The Sullivan Act is a controversial gun control law in America's largest city of New York. It dates to 1911, thus is evidence that gun control is not a new thing.
The constitutionality of the act may be arguable, due to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which technically guarantees the rights of Americans to own guns. It remains in force, constitutional arguments aside.
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2 Controversy 3 Final words 4 Wikipedia links 5 External links and references |
Upon first passage, the Sullivan Act required licenses for New Yorkers to own
guns small enough to be concealed.
Con:
Many believe the act was to discriminate against immigrants in New York, particularly Italians. The police granted the licenses, and could easily
discriminate against "undesirable" elements.
After the law was enacted, firearm suicide went down by 40 per cent, but gun murders went up.
Pro:
Statistics showed that gun murders in New York had risen 50 percent from 1910-1911; indeed, in 1910, mayor William Jay Gaynor was shot and seriously wounded, and there were public calls for regulation of
handguns.
The law remains in effect, and remains controversial. Few private citizens in
New York legally own guns.
See also:
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Controversy
Final words
Wikipedia links
External links and references
