Brian McPherson

K. Hensel
English IV
2/11/16
Annotated Bibliography: Gun Control
Question: What efforts have been made to try and prevent gun violence in America in the past 20
years?
Thesis: In the past 20 years, there have been countless attempts to pass legislation to increase the
control over guns in America, but no substantial laws have been passed regarding gun
control.
Barrett, Paul M. Gun Control and the Constitution: Should We Amend the Second
Amendment? Bloomberg Business Week. Bloomberg, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 13 Mar
2016.
The 18th amendment states 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. Though this
states the right to bear arms shall not be infringed, this does not state whether its regarding the
army, or civilians. Supreme Justice Stevens has proposed that we change the second amendment
to state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms while serving in a militia shall not be
infringed. Although he proposed this, it did not make it through talks from congress, thus there
was never a vote on it. For most americans, firearms are a symbol of individualism,
independence, and self-reliance. This right is what keeps americans americans.
Milligan, Susan. We Need Gun Control to Stop More Than Criminals. USNews.com.
U.S. News & World Report, 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 15 March 2016.

Even though many gun-rights activists say that stricter gun laws are pointless, since people who
use guns are engaging in illegal activities anyway, this isn't always the case. A man in florida
shot and killed a man in a movie theatre, because he refused to stop texting during the movie
they were viewing. But heres the kicker: he was a former police officer that has a flawless
record. So its not just criminals that commit these acts. The fact is, if this man didnt have gun,
he wouldn't have killed the victim. Ban guns and only criminals will have guns, but put
restrictions on gun ownership, make background checks more strict, and youre making it harder
for law-abiding citizens to acquire guns for protection and recreational activities, such as
hunting.
Cooke, Charles C. W. Gun-Control Dishonesty. National Review.com. National Review
Online, 13 Dec 2013. Web. 15 March 2016.
Gun-Control activists cry that we must take action to prevent mass-shootings in America.
In the case of nearly every shooting that has gained national attention, the firearm used has been
acquired legally, and background checks, waiting periods, all of these precautions were followed
by the perpetrator. In order to find a major shooting that had a private gun sale, youd have to
look at the 1999 Columbine massacre. On of the criminals, Dylan Klebold, purchased a Tec-9, a
gun that is illegal to own by anyone under the 1994 ban on assault weapons, from a man who
said he knew it was illegal to sell guns to minors, yet he did anyway. This leads to the question:
Would gun control laws have prevented this minor from gaining access of this already illegal
firearm and using it in a mass shooting?