Gun Control in the United States

     Regulation of guns is a necessary action that needs to be taken in order to save lives.  A good

definition of gun control is needed to understand the sides and issues.  Gun control is an effort to stop

the rise in violent crime by strengthening laws on the ownership of firearms.  Persons in the group

against gun control believe that gun control is wrong, and that it is a violation of constitutional rights.

Those in favor of gun control believe that gun control is good, that the Second Amendment does not

apply to regular citizens, and that guns should be taken out of the hands of criminals.

     There are several major anti-gun control groups.  These groups include the National Rifle

Association (NRA), and the Gun Owners of America (GOA) .  The NRA is a national group

dedicated to the upholding of the Second amendment of the Constitution (See Appendix).  In their

magazines, American Hunter and American Rifleman, they say "The NRA,  . . .  believes that every

law-abiding citizen is entitled to the ownership and legal use of firearms,  . . . "  The NRA does many

things to help display their beliefs and persuade others to their beliefs.  This association also has a

strong pull on legislation, because it  has many lobbyists and supporters in government.  This group

has many members in Congress, and former presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan are NRA

members.  The NRA lobbies for several types of legislation.  For example, the NRA is currently trying

to repeal the ban on assault weapons.  A lot of money is spent each year on legislation (See Appendix

for figures).

     The Gun Owners of America is another group that is against gun control.  The GOA

preserves and defends the rights of gun owners through legislation.  They publish books, articles, and

videos on gun issues and how those issues affect people.  They also conduct seminars for the press

and Congress about issues on the Second Amendment, and gun issues.  The GOA opposes bans on

semiautomatic weapons, armor piercing ammunition, and handguns.

         There are also many groups that are pro gun control in the United States.  The major group for

gun control is Handgun Control, Inc. (HCI), which is headed by Sarah Brady.  Mrs. Brady is the wife

of James Brady, who was shot during an attempt on president Reagan's life in 1981.  Another major

group is the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV), which was formerly known as the National

Coalition to Ban Handguns.  The CSGV believes that handguns should be outlawed completely, with

a few exceptions, such as the military, police and sportsmen who keep their guns locked up together

in a gun club. 

               Some accomplishments of HCI are laws prohibiting the interstate sale of handguns, and laws

prohibiting the sale of "assault weapons."  The main goal of this organization was to pass the Brady

Bill.  Some of its other goals are to ban multiple sales of handguns, to create gun-free zones around

all of the schools, and to establish control over who can manufacture and sell weapons.  HCI is

working very hard to achieve these goals. 

               The CSGV is dedicated to the total removal of guns from the hands of citizens, with a few

exceptions.  The CSGV is trying very hard to put gun banning legislation in the law.  They believe

that if there are fewer guns out on the streets, then there will be fewer gun crimes committed.

               The anti-gun control people believe in several major ideas.  They believe that the second

amendment rights apply only to militia, which they define as a group such as the National Guard and

not regular citizens.  These people also believe that by controlling numbers of guns on the streets gun

violence can be reduced.

               The national government doing working with the issue of  gun control.  There have been

several bills passed in the last ten years that have to do with gun control.  First, there was the Gun

Control Act of 1986, which banned all fully-automatic weapons from the hands of citizens.  Then in

1988 there was the Brady Bill, which made a seven-day waiting period mandatory for all handgun

purposes, this law passed the House of Representatives in 1991, but part of it was ruled

unconstitutional in 1994.  Most recently there was the ban on assault weapons, which bans the sale

and manufacture of what the government considers assault weapons.  Both the NRA and HCI have

fought very hard against one another to pass some bills, and to keep some bills from becoming law.

               Both sides of this argument present very strong cases.  They have many facts and statistics

to use as weapons (see Appendix for data of both sides).  The stronger case being presented by the

pro-gun control groups.  The NRA has several good points, but HCI has points that are more relevant

to the society we live in.  Pro-gun control groups can prove that crime can be reduced with more gun

control laws by showing death statistics in countries with stricter gun control laws (Figure 1.1).  The

NRA argues differently, but does not have the extremely convincing evidence to back their ideas up.

To save more lives from death by firearms, some compromise must be made between these groups.

Losing some time or money to buy a gun could save many lives.  The NRA argues that people are

guaranteed the right to own guns in the Second Amendment (See Appendix for the text of this

amendment), but anti-gun control groups say that the law applies only to militia, not individuals.  The

pro-gun control groups have the stronger case because they can prove that lives will be saved.  Take

away the guns, and there will be no gun violence, it makes sense.

Appendix 

Figure 1.1

Handgun Control, Inc.

     "In 1988, handguns killed 7 people in Great Britain, 19 in Sweden, 53 in        Switzerland, 25 in Israel, 13 in Australia, 8 in Canada, and 8,915 in the United          States."

Figure 1.2

1989 Federal Lobbying Reports

This figure shows the amount of money spent by both pro and anti gun control groups in 1989

lobbying for legislation

                            (1st Half Gross Receipts)

                    Handgun Control, Inc.              $3,287,020

          National Coalition to Ban Handguns    265,719

          ANTI-GUN TOTAL                $4,092,739

          Citizens for the Right to Keep and

          Bear Arms                     $1,158,572

          NRA/Institute for Legislative Action        915,603

          Gun Owners of America              361,715

          PRO-GUN TOTAL                 $2,435,890

          ANTI-GUN ADVANTAGE            $1,656,849

Figure 2.1

The Second Amendment to the Constitution

     "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."

Definitions

     Ammunition.  The shells or cartridges fired from a gun.

     Anti-gun control.  Favoring no restrictions on the access of  law-abiding citizens to          firearm ownership.

     Armor-piercing bullets.  A type of bullet that can penetrate protective vests or other         gear sometimes worn by law-enforcement officers.

     Background check.  A type of gun control requiring review of the background of a          potential gun owner to check for a criminal record or history of drug or        alcohol abuse.

     Ban.  A law or act that prohibits the acquisition or sale of a particular item, such as a           gun.

     Firearm.  A device for storing, and firing of ammunition.

     Fully-automatic weapon. A gun that can fire many rounds with one pull of the    trigger,

such as a machine gun.

     Gun-control law.  Any law that restricts the ownership or sale of firearms.

     Handgun.  A short, thick-barreled firearm that can be handheld.

     Lobby.  An organization that uses its political power to promote causes supported by      its membership.

     Militia.  1. As defined by the Constitution it includes all able-bodied men between 18    and 45 2. Defined by the pro-gun control groups, it means the members of groups      such as

the National Guard and the armed forces

         Pro-gun control.  Favoring restrictions on the access of citizens to firearm ownership.        

 Rifle.  A long, thick-barreled firearm with a handle that fits to the shoulder.

     Semiautomatic.  A firearm with a removable magazine and a trigger that must be  pulled

once to fire each shot.

                             Endnotes

                          Works Cited

Alba, John. "Outspoken Lawman." American Survival Guide Jan. 1996: 88-90.

Gun Control. Ed. Bruno Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1992.

Little, Christopher. "The Disarming President." American Survival Guide May 1995: 46-49.

McClure, Sashai A. "An Analysis of Handgun Control, Inc.";downloaded from the Combat      Arms BBS, Castro Valley, 3-5-96.

Newton, David E. Gun Control: An Issue for the 90's. Hillside: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1992.

Strahinich, Helen. Think About Guns in America. New York: Walker and Company, 1992.

United States.Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.Your Guide to Firearms R