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Resolved: The United States should require universal background checks for all all gun sales...

I negate the resolution: the United States should require universal background checks for all gun sales and transfers of ownership. I observe that requiring universal background checks perpetuate racism, endanger the lives of inner city people, and ultimately pose little solvency to the crisis facing the United States of America. Requiring universal background checks are unfair and detrimental to the safety of the American peoples. Contention 1: Inherent and Systematic Racism Minorities would be discriminatory affected through the implementation of universal background checks insofar as the United States Justice System carries inherent racism. Universal background checks restrict firearm access to those harboring criminal records, including drug use and petty felonies. The inclusion of petty crimes and drug use in background checks unfairly discriminate against minorities for two reasons: Subpoint A: The U.S Justice System. Discrimination towards minority males is blatantly obvious in our contemporary justice system. The disproportionate and lengthy incarceration of African-American, Hispanic, and other minority males indicate an inherent and systematic racist undertone in the United States Justice System. In 2013, the FBI released records to the American public concerning arrests and race statistics. Roughly 28.3% of all arrests were African-American; disproportionate, insofar as 13.6% of the American population is African-American [1][2]. In addition, Michelle Alexander, associate professor at Stanford University, authored a stunning book called the New Jim Crow. In this work, she found that roughly 70% of drug incarcerations were minority males [3]. This carries remarkable significance insofar as drug usage, including marijuana, accounts for roughly 50% of the United States prison population [3]. Restricting firearm access to minority males degrades what little safety the inner cities currently have. As reported by Michelle Alexander in a further extension, up to 80% of minority males in select inner cities have criminal records [3]. Since universal background checks, which the affirmative wishes to enforce, restrict access to firearms through the background check system, this would restrict the ability of inner-city minorities to protect themselves. Up to 80% of inner city minorities, many who suffer only from light marijuana use (or other drugs), become defenseless, susceptible to theft, muggings, and murder. Subpoint B: Gun Control has Racist Origins. The racist origins of gun control signal that further background checks serve only as an appeasement of Caucasian fears. Robert Regoli, associate professor at the University of Colorado, wrote in 2009 that focusing on gun restriction fundamentally stems from one's own racism. He states “gun control allows one to feel safe from… the unbearable threat of coming to grips with… one’s own prejudice and bigotry.” Perpetuating racist firearm restrictions is detrimental to race relations in the U.S. Albert Memmi, professor of sociology, states that combating racism “is a struggle to be undertaken without without surcease and without concessions” [4]. Allowing racism under the mask of background checks is a concession that the battle against racism can ill afford. Combined with the terminal impact of endangering inner city lives, it has been shown that universal background checks are undeniably racist. Contention 2: Black Market Determined criminals will acquire firearms legally or illegally. Universal background checks can be easily circumvented through purchasing a gun on the black market. Criminals, who will not be deterred by universal background checks, will resort to acquiring guns illegally. Law-abiding citizens with petty records will be unable to acquire a gun, left without protection at the hands of criminals. The black market ultimately uproots any solvency of universal background checks, two warrants: Subpoint A: Prevalence of Black Market Firearms. Guns are readily available on the black market. Frank Miller of Forbes, in a 2013 interview with two ATF agents, reports that firearms are abundant on the black market. A direct quote from an interviewed ATF agent yielded "guns are so readily available on the black market... [sell] only a few hundred dollars above retail" [5]. Black market sellers are untraceable and have no criminal record, and thereby would not be picked up by the enforcement of universal background checks. In addition, there is historical precedence for the black market in areas with extreme gun control measures. In 1992, David Kopel, a research director, stated that "guns remain readily available on the black market" despite strict measures. He continues by stating this "has not reduced crime," but rather "encouraged burglary" [6]. In areas such as Japan and Holland, the black market has run rampant in the wake of strict gun control measures. The black market, currently a looming presence in the United States of America, will only balloon to hazardous proportions with the requirement of universal background checks. Subpoint B: Transfer is Untraceable. Minter of Forbes continues that straw criminals with no criminal records can easily purchase guns and subsequently sell them to those with criminal records. These sales are, of course, clandestine and untraceable. John Jacobs, PhD recipient from the University of Chicago, estimates in 2002 that up to "half of guns obtained by criminals have been stolen" [7]. He gives a precise estimate, predicting that roughly 750,000 guns were stolen (and would continue to be stolen) each year. These thefts are inherently untraceable and can be subsequently transferred to criminals. Background checks for transfer are effective if, and only if, the government has knowledge of the transaction. As demonstrated through the black market, the United States Federal Government can not and does not have knowledge of these clandestine transactions. Therefore, it is evident that background checks have little to no solvency. Concise Recap In conclusion, it has been thoroughly demonstrated the background checks unfairly discriminate against minorities and ultimately pose a grave threat to their prosperity. Determined criminals will resort to any means necessary to get a gun whereas abiding citizens will not. This leaves guns in the hands of criminals and renders the common citizen essentially defenseless. The enforcement of a universal background check is fundamentally flawed, poses zero solvency, and is detrimental to the best interests of American citizens. I will respond to my opponent's specific arguments in the following round. Sources [1] https://ucr.fbi.gov... [2] http://www.jstor.org... [3] https://www.huffingtonpost.com... [4] Memmi, A. "Le Racisme," pp.163-5 [5] https://www.forbes.com... [6] https://www.ncjrs.gov... [7] https://books.google.com...