A panel of gun advocates, gun opponents, and Constitutional experts will discuss gun control, gun rights, and Second Amendment issues Wednesday, May 28, at 7 p.m. at the Colleges Nine and Ten Multipurpose Room on the UC Santa Cruz campus. The program is free and open to the public.
The "Gun Culture Roundtable" is sponsored by the Co-curricular Programs unit at College Nine and College Ten and will be moderated by UCSC sociology professor Craig Reinarman.
Access to and restriction of firearms is one of the most contentious social issues in the United States. The nation is unique in the degree to which people have access to firearms, and the Second Amendment states: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed." Adding to the complexity, gun laws vary widely from state to state. The debate heightens every time another mass shooting happens.
Panelists scheduled to discuss these issues are Guy Smith, an independent gun policy researcher and creator of the Gun Facts Project; Adam Winkler, UCLA professor of law and specialist in American Constitutional law; Harry Salzberg, attorney and president of the Santa Cruz Chapter of the Brady Campaign; and Walter Stockwell, founding member of the Liberal Gun Club Northern California Chapter.
Since 2004, the Co-curricular Programs unit at UCSC's College Nine and College Ten has facilitated debates and roundtable discussions addressing some of the most challenging and controversial topics of our time. These programs have offered a platform where experts with widely differing viewpoints have debated topics including affirmative action, the war in Iraq, abortion rights, marriage equality, and most recently — free speech at college campuses. In each case, presenters have articulated their perspective and respectfully challenged opposing viewpoints. Students have benefited by gaining a deeper understanding of the complexity and depth of the issues presented, as well as through observing the respectful discourse and debate skills modeled on the stage.
In each case, presenters have articulated their perspective and respectfully challenged opposing viewpoints. Students have benefited by gaining a deeper understanding of the complexity and depth of the issues presented, as well as through observing the respectful discourse and debate skills modeled on the stage.
Admission: Free
