America is besieged by gun violence. In 1997, 32,436 Americans died from firearms injuries. Hundreds of thousands were injured. Although handguns comprise only one-third of firearms in the U.S., they are used in more than two-thirds of firearms-related homicides.

The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence's mission is to stop violence by fostering effective community and national action.

5 facts every American must know about gun violence

1. Residents of homes where a gun is present are 5 times more likely to experience a suicide and 3 times more likely to experience a homicide as are residents of homes without guns. If you really want to protect yourself and your family, do not buy a handgun.
2. The Second Amendment is no barrier to tough gun control laws. No control law has ever been overturned on Second Amendment grounds. We could ban handguns tomorrow and it would pass constitutional muster.
3. The Gun Industry is one of the few unregulated industries in America. Every other consumer product--from teddy bears to toasters-- is subject to stringent safety regulations. Guns are not.
4. Even if you don't own a gun, you pay for gun violence in America. You pay for increased health care costs, you pay with a loss of security, and you pay with a loss of freedom.
5. The media tends to cover gun issues solely as a crime problem.but gun violence is a public health epidemic. Everyone, regardless of age, race, or ethnicity, suffers from gun violence.

What does America gain from tough, restrictive gun laws?

1. Freedom. Freedom doesn't mean amassing an arsenal of weapons in your basement and preparing for Armageddon. Freedom is dropping your children off at school and not worrying about their safety. Freedom is walking in your neighbourhood after dark. Freedom is not having to worry about gunfire.

2. Safety. Approximately 32,000 Americans are killed with firearms every year and an additional 90,000 are injured with firearms. This violence threatens all our lives.

3. Protection. The Brady Law has stopped over 250,000 illegal purchases of firearms. The Crime Bill of 1994 significantly lowered the number of gun dealers operating in America. Tough gun laws reduce crime and save lives.

4. Healthy Children. Children in the United States are 12 times more likely to die from a firearm injury than children in other industrialized countries. Guns kill and young people are dying. We must band together to provide a safe environment for all of America's youth.

5. Peace of Mind - Behind the staggering statistics, are families and friends struggling to deal with the pain of losing a loved one. Tough gun laws will reduce firearm death and injury and restore peace of mind for families and communities.

goto: http://www.gunfree.org

Unfortunatly I live in Canada and I can tell you first hand that extreme Canadian gun control has not made the streets safer. Try walking the streets of Tronto after dark. Gun control requires the police to act as personal body gaurds, a job they were never meant to fulfill. When you are attacked, most attackers won't give you one phone call. Even if you did get a call off, the police will arrive just in time to call the morge. In the case of home invasion you and your family are far more likely to survive if you own a gun. Each on of us is responsible for our own safety.

Remember all the politician and celebrities who promote gun control rely on guns for their own protection. Gun control is not for them, they're the elite the important people.

When will people realize that the problem is NOT the guns??? Once upon a time, kids had their own guns !! Most boys got one for a birthday present at twelve !! I know, I know... Its a different world now. So dont blame the guns. Blame the people. As long as guns are targeted as the be all end all problem, the real issues will continue to be ignored.. Doreen

Gun control doesn't work. It has been proven time and time again.I'll just feed you a few facts, and dispel some popular myths of the gun grabbers.

1-Over 2.5 million Americans use guns for self defense every year, in protection of life and limb.
2-There is no "gun show loophole". Less than 2% of firearms used in crimes are obtained at gun shows. All sellers must be federally licensed dealers to sell at a gun show if they wish to sell FIREARMS. Notice how the Brady Bunch always talks about how "less than 50% of sellers at gun shows have license to sell". They don't actually lie-they're talking about the hot-dog vendors and drink sellers.
3-There is no "43:1". This is a favorite of the gun grabbers, they love to throw it around. In the study, a section of the US was analyzed, and the number of accidental gun deaths compared to the criminals killed in self defense. The numbers came up and 'bang!'. 43:1. This study is faulty due to several reasons, such as:Suicide plays an enormous role in the deaths, acounting for in the high 30's of this 43:1. But, there is no proof that owning guns presents an increased suicide risk. As a matter of fact, Japan has complete gun control, no firearms for the average citizen, and their suicide rate is higher than that of the US.
4-A recent whopper is that the Brady Law was instrumental in dropping the crime/homicide/whatever rate in the WHOLE US by a substantial amount. This is complete bull. The Brady Law was only enacted in some states-not all. Therefore, how can the bloody thing be responsible for a crime drop in the whole freakin country?

I'll leave it at this for now, but will attempt to respond to any responses.(huh?). Farewell and adieu.