在美國槍械管制一直是多年來備受爭議的話題。支持者力圖減少槍支造成的受傷事件以及殘忍的犯罪活動,而反對者則照準第二修正法案的權力,以及防身的需要。盡管意見不同,情況復雜,但有時還是有足夠的協(xié)議讓國會通過立法。
The first major gun control act was passed by Congress in 1934, regulating the sale of fully—automatic fire arms, like machine guns, after an assassination attempt on President-electFranklin Roosevelt and a series of organized crime killings. In 1938, a further restrictionrequired licenses for gun dealers, and prohibited gun sales to people who had committed aviolent felony.
1934年,在企圖暗殺總統(tǒng)當選人富蘭克林·羅斯福以及一系列有組織殺人事件之后,國會通過了第一項重大的槍械管控法案,這條法案規(guī)范了全自動武器,比如說機關槍的銷售。1938年進行了更進一步的限制,即要求槍支經銷商持照經營,并禁止向有過犯罪記錄的人的售賣槍支。
The 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy — which was committed with a mail—order rifle — and the subsequent assassinations of Martin Luther King and Senator RobertKenndey in 1968, led Congress to pass additional legislation. The Gun Control Act of 1968added many restrictions on who could import, buy, and sell guns, and established harsherpenalties for those using a gun in the commission of a federal crime. The debate on guncontrol remains an intense one across the country today — making this a particularly difficultissue to tackle.
1963年約翰·肯尼迪總統(tǒng)刺殺事件——事后證實兇器是郵購步槍——1968年馬丁·路德金和參議員羅伯特·肯尼迪被刺,促使國會通過新的立法。1968年的槍械管制法令對進口,購買,售賣槍支又進行了多項限制,并且對使用槍支進行聯(lián)邦犯罪的人處以更嚴厲的懲罰。如今,槍支管控仍然是全美人民備受爭議的話題,這使槍支問題變得尤為棘手。