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In recent rulings, the US Supreme Court has affirmed that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to own firearms.

A CHERISHED AMERICAN RIGHT Historically, gun ownership has always held an important place in American culture. The Second Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1791, reads, “A well “Strict gun control laws do not always have the

effect that legislators intend. More guns (in the right hands) can stop crime, and fewer guns (in the wrong hands) can make for more crime. Gun control isn’t crime control.” 1 —libertarian TV journalist John Stossel

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.” 5 For many Americans, a firearm is more than a tool for

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Contemporary Issues: Gun Control