Gun Control

Gun control refers to legal measures that prevent or restrict the possession and use of firearms. Gun control laws regulate what types of firearms can be bought and sold, who can possess and sell them, where and how they can be stored and carried, and how sellers must screen potential buyers. Although gun control laws are strict and uncontroversial in most developed countries, they are an area of hot political debate in the United States. When it comes to gun violence, the U.S. is an outlier among other wealthy, developed countries. Gun violence in the U.S. disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minority communities, especially Black communities. In 2018, Amnesty International declared gun violence in the U.S. to be a human rights crisis. 

The basis for gun ownership in the U.S. stems from the Second Amendment’s provision for “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,” whose interpretation has been fiercely debated. The American public is divided in their overall views on gun policy. According to a 2017 Pew Research study, 52% of Americans favored more strict gun laws, 18% favored less strict laws, and 30% considered gun laws to be about right. A large majority of Americans support specific policy proposals including restrictions on gun sales to those experiencing mental illnesses and expanded background checks, but the question of whether guns contribute to public safety or detract from it remains sharply divisive. Those in favor of stricter gun control call attention to the severity of the gun violence problem in the U.S. and argue that limits on purchase, possession and storage of firearms must be drawn. Many gun owners counter that weapons make society safer by giving citizens the power to defend themselves and others from attack. In addition, guns hold a cultural and symbolic importance for gun rights advocates who see the right to bear arms as a crucial safeguard of individual liberties and democracy. Issues such as whether to allow citizens to carry weapons in public still have little consensus among lawmakers or the public. The presence of a vocal gun lobby has shaped the divisive nature of public attitude towards guns and related policy in the U.S. The National Rifle Association has held significant lobbying power and influence over gun policy, opposed by student and community-led activist efforts to promote gun control policies and legislative reform. Much of this activism has emerged in the wake of tragedies inflicted by gun violence, including mass shootings and school shootings.

 Gun laws vary by state, with New York, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Massachusetts among the most restrictive. Massachusetts has some of the strongest gun laws in the country and the lowest gun death rate of any state. Massachusetts’ permit-to-purchase system, one of the most slow and rigorous gun licensing systems in the country, is often pointed to as an effective public policy model for reducing gun violence that other states should follow. The Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, a group that brings together organizations and institutions across Massachusetts to advocate against gun violence, was instrumental in the passing of comprehensive state-wide gun legislation in 2014. Today, the group is working actively to address gun violence from a variety of angles, including root causes such as economic disparity.