Where Have All the Guns Gone
In today's society guns are everywhere. News casts shower the public with stories about gun violence, movie heroes blow away the bad guys, cartoon characters brazenly shower each other with flying bullets, and children shoot each other in school rooms. When is it going to stop? Gun control advocates believe that the answer lies in more and more laws designed to restrict ownership of firearms to the public. Gun rights advocates think that such laws are an infringement on civil rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. They want more enforcement of existing laws and tougher punishments for breaking current laws. Everyone agrees that something must change. However, what that 'something' should be has sparked fierce public debate. The latest change has been the introduction of background checks and a waiting period before purchasing a firearm. The "Brady Handgun Control Act of 1993" incorporated this change and made it mandatory for all States. Recently the Supreme Court overturned parts of the law, however, many States adopted similar laws requiring the same checks.Studies and statistics indicate that although some criminals are declined when trying to buy guns l
This seems to show how prominent straw purchasing is in our country. Another problem is that gun dealers do not lose their license if convicted of illegal sales until an appeal is completed (Jackman). How effective are the background checks in deterring criminals from obtaining a handgun? The background check system seems very effective against criminals who try to purchase a gun from licensed dealers. Miller that the Federal Government could regulate firearms if it does not affect the State's ability to maintain a militia. Hinckley fired several shots with a revolver, hitting the President in the chest, and his Press Secretary, James Brady in the head. The hardened criminals can and do get guns regardless of background checks. (Issues and Controversies) All of these statistics seem to point out one logical conclusion. , author of "More Guns, Less Crime" the waiting period provided for in the Brady Law has had little impact on murder and robbery rates. In fact, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of two sheriffs that the federal government could not require the officers to complete the background checks required by the Brady Law. Lott sites the waiting period as a contributor to a small increase in aggravated assault and rape rates (26-27). ATF inspectors cannot inspect firearm dealers more than once a year unless they have a warrant or direct permission from the dealer. In 1998 only 56 persons were charged with making straw purchases. " These words are the backbone behind gun-rights groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA) founded in 1871. The shooting prompted his wife, Sara Brady, to become a gun control activist.
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