By Ryan Markmann
This collective work takes an in depth look at gun control and gun violence throughout the United States, but more specifically in my hometown of Chicago. Throughout the pieces you will learn about my family and the importance of their physical safety to me. At the end of the day, money and materialistic objects come and go and provide different levels of satisfaction. However, the ones you love will always be by your side, no matter the circumstance. For this reason, I took a hard look at what I can do to make sure those people safely come home to me each day.
You will learn about the good, the bad and the ugly of guns throughout this collection. Everything from crime rates and mass shootings, through the history of guns in America, all the way to what we can do to ensure the future of a safer society. We will take a rational look at gun control and some of the options that have been put into the societal mind and why they may or may not work. I also provide an example of common-sense laws that allow the average citizen to take a stand against crime and denounce a victim mentality. I also talk about the importance of learning the verbiage and the skills required to make those things a reality.
In the Asking Around you will hear from key stake holders in the gun epidemic, plaguing our nation. You will hear the pain from a mother who lost her son, a police officer that fights these crimes every day, and a social activist that has had enough of the loss of life in his city. These very real voices are just a fraction of the many that tell you why this topic is something you need to care about.
Some of the information I am most proud of in these works are, first, taking a deep look at myself and understanding what/who is most important to me. I had the chance to reflect a lot on the people in my life and how much I really care about them, as well as the extents I am willing to go to make sure they are safe, happy and healthy. Secondly, I feel as if I was able to make the works, and importance of them, relatable. I made it evident my feelings on the subject, but tried to offer enough information to let you come to your own conclusions. There is information that can support either side of an argument without putting bias on the data. Finally, I am proud of the model of gun control offered in Stand and Deliver. I have spoken to multiple people about this idea, gun toters and non, both seem to have an openness to the method I describe.
Hopefully by the end of this portfolio, I have inspired you to stop listening to other people make decisions for you and you loved ones but stand up and make your own decisions and follow them through.