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Debate Over Gun Control In The United States

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The debate over gun control has been a major topic in the United States for decades. The national government has not adopted a definitive position on the issue, even though there is legislation in existence which attempts to regulate the possession and use of firearms by individuals. There are many opinions as to whether or not individuals reserve the right to own guns, and whether or not the government has the Constitutional power to regulate the ownership and possession of guns by its citizens. Many consider gun ownership a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and therefore are against the government’s interference where private possession is concerned. Others believe that despite the 2nd Amendment, the government …show more content…

However, ever since that time, the majority of issues regarding the Second Amendment related to gun use by the militia. Only in recent years did gun control become an issue discussed in regards to individual use by civilians. The first modern federal action aimed at regulating the use of guns was the Gun Control Act of 1968, which according to the Council on Foreign Relations “prohibited the sale of firearms to several categories of individuals, including persons under eighteen years of age, those with criminal records, the mentally disabled, unlawful aliens, dishonorably discharged military personnel, and others” (CFR). This piece of legislation sets a good foundation but needs a more extensive set of guidelines regarding gun possession and use so that dangerous situations are prevented. According to Angela Valdez, who authored Gun Control, an account of the history of gun control in America, the Gun Control Act was modified in 1993 with the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which mandated background checks for all persons purchasing a firearm from a federally licensed dealer (Valdez). While good in theory, the Brady Law has a major flaw: it does not apply to individuals who are already licensed to carry

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