Gun Control And The Rights Of A Free State - 1149 Words

Gun Control Multiple news outlets reported the same number over and over. 74. This is the general estimated number of mass school shootings that have occurred since the massacre at Newton’s Sandyhook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. The Newton massacre once again had a nation grieving for loss of innocent lives in such tragic ways and once again the issue of gun control went to the front of the nation’s agenda. American history shows a fascination with gunfighters and the Old West mentality as well as gangsters from the early 20th century. Billy The Kid, Wild Bill Hickock, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, John Dillinger. These are names from American history that have intrigued society forever. America has always held a†¦show more content†¦Does having more guns make a person more safe? How many guns is too much? Do people need automatic weapons? Would gun restrictions cause normal citizens to be unable to defend themselves appropriately? The National Institute of Justice reported that in 1994, 35% of households owned 192 million firearms, with 65 million of those being handguns. 74% reported owning more than one. By 2000, the number had increased to 259 owned across the nation and 294 million by 2007. Retail prices vary from $75 to $1500 for a typical handgun. A gun is used in a homicide 3.2 times per 100,000 people per the FBI Crime Reports of 2011. In 2009, firearm fatal ities numbered 11,826 homicides, 18,735 suicides, 554 accidental shootings and 232 unknown causes. (Congressional Digest, 5) From a historical perspective, gun control laws have existed as early as 1813 when Kentucky made it a statutory offense to carry a concealed weapon. The National Rifle Association was born in 1871. (ProQuest Staff, 1) On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan, White House Press Secretary James Brady, and two others were wounded during an assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr., who was mentally ill. This led to the Brady Bill in 1993 which imposed a five day waiting period on the purchase of handguns and a background check by law enforcement officials. Multiple states across the union have proposed changes to gun control laws in some form. So