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Gun control
Gun control refers to the regulation of the sale and use of firearms.
Usage
Other terms used to describe gun control include:
- Gun-violence prevention
- Gun safety
- Firearms regulation
- Illegal guns
- Criminal access to guns[1]
- Gun rights
- Second Amendment rights
Definitions
All Sides
The website All Sides defines gun control as it is used by both its advocates and opponents. According to the site, the term gun control for its advocates "connotes an effort to create a greater level of accountability and regulation when it comes to firearms. They have supported a range of efforts under the gun control banner, from background checks and waiting periods to bans on assault rifles and certain other weapons."[2]
Gun control as used by its opponents "connotes a threat to individual freedom, a contravention of the Second Amendment, and an inevitable slippery slope towards the restriction of public ability to bear arms."[2]
The New York Times
The New York Times defined gun control as:
| “ | [A] broad term that covers any sort of restriction on what kinds of firearms can be sold and bought, who can possess or sell them, where and how they can be stored or carried, what duties a seller has to vet a buyer, and what obligations both the buyer and the seller have to report transactions to the government.[3] | ” |
| —The New York Times[4] | ||
Arguments
The website ProCon lists arguments for and against gun control.[5]
Opponents
| “ | Opponents say that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns; that guns are needed for self-defense from threats ranging from local criminals to foreign invaders; and that gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime.[5][3] | ” |
Proponents
| “ | Proponents of more gun control laws state that the Second Amendment was intended for militias; that gun violence would be reduced; that gun restrictions have always existed; and that a majority of Americans, including gun owners, support new gun restrictions.[5][3] | ” |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Atlantic, "Don't Call It 'Gun Control'," January 16, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 All Sides, "Gun Control," accessed April 10, 2019
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The New York Times, "Gun Control Explained," October 7, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 ProCon, "History of Gun Control," Updated March 25, 2019
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