“The Most Controversial Issue in American Politics” Key Facts • 70-80 million Americans own a gun • 40-45% of homes in US have a gun (2011) • Firearms caused 68% of murders in 2010 A mountain of confiscated smuggled guns collected in Nairobi, Kenya History • 2nd amendment- "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.” • Constitution- "To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of people always possess arms, and be taught alike especially when young, how to use them." • The Federal Gun Free School Zone Act in 1995, cant be within 1,000 feet of a school with possession of a firearm Legal and Constitutional Significance • 2nd amendment – protects the right of an individual to own a firearm • Columbia vs. Heller (2008) Firearms can be used for self defense • McDonald vs. Chicago (2010) States can determine gun laws Support/Oppose Support Oppose • 67% of Americans that own • Firearms caused 55% of a licensed gun said they suicides (2006) use it for “defense against • There have been 11 crime” presidential assassination • 70% of male prisoners in attempts (all using guns) jails across the country said • Guns are unsafe and cause they knew someone who unnecessary violence in a attempted a robbery but community was scared away by the owners’ possession of a gun Do you think that every American should be allowed to carry a gun whenever they want? Current Status Households with a Gun Ownership of Guns: Adults owning a gun • Households with a gun= 40-45% Adults owning a • Adults owning a gun=30-34% handgun • Adults owning a handgun=17-19% Reasons for having a gun: Crime • Protection against crime=67% Target Shooting • Target Shooting=66% Hunting • Hunting:41% Laws: • Guns allowed in streets with a license= 39 States • Federal Gun Free School Zone Act of 1995= Guns at least 1000 feet away from a school • Federal law = restricts who can own, possess, or sell a gun • Brady Act= Certain scenarios people can’t use a gun • The National Firearms Act= gun must be specifically registered to a possessor of a gun • Many states consider ones guns laws of the state they come from when they go to another state while others don’t. Future of Gun Control • Keeping and bearing arms is limited • Officials will address the gun control problems. • Obama’s officials want to reduce gun control. • General public wants to reduce gun control. • Gun control will be limited further than it is today. Recent Occurrences • April 16, 2007 – Seung-Hui Cho kills 32 people in the Virginia Tech Massacre Cho was able to purchase handguns without detection after being declared mentally unstable • July 20, 2012 – James Holmes kills 12 people in the Aurora movie theater shooting Holmes had “easy access” to assault weapons through the Colorado state firearm policy Sources • Just Facts : Gun Control http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp#right-to-carry • Wikipedia : Gun Control http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_control • Do Something : Facts about guns http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-aboutguns • Wikipedia : Virginia Tech Massacre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Tech_massacre • Wikipedia : 2012 Aurora shooting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Aurora_shooting
