ABSTRACT
This chapter documents the longstanding dispute over the meaning of the Second Amendment right to bear arms. It updates the controversy involving gun rights by examining the dispute between the National Rifle Association, the powerful pro-gun lobby, and groups such as the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, that are seeking reforms to existing laws on guns and gun rights. The chapter discusses the latest issues involving gun rights, particularly in light of a key Supreme Court decision that for the first time addressed the issue of what the Second Amendment means. The opponents of gun rights have accented the impact of firearms violence on children and have made comparisons with other nations that have tougher gun laws. Two issues in gun rights have become major points of contention between the pro- and anti-gun groups—gun show purchases and background checks of individuals with a history of mental illness.
