Gun control has become an increasingly hot debate in the United States since the beginning of the 20th century. Gun advocates are pushing for total freedom to buy whatever gun someone desires. If these people had their way you could pick up an AK-47 on your way to work in the morning, and then could pick up an M-4 Rifle on the way back from the grocery store. If you let just anyone own an assault rifle, then why stop people from owning their own grenade launcher? Both are meant for killing huge masses of people and not for self-defense. Gun control advocates are doing what they can to limit guns in civilians" hands, but this is with limited success at best. Gun control proponents claim they have had victories, but when it is broken down, nothing has really been accomplished. Although gun control proponents have good intentions, they have done very little to actually accomplish anything, or gain any ground against their opponents incorrect claims.
Gun control advocates have done what they can to limit gun possession, but have come up empty handed. A Prime example of this, is The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Law), which was passed in 1993. This law requires licensed fired arm dealers to do a background check, as well as wait five business days before releasing the gun to the purchaser. This law may seem like a good idea on the surface, but it has cracks all over. First of all, it only requires licensed firearm dealers to do this background check, while someone selling their private collection is free to sell to whomever they please. Someone who wants to buy a handgun the legal way, most likely is not someone who is going to use the gun in an offensive, harmful manner. It really only slows down the good, law abiding citizen from getting a gun, but it does not have much of an effect on the gang member down the street. In the early 1990's, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms reported that 7% of armed career criminals obtain firearms from licensed gun shops (Just Facts).