C. Emory Burton

About the author: C. Emory Burton is a sociologist and retired Methodist minister.

Gun violence is widespread in America; each year thirty-five thousand people are killed, and another two hundred thousand are injured by firearms. In fact, handguns are used in more than 75 percent of all acts of armed violence in the United States. Implementing federal gun control legislation will reduce the availability of handguns, thus reducing gun-related violence. Policies that have helped reduce the spread of handguns include the Brady Bill and lawsuits against the gun industry. Establishing a system of restrictive licensing—including registration and background checks— would also help ameliorate the dangers posed by the ready accessibility of handguns.

On September 15, 1999, a gunman, with no previous criminal record, opened fire with a handgun during a prayer service at...