SUMMARY
Thirty years ago, Gary, Indiana, was declared the murder capital of the U.S. Following the example of other cities, Gary sued gun makers and sellers for their part in fueling the city’s violence. Gary’s case is now the last one still active as this industrial city works to get a handle on gun violence.
Time markers:
Start of video to 1m:25s for an introduction to gun violence in Gary, Indiana
2m:58s to 5m:20s if you want to learn about the national lawsuit against firearm manufacturers
5m:21s to 6m:58s to learn about why the firearm industry is against the lawsuits
7m:45s to end to see how community members are supporting each other
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- What is the argument in the lawsuit against gun manufacturers?
- When did Gary, Indiana, file the lawsuit against the gun manufacturers?
- Where can residents of Gary who've been directly affected by gun violence find resources and support ?
- Why do gun manufacturers and pro-gun advocates believe they are being unfairly targeted?
- How does the city of Gary hope to reduce gun violence through the lawsuit?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How effective do you think Indiana's measures against gun violence are? Why is it difficult to pass legislation?
Media literacy: What programs or measures have been implemented in your city or state to attempt to reduce gun violence?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
FOR MORE
What students can do: Learn more about why more liberal and conservative states disagree on limiting firearm sales. This interview highlights the contrasting approaches to gun control and raises questions about further legal challenges.
This post was written by Raegan Lusk, a senior at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and an intern with PBS NewsHour Classroom, and edited by NewsHour's Luke Gerwe.
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