Toulmin Analysis of Gun Violence Ethos blog:

The major claims that I stated in my blog were: gun violence takes many of our loved ones from us, also it is not an issue that is occurring somewhere else, in fact it occurs close to home. Gun violence has caused the deaths of peoples children, friends, and other loved ones as for example the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, which occurred very close to home, only about a half hour away from Norwalk. Another major claim was we have done little to stop the issue of gun violence, and we should strengthen gun laws, make guns banned altogether from the general public, and value safety over leisure (hunting especially). Even though many lives have been lost to guns, we have failed to do anything to atleast strengthen the gun laws in the nation. Banning guns from the general public would be most effective because it would make it so only police can have guns therefore limiting the ability to even obtain a gun. We should begin valuing our safety over leisure even though many people may think it infringes on their rights, in the end it will protect us all, because right now we are not safe anywhere from gun violence especially at school. Think about your families!

The data that I used to support my claims were the Virginia Tech, and the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings. I was lacking the usage of quantitative data however but if i add numbers to my argument then it will make it a lot more effective. I could definitely add the number of people that are killed yearly due to gun violence, and how the people killed are of all ages and races, not just one group of people. By doing this it will help me show how gun violence affects people everywhere across the country, which will in the end make it easier for the reader to accept my argument. 

The warrants that I used in my blog were: that gun violence kills people which is bad, also we have not done anything to stop gun violence which is allowing it to keep occurring. Another warrant that I used in my blog was it is better to be safe than to worry about a law affecting leisure. The backing that I used in my blog was the shooting at sandy hook, and the shooting at Virginia tech. I also used my personal experience with losing my grandmother to Pancreatic Cancer. I also used the fact that many Americans have lost loved ones to gun violence, and how it is apart of human nature to feel sad at the loss of life as backing for my claims.

The rebuttal that I used for my blog was that i addressed the objections that gun violence does not occur anywhere by saying that it can, and does happen anywhere especially when I described how Sandy Hook is very close to Norwalk, and how if a shooting could happen there, what is preventing one from happening in Norwalk. Another rebuttal is that strengthening gun laws infringes on the rights of Americans, by saying that it is better to value our safety over leisure because any of us could have been the people to lose loved ones to guns. If we strengthen gun laws we will be helping to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Some examples of qualifiers that I used throughout my blog were even though, especially, anyone, if, anywhere, yet, then, and more. By using these qualifiers I helped to acknowledge the limitations to my argument, which will make the reader more open to accept what I have to say. However I think I should use more qualifiers like few, one might argue especially when I talk about banning guns among the general public. I think that by doing this it will make my argument even more effective.