 2A for a very well written persuasive speech.

Again, links to sources would really help me out if you feel up to it.

I value and appreciate all of your feedback.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Deus Machina]

I did my persuasive final speech on concealed carry. The 2A really is a better speech for persuasion instead of information--you can throw in questions and stats to make people think, not just loose even the casual anti's interest right at the start.

My trick was to intentionally use stats from the Brady campaign and Violence Policy Center (I think that's it) agency. These are about as anti-gun as it gets. I stated the stats, looked right at the couple sneering faces, and announced "These are generous figures--they're from the groups demanding an all-out ban. And see how they're still minor compared to drowning in swimming pools? Even the VPC records that out of X-million licenses, there are only Y number of deaths by CCW carriers last year. There are more people in this room. Also note 'death', not 'murder'--these include foiled muggings and carjackings, and the VPC even threw in home invasion that just happened to be at a CCW holder's house."

That got me good grades from most of the sneering faces, and even the ones that didn't change their thinking looked more confused than hostile, and couldn't say I didn't get the facts. They just weren't to be swayed.

Just stating facts doesn't work in a debate or speech class. After all, facts are only fact if they're on your side.


EDIT: That site is at http://www.vpc.org/ccwkillers.htm and will link to other skewed statistics. Please do keep in mind that the VPC will often leave out when one of the 'killers' was held at knife point, carjacked, woken in the middle of the night, and that a few of the quoted officers, IIRC, were committing criminal acts at the time, and one was apparently an 'unannounced entry'. Also, note that even 370 deaths since 2007 is a far smaller percentage than the public as a whole, even if you do count them all as murder.

Also note that some appear to have gotten permits despite convictions or other disqualifying circumstance; those are a case of bureaucratic negligence, and the holders were criminals regardless.

 

[elcaminoariba]

Use these:

"A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." - George Washington, January 8, 1790, First State of the Union Address

"The constitutions of most of our States assert, that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves, ... or they may act by representatives, freely and equally chosen; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed; that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of the press."

Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Major John Cartwright (5 June 1824)

 

[USAF_Vet]

The advise you have so received to stay away from the second amendment for an informational speech is good listen to it. Years ago when I had to do my informative speech, I talked my way through ironing a shirt. The professor who was a did hard "Womens' Libber" type loved it and I aced that speech. Do something fun and low key.

I had a similar prof for my Public Speaking course.

I spoke about guns, citing a lot of Armed Citizen encounters, corelations between gun rights and violent crime, CCW, police response times, etc. I also spoke about the history of guns and their evolution over time, from the crudest of hand cannons up to the experimental Airborne Laser. I aced the paper.

I spoke about a topic I was passionate about, and I feel because I put more of myself into it, the outcome was better. 'Ironing a shirt' is a topic that would bore me to death, as well as my audience and the professor who was grading me. My prof and I didn't see eye to eye, but the topic and the layout of the speech was only part of the grade. How well you interact with your audience makes up a part of the grade, too. If you're passionate up at the podium, it will reflect. If you're bored to death, that will also reflect.

If you can make your speech interesting, interactive, and inclusive you'll do fine.

 

[youngda9]

http://www.gunfacts.info/ for all the stats you could ever need.

 

[Deus Machina]

Gunfacts, that's the one I couldn't recall.

Just remember that you have to cite your references, and if they're all from Gunfacts or the NRA, anyone not pro-2A will jump on that.

A good bet is if you can find FBI stats for what you need, or if your local PD's publish. Not many people can argue with those.

 

[scott5]

Hello GWARGHOUL,
You might review this and see if there is anything it has that tickles your fancy.:
http://www.american-heritage-series.com/index2.htm?gclid=CNCjiaiEjKsCFQ6AgwodpDW5xg

The American Heritage Series DVD

 

[mortablunt]

Talk about things the VPC says. Talk about what the ATF has done. Quote facts showing that the passage of gun favoring legislation has led to good outcomes and then show that the passage of gun opposing legislation has led to bad outcomes. Do not forget to mention Britain, Australia, and New Zealand as examples of bad things happening because they took away guns. Mention the fact that Whitman was hampered by vicilians who used the guns they owned against him. Say that the attempted shooting at the Appalachian School of Law was stopped by students who used their firearms. I once managed to do an argument speech in favor of open carry that was very successful in high school, in a class where there was a maybe 28% or so support for a total gun ban.

 

[Skribs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1u0Byq5Qis

This is a very good argument from a woman who was inside a restaurant when someone went on a shooting spree. She is speaking to lawmakers, complaining that the too-strict laws they came up with resulted in her being unable to defend herself or her family. She was forced to flee, while her parents were gunned down, all because she had to take her gun out of her purse earlier in the day.

She also complains about how people say certain guns have "no sporting purpose", when the 2nd amendment wasn't written for "sporting purpose".

ETA: I agree with what was said up above. Save this for the persuasive speech.

 

[GWARGHOUL]

Keep it coming. good stuff. Will do it for the persuasive speech.

 

[William Lee]

I'd recommend talking about the two supreme court cases, Heller v. DC and McDonald v. Chicago if you're doing the informative speech. It's hard to argue with the Supreme Court, and even harder to argue against Justice Scalia when he gets on a roll. Heller is probably the most explicit discussion of the legal meaning of the second amendment there is.

 

[BSA1]

Another chime from a college grad.
1st most colleges are liberal so your teacher will already have a position on gun control. (yawn)
2nd most of the students are in favor of "reasonable " gun control measures i.e. waiting periods, magazines bans. (yawn)
3rd topics like gun control have already been presented many times before in previous classes. (snooze). How are you going to present the information in a way that is fresh and original?

IMHO a good speech should be a topic that targets your audiences. Here a suggestion. Tattoos are all the rage today with Hollywood and young people. How about a speech about how the tattoo industry has expanded and how tattoo palors are requlation in your state?

 

[Skribs]

BSA, just because a topic has been covered before doesn't mean it's not a good topic to talk about. And talking about something that the teacher disagrees with I think is a good thing, if done with a "here is my opinion and here are the facts to back it up", instead of "here is my opinion and you're stupid for having another one."

 

[SARDiver]

As someone with an advanced degree I had to bust my arse to get, might I suggest, young man, that you do your own research instead of asking others to grab sources for you?