In the wake of recent mass shootings across the United States, the need for gun control has become a hot-button issue in the United States. Many people are looking to Congress and the White House for answers on how to reduce gun violence and enhance national security. The last time Congress passed a major piece of gun legislation was in 1994, when it enacted a now-expired 10-year ban on assault weapons. This ban was a step in the right direction, but it did not go far enough in protecting Americans from gun violence. There is still much work to be done in order to make America’s gun laws more effective.
The Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 has had a major impact on the gun laws in the United States. The Court has seemingly turned back the clock on America’s gun laws by 150 years or more. Up until last year, federal courts applied what one court called “a general presumption of constitutionality” to gun laws. This means that the courts generally assumed that any gun law was constitutional unless it was proven otherwise. The Heller decision changed that standard and now courts must assume that any gun law is unconstitutional unless it is proven otherwise.
This shift in the standard of review has had a major impact on the gun laws in the United States. Many states have seen their gun laws struck down by the courts because they were deemed to be too restrictive. Colorado is one such state that has seen its gun laws struck down in recent years. While Colorado Democrats promise an emphasis on gun laws unseen last year, a pro-gun group says it’s readying to thwart their efforts in 2020.
Massachusetts has also seen its gun laws challenged in recent years. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has been a staunch defender of the Commonwealth’s gun laws. As attorney general, Healey enforced the state’s gun laws. She drew the ire of Second Amendment advocates and gun owners in 2016 when she issued a directive clarifying what constituted a “copy” or “duplicate” weapon under the state’s gun laws.
California has some of the toughest gun laws in the country, with rules on everything from the types of weapons and ammunition that can be sold in the state to the types of background checks that must be performed on gun buyers. Despite these laws, the Monterey Park shooter was able to obtain a gun and commit a mass shooting. This demonstrates the need for even tougher gun laws in order to ensure the safety of Americans.
The gun control debate is raging across the United States as political leaders weigh in on the issue. In Georgia, political leaders are weighing in on Atlanta’s Music Midtown festival cancellation on Monday after event organizers announced the 2022 event will be postponed due to “the current state of gun laws and regulations in the US.” He noted that no gun legislation has been formally introduced, but “some rumored legislation appears so radical even the governor won’t support it.”
It is clear that the gun control debate is not going away anytime soon. The United States needs to take a hard look at its gun laws and determine what changes can be made to ensure the safety of its citizens. Congress and the White House need to work together to pass meaningful gun legislation that will reduce gun violence and enhance national security.
