Gun Control
Gun control is the regulation of gun ownership and the right to carry, conceal, or use firearms by governments. Such measures can range from a total prohibition on civilian ownership and posseession of firearms and ammunition to specific restrictions on certain firearm features, "waiting periods" for gun purchases, licensing of gun owners, registration of firearms, etc. Increased "gun control" is generally promoted by liberals as a remedy to crime. In fact, whether or not guns are officially controlled by the government criminals will commit crimes and a black market will exist to provide them with firearms. For instance, despite the prohibition of handgun ownership in the United Kingdom, an island nation without any neighboring "gun culture" nations, handgun crime has been steadily increasing there for many years. As of 2005/06, the total deaths by shooting in the UK had increased to 50[1], compared to only 11,350 in 2005 in the USA.[2]
The "right to keep and bear arms" is an individual right guaranteed in the American Bill of Rights although courts have frequently refused to protect this right from infringement.