May 09, 2008

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The Candidates’ Positions

Hillary Clinton
U.S. Senator from New York.

Barack Obama

U.S. Senator from Illinois.

John Edwards
Former U.S. Senator from North Carolina.

Mike Gravel
Former U.S. Senator (AK)

>> More on Election 2008

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Fast Facts

The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads, "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."
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 (known as the Brady Law), required a mandatory 5-day waiting period for gun purchases.
In 2000, 71% of homicides involved a gun.
The first major federal gun law, which went into effect in 1934, restricted the sale and ownership of high-risk weapons such as machine guns and sawed-off shotguns.

Gun Control

The United States is the leader in per capita gun deaths among industrial nations. This has resulted in various gun control laws at the federal and state levels that seek to reduce crime and violence by restricting private gun ownership. Supporters of gun control would like even tighter restrictions. They face strong opposition from those trying to protect what they view as the right to own and bear firearms.

Gun Control Overview

When British troops were occupying Boston in 1774, they attempted to confiscate the inhabitants' firearms in hopes of preventing an uprising. Knowing of the British plan, the Americans hid their weapons and eventually used them to win their independence. After the war, the drafters of the U.S. Constitution recalled that…>> (read more)

Gun Control Points of View

4 Right to Own a Gun Is Guaranteed by the Constitution
5 Right to Own a Gun Is Not Guaranteed by the Constitution
6 Founding Fathers Intended to Protect the Individual's Right to Bear Arms
7 It Is Unproven That the Founding Fathers Intended to Protect the Individual's Right to Bear Arms
8 Owning Guns Is Rooted in America's Cultural Past
9 Gun Control Is Constitutional
10 Gun Control Is Not Constitutional
11 Restrictive Gun Laws Will Reduce Crime
12 Permissive Gun Laws Will Reduce Crime
13 Assault Weapons Should Not Be Banned
14 Lax U.S. Gun Laws Encourage Terrorism

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Gun Control in the News

Gun-rights supporters are eagerly awaiting the Supreme Court's upcoming decision in D.C. v. Heller.(The Week)(District of Columbia)(Brief article)

Gun-rights supporters are eagerly awaiting the Supreme Court's upcoming decision in D.C. v. Heller. The justices are likely to declare the Second Amendment an individual right, and could very…>> (read more)

Making our neighborhoods safe: a fearful policy of zero tolerance for firearms does not provide safety or security; only an emphasis on personal responsibility over government dependence can do that.(FIREARMS & FREEDOM)

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Facts are troublesome things. We are told by the enemies of private gun ownership that widespread availability of firearms can only lead to an increase…>> (read more)

Police collect more than 1,000 weapons.

Byline: Carolyn Jones; Chronicle Staff Writer

Soon after Oakland streets again exploded in violence, police collected more than 1,000 handguns and assault weapons Saturday in three no-questions-asked…>> (read more)