The issue of gun ownership stirs passionate responses on both sides . Congress has passed the Brady Bill , the first legislation since 1968 , mandating a five - day wait on the sale of a handgun , giving law enforcement authorities time to check the buyer 's background . The NRA , with 3.3 million members , claims that legislation will not stem crime ; the solution is stiffer penalties , longer sentences and abolition of parole . Further they believe that gun ownership is necessary to prevent takeover by a despotic government . The Second Amendment is their rallying point . Gun Control has become a pivotal issue in many elections , influencing who wins , who loses .
The issue of gun control stirs passionate responses on both sides. Congress has passed the Brady Bill, the first legislation since 1968, mandating a five-day wait on the purchase of a handgun, giving law enforcement authorities time to check the buyer's background. The NRA, with 3.3 million members, claims that legislation will not stem crime; the answer is stiffer penalties, longer sentences and abolition of parole. Further they believe that gun ownership is necessary to prevent takeover by a despotic government. The Second Amendment is their rallying point. Gun Control has become a pivotal issue in many elections, influencing who wins, who loses.