Argumentative Essay: Moms Demand Action

Today in America the topic of gun control seems to be a hot button issue. With different sides to this topic, people tend to be very passionate about their positon. The small, but culturally current Montana town of Missoula is no different when it comes to this issue. Recently, Missoula has been the topic of conversation state wide because of its new purposed law to regulate the private sale of firearms within the city limits. Currently, with private sells of firearms a background check is not required to be accomplished. Background checks are only required for sales by a licensed dealer. This proposal, if passed would require anyone who sells a firearm within city limits to, with the assistance of a federally licensed gun dealer, get

Supporters’ ranger from concerned citizens, local political figures and different nonprofit organizations. The multitude up support is weaved with different motives as to why they want this law passed in Missoula. Safety has seem to be a key reason for support of this new law. “It would make us all safer,” stated Heidi Kendall of Moms Demand Action at a Missoula council meeting. Heidi Kendell believes if this law is passed it would reduce gun violence citywide. According to their website the nonprofit group Moms Demand Action “is a non-partisan grassroots movement to mobilize families to advocate for stronger gun laws.” Although Moms Demand Action supports the 2nd Amendment they advocate for stricter and more “common-sense” gun law for the safety of children. A politically weighted supporter is the Missoula City Attorney Jim Nugent who issued a legal opinion in support of this new proposed law. Nugent says this new law will provide “a process to better ensure that a background check for ineligible transferee

The Gun Control Act that was passed in 1968 was on a federal level and address issues of the purchasing of firearms. The act also gave new rules as to who and how U.S. citizens could buy these firearms. Gary Rosen’s article in Commentary Magazine reports the 1968 Gun Control Act now required gun dealers to be federally licensed to sell guns and also track their sells. Along with now requiring these federal licenses for gun dealers, they also, as Gary Rosen put it, “were obliged to refuse guns to minors…convicted felons, fugitives from justice, drugs abusers, and anyone with a history of serious mental illness.” Although this Act was in effect it was at the discretion of the gun dealer to determine if the buyer fell into any of the previously mentioned categories. So, if anyone gave the appearance of normality or didn’t divulge their history could still and in some cases did, purchase a firearm. That’s why the 1994 Brady Act went into effect. This new gun control Act set up new systems that are still key in the purchase of firearms today. Gary Rosen notes this act was named after a press secretary James Brady who was killed during the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. Rosen continues by saying “the law requires licensed dealers to run background checks…and also created a