DeKALB — The Young Americans for Liberty and the NIU College Democrats held a debate Thursday night in DuSable Hall covering gun control, the concept of taxation and free speech.

Participants provided varying perspectives on gun control and the current climate, the concept of taxation as beneficial or disadvantageous and free speech pertaining to the right to refuse service.

“This debate was meant to get the message out that we can have a peaceful political discussion,” said Jack Stocker, president of the Young Americans for Liberty. “We can come together as a society and find a peaceful and pleasant solution with each other.”

Jeremy Watson, Young Americans for Liberty member, said gun laws in the U.S. are working well, and tightening gun laws would further limit a person’s ability to use a gun for self-defense.

“[Background checks] are effective in theory,” Watson said. “But look at Orlando, that guy slipped through the cracks. The FBI knew about him, but he was never institutionalized.”

Justin Mishler, Young Americans for Liberty member, said he thinks all gun laws are unconstitutional. Mishler also said all gun laws should be repealed because they violate the Second Amendment.

College Democrat Adil Erradi said he disagrees, citing the results of shootings in Chicago in the past week.

The past week saw four gun-related deaths and over 100 gun-related injuries, according to an April 23 CBS article.

“A few common-sense gun restrictions, [like a] national permit to purchase and a ban on purchases from domestic abusers, would decrease the murder rate,” Erradi said.

The taxation debate began when Layla Werner of the College Democrats explained the idea of a progressive tax to her opponent.

A progressive tax takes more income from higher earners and less income from low-income earners, according to the IRS website.

“When you look at the taxes on your paycheck stub, everything you see on there is being used to benefit you,” Werner said. “College loans, federal loans, federal grants, federal scholarships; I’m sure that all of us have benefited from federal taxes.”

Aaron Jones, Young Americans for Liberty member, said the 16th Amendment should be repealed and a national sales tax should be instituted.

The 16th Amendment, passed in 1909, gave Congress the power to tax citizens’ income, according to the U.S. Constitution.

“Income taxes are intrusive on every American, and we have been around longer without it than with it,” Jones said.

The final debate topic discussed a Colorado court case in which a baker refused to bake a cake for a homosexual couple based on his disapproval of their marriage.

“The saying used to be ‘If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t have one,’” said Reece Mendicino of the Young Americans for Liberty. “He refused to make a decorative ornament that showed two men getting married, not because he was against their sexuality, but because he didn’t believe in the marriage.”

Mendicino said the baker also has a history of refusing to bake cakes for Halloween, as it is considered a pagan holiday, and has refused service to anyone who has already been divorced.

“I would argue that in this case, we give up certain rights in order to have liberty and a society open to everyone,” said College Democrats president Ian Pearson. “LGBT is a protected class under the Civil Rights Act.”

After the debate, Democratic candidate for the 16th Congressional district Sara Dady announced she will be holding a debate with current 16th Congressional district representative Adam Kinzinger at 10 a.m., May 14 in Ottawa, on 1430 WCMY.

“It’s about integrity; it’s about having a position, being able to defend it and listening to the people that you’re representing and trying to work in their best interest,” Dady said. “That’s what we deserve. Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Green Party, it doesn’t matter.”