Gun Control

The definition of a gun states: a weapon consisting of a metal tube from which a projectile is fired at high velocity (Definition, 2006). No where in the meaning does it express what the damage is opposed on. This weapon has a small limit on what it can penetrate through. Unfortunely they are commonly used for crime. Guns can also assist in protection and safe ones life. Congress should not pass a legislation to ban the right to own a gun, but put a higher restriction on the purchase and correct usage of one.

Gun control does exsist today. It is controlled by the federal government who limits the purchase and ownership of firearms. Over the years federal government has made few laws restricting gun possession and use. This is due to the Second Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. The amendment a well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. (Sugarmann, 2001). This amendment regulates the ownership of firearms by interpretation and how it is applied. Supreme Court explains no where does it state there is a individual right to own a gun under this Amendment.

Assault weapons are guns that are more powerful than handguns because of the size and fire rate. There was a ban included in part of a larger anti-crime bill passed by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton (Gun Control, 2006). The ban consisted of firearms that were semi-automatic, and handguns with semi-automatic features. This ban expired September 13, 2004 and was a big issue during the President Bush and Kerry election (Gun Control, 2006). Bush did not show support in the ban, but strongly believed in background checks. By keeping guns away from people who commit crime, and those who do not have the proper requirements. Even bigger consequences for those who sell weapons illegally (Poe, 2001). The system used for the checks is the Brady Background Check. This check is done by state or federal law enforcement authorities. They see if the person wanting to buy a gun is prohibited from purchasing the firearm. The check is only done on sales by federally licensed gun dealers. If the purchaser is approved, a license or permit is issued to the applicant. The buyer must fill out a license or permit application form with the licensing authority and pay all required fees. This prevents criminals and other people who are not allowed to buy guns to obtain them. Licenses or permits must be presented by the purchaser before obtaining a weapon (Sugarmann, 2001). Other people can purchase the gun for them, but is highly illegal and severe penalties exsist.

Guns can also protect yourself from violence. Vulnerable victims who can not protect themselves, including people who are physically weak, can benefit from owning a gun.

It was October 1991. Suzanna Gratia and her parents were at a restaurant in Killeen, Texas, planning to have lunch. Suddenly, gunfire erupted. By the time it ended, Grattia's parents and twenty- one other people were dead. Gratia owned a gun, but she had left it in her car. She believes to this day if she had carried the gun into the restaurant, some, if not all, of the twenty-three victims would be alive (O'Neill, 2000).

The crime could have been stopped and saved peoples lives. Some legislatures have even been bold enough to take advantage of the effect gun ownership has on crime. In 1982 Atlanta passed a law requiring all households to keep at least one gun in the house. The residential burglary rate dropped 80 percent (Sugarmann, 2001). Most of the time victims would not have to shoot their attacker, by posing a threat and scaring them off.

Congress