Gun Control and the TCC Library

Gun Control issues dominate headlines of newspapers every time a gun-related tragedy occurs. Should assault weapons, semiautomatic weapons, be banned ? Should all states enforce a mandatory waiting period for gun purchases, with background checks required?
What did our framers of the Constitution really have in mind when they wrote the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms as a member of a state militia, or the right to stockpile a personal arsenal including armor piercing bullets in your home ? No other country has citizens owning as many guns as the US, and the US leads the world in gun related deaths, accidents, and crimes. This is a divisive issue with no resolution in the near future.

The TCC Library has a number of books, eBooks, videos, and database resources for the student researching this topic. A few selected titles are listed below, with links to our online catalog.

BOOKS

The global gun epidemic : from Saturday night specials to AK-47s

Gun show nation : gun culture and American democracy


Gun violence

Gun control

eBooks

Showdown in the Show-Me State: the fight over conceal-and-carry gun laws in Missouri

Can gun control work?

Gun violence the real costs

Videos

Bowling for Columbine

Weblinks

ABA Special Committee on Gun ViolenceAmerican Bar Association (ABA)
Summary: The American Bar Association's concern over America's culture of violence gave rise to this site on the particular violence of gun use. Here you will find facts and statistics on Kids and Guns, Firearms and Family Violence, Firearms and Public Health, Gun Violence in Schools, Guns and Suicide, and The U.S. Compared with Other Nations. Also worth reading is the
section "Second Amendment Issues," which dispels the myth that the second amendment to the constitution prohibits the regulation of private firearms. http://www.abanet.org/gunviol/


Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence Home Page
Brady Center Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Summary: Former White House Press Secretary James Brady and his wife are associated with this site, which promotes prevention of handgun violence. Three sections will be of particular interest to the researcher. The "News Headlines" section offers articles on the latest gun control issues. "Congressional Voting Records" allows a state-by-state search of the voting records of Congress members on gun control legislation. Finally, "Get the Facts" features numerous articles on topics such as concealed handguns, kids and guns, waiting periods, background checks, guns in the home, and the "myth" of the Second Amendment. http://www.bradycampaign.org/

Bureau of Justice Statistics Publications
Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2005, 11/06. Describes background checks for firearm transfers conducted in 2005. NCJ 214256 URL: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/bcft05.htm

Guns & Mothers ~ Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Summary: "The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution 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.' The NRA and the Brady Campaign interpret the Second Amendment very differently....GUNS & MOTHERS explores the views of women on opposite sides of the gun control debate." (PBS) Click The Debate on this companion site to the PBS film to learn more about gun control issues.URL: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/gunsandmothers/


Hot Guns ~ Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Summary: "FRONTLINE investigates the cheap handgun market, legal and illegal, and the gun manufacturers who make these 'junk guns.'" (PBS)URL: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/

The Million Mom March
The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Summary: "Founded in 1999, the Million Mom March is a national grassroots, chapter-based organization dedicated to preventing gun death and injury and supporting victims and survivors of gun violence." (THE MILLION MOM MARCH) Learn about the Million Mom
March's activities and facts about gun violence.URL: http://www.millionmommarch.com/

Whether the Second Amendment Secures an Individual Right
Office of Legal Counsel, United States Department of Justice
Summary: In this August 24, 2004 "Memorandum Opinion for the Attorney General," the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel concludes that the Second Amendment secures a right of individuals to own and bear arms.URL: http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.pdf

Databases

Opposing Viewpoints ~ Sirs Leading Issues ~ NewsBank

Database access requires use of a TCC ID card login