US Gun Culture

In both the national and international press, the decade of the 1980s, and the first year of the 1990s, has focused on several aspects of American society which defy explanation to some. One of these issues has placed the United States as a socalled "gunculture." Within this type of culture, the perception has become that one may die suddenly and inexplicably in gunfire, be it in the inner city from the criminal element of drugs or robbery, or within the gang related violent episodes of cities like Los Angeles. Moreover, "the wounding of President Reagan and his press secretary James Brady, and the assassination of John Lennon by mentally unstable young men who had obtained handguns easily dramatized the issue of gun control" (Long 5)."

This paper will present an overview of the issues surrounding gun control, its pros and cons, and the various and sundry legalities of the Second Amendment issues. Social statistics, public, and law enforcement views will be addressed, as will the debate on the way gun control might limit the criminal element in many of America's cities.

In its most basic stance, public opinion is deeply divided about the regulation and purchase of handguns. For many Americans, the ownership of a gun is something of a birthright, guaranteed under the protection of the U.S. Constitution. For others, the proliferation of guns, especially the handguns that are frequently used in a myriad of crimes, threatens the very nature of personal safety and the

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Moore - Bowling for Columbine: Documents the Tragedy .... In that type of culture, having a .... readily available .... What this means to us as a society is that while making it harder to obtain a .... is a good thing .... (1163 5 )

Control Laws .... or break politicians and affect the level of violence in our culture. .... Jost, K. The effect of ....-control laws remains sharply disputed: The US has the .... (1147 5 )

Juvenile Crime .... critique of America's obsession with guns and gun culture. When Moore talks with Manson, Manson explains the violence perpetrated by the US military is seldom .... (566 2 )

The Sale of Assault Rifles .... In other words, the sanity of the US Congress has been reconfirmed in the .... victory against assault rifles does not threaten the gun culture's bloodline, however .... (1767 7 )

Category: Government - U