Recent tragedies highlight firearm control debate in America
I n 2012, the city of Chicago had over 500 confirmed homicides. This tragic number of homicides is primarily the result of two factors: gang violence and the dissemination of illegal firearms. With over 500 confirmed homicides, Chicago endured more deaths via homicides than the number of American military personnel who were killed in combat in Afghanistan last year. In 2012, there were 295 American service members killed in combat in Afghanistan. The spike in gun-related homicides in Chicago and recent mass shootings and domestic terrorism incidents at places such as: Aurora, Boston, Newtown, Tucson, and Virginia Tech have intensified the ongoing gun control debate in the United States. In the aftermath of the December 14, 2012 Newtown, Connecticut tragedy, both Connecticut and New York state enacted stricter gun control legislation. However, in mid-April 2013, President Obama criticized members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate for not passing a comprehensive fede...