TOW #5

One of the most controversial topics in America is gun violence. In an article written by Timothy Egan for the New York Times, he takes a new approach on who should be held responsible. He begins his article with a criticism on the political approach to gun violence. He mentions many political figures, and directly attacks their responses to the issue. Once he establishes his view on the politics of the issue, he moves on to the main point of the article. He believes moms are the ones who are truly responsible when it comes to gun violence. Egan is able to argue that moms should be responsible for gun violence by using real world examples. The author believes that a major part of the reason mass shootings happen is that the mothers of the shooters give too easy access of guns to their sons. Egan references multiple real life examples of shootings where he believes this can be the case. In reference to the Sandy Hook shooting, he writes, "Can we blame the mother of Adam Lanza, who let a mentally disturbed child arm himself to the teeth just before he slaughtered 20 children and six adults in Newtown? The home was an arsenal, supplied in part by the mother" (Egan para. 8). Referencing real life occurrences appeals to both ethos and pathos. By including an example like Sandy Hook, Egan establishes his credibility. The majority of American adults, which is his audience, have heard of this shooting. This reference is bound to get their attention that the author has some sort of idea of what he is talking about. It also applies to pathos. The references of shootings themselves stir emotions within readers, but Egan brings it one step farther by accusing mothers. Everyone has a mother, and many feel relatively protective and close to their's. Trying to put part of the blame on mothers can either make feel more connected to the issue, and understand the importance of good parenting, or create a defensive reaction, people being offended at the accusation of a loved one. Personally, I understand the logic behind Egan's reasoning, but I do not believe that if the mothers of shooters such as Adam Lanza did not have guns in the house, then they would not have occured. Of course, if his mother knew he was mentally disturbed, she should not have allowed him any sort of access to guns. But that does not mean the shooting is her fault. Lanza could have gotten hold of a gun some other way. Maybe not that day, but definitely at some point, and a shooting still would have occured.