Cartoons Opposing Increased Gun Control

Team Member Name: Mary Neary       

Publication: Townhall.com          

Date: 12/17/2012

Cartoonist: Eric Allie                                       

U.S./International

Title of Cartoon:

Cartoon#:

What action is taking place in the cartoon? What is the context? The two people walking together are discussing the fact that once guns are made illegal, it will put an end to shootings, and society will improve. The comment made, which was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, is that society also improved with the ban of illegal substances. This is jabbing at the fact that drugs are still a big problem, and though it’s illegal, they are still everywhere.

Tone of the cartoon: The overall tone of the cartoon is negative, due to the fact that it is referring to the tragedy of Newtown, and on a larger scale, tragedies as a whole due to gun violence.

1) Positive or negative framing of stricter gun control laws? The framing of this cartoon is negative towards stricter gun control laws. It brings up the point that though the laws may become more strict, things may not change that much.

2) Framing is supportive or opposed to supporters of increased gun control? The framing is opposed to the supporters of gun control. It doesn't come out and say that we shouldn't have gun control, but that it will be very difficult to enforce.

3) Framing is supportive or opposed to opponents (e.g., NRA) of stricter gun control laws? The framing suggests that making stricter gun laws will be difficult, and this supports those who are against the laws being made to make it difficult to access assault weapons.

What “reality” is constructed/framed about stricter gun control laws? The reality is that people are still going find ways to get access to guns, even if they have been outlawed.  Just as people can still have access to drugs through illegal means. It's a good idea on paper, but it will be hard to enforce.

Team Member Name: Paul Christiansen
Publication: The Arizona Star                       
Date: 2/20/2013
Cartoonist: David Fitzimmons                            
U.S./International
Title of cartoon: Open Carry COLOR                               
Cartoon#:


What action is taking place in the cartoon? What is the context?At a donut shop, a man with a gun holstered to his waist is standing in line. Most of his fellow patrons and the clerk at the register are looking at his gun and thinking they are in danger. They are shown thinking about recent instances of gun violence, the most recent being Newtown, Connecticut. The man with the gun is shown as a regular, non-violent human being who just wants their donut. At the back of the line, an old woman with a can is realizing she has picked the wrong store to rob.

This plays on the statement made by Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president: “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” In the cartoon, the “good guy with a gun” just wants his donut and the “bad guy with a gun” is potentially the old woman who looks harmless. 

Tone of the cartoon:

1) positive or negative framing of stricter gun control laws (circle or highlight answer): The cartoon depicts the law-abiding citizen in the donut shop as someone the public fears. However, he is just like the most of the others in line—someone who just wants a donut.

2) framing is supportive or opposed to supporters of increased gun control (Circle or highlight answer): The cartoon shows that looks can be deceiving. Citizens with guns aren’t people to be feared but taking away their right to bear arms could potentially lead real criminals to prey on unarmed citizens.

3) framing is supportive or opposed to opponents (e.g., NRA) of stricter gun control laws (Circle or highlight answer): Wayne LaPierre was quoted as saying, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” That’s the case here, where the “good guy” has his gun holstered and the older woman in the back of the line was thinking of robbing the donut shop. She is shown as realizing she has picked the wrong store to rob because of the “good guy” with the gun. If the cartoon was an animation it might show the old woman leaving the shop and causing no harm because she was intimidated by the man with the gun.

What “reality” is constructed/framed about stricter gun control laws?

If there were stricter gun control laws—laws that prevent law-abiding citizens from carrying concealed and legal weapons—there would likely be more instances of robberies and other crimes because there would be no one to stop those criminals responsible.

Team MemberName: Chelsea Hunter 

Publication: michellehenry.fr 

Date: 

Cartoonist: 

Title of Cartoon: Feeding Tube 

US/International: US 

Cartoon #: 4

What action is taking place in the cartoon?

 It shows a feeder tube leading to a man pointing a gun with his finger on the trigger and is labeled school shootings. Through the feeder tube comes ideas from violence seen in media, and build up from Anger, Lax Parenting, Lax Gun Laws, and of course guns at the very bottom.

What is the Context? 

The context explains that there are other things that lead up to a shooting other than access to a gun.

The tone is positive towards stricter gun control laws.

This cartoon is supportive to supporters of increased gun control.

Framing is opposed to opponents of stricter gun control laws. 

What "reality" is constructed/framed about stricter gun control laws? 

The reality behind this cartoon is that it's not solely guns getting into the wrong hands, there are also other things that promote a violent mentality. There is so much violence in the media that we should expect some of it to leak into our reality. Plus with built up anger and lenient parenting and gun laws that aren’t as strict as maybe they should be, it feeds young people with insane ideas to shoot helpless victims.