The Brady Bill

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the purpose of the Brady Bill which imposes background checks on potential weapons buyers, along with a minimum five-day waiting period on all handgun purchases in the U.S. It also looks at the tremendous political and financial efforts exerted by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in an attempt to defeat the bill as well as the arguments that favor the Brady Bill.

From the Paper:

"In 1981, John Hinckley walked into a Dallas pawnshop, purchased an inexpensive "Saturday Night Special." With no questions asked and no waiting period to hinder his acquisition, he walked out a few minutes later with a brand new weapon. Six months later, on March 3rd, Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan by firing several rounds from his purchased weapon. Along with the president, then-White House Press Secretary James Brady was felled by one of the bullets. Brady was severely injured and now remains in a wheelchair, suffering from paralysis in various portions of his body. Because of the assassination attempt and the injury to Brady, a federal waiting period for the purchasing of firearms became a hotly debated issue. Dubbed the "Brady Bill" - after the assassination attempt's most serious victim - background checks would be imposed on potential buyers along with a minimum five day waiting period on all handgun purchases in the United States."

More papers on The Brady Bill:

• Argumentative Essay # 96473 : "Brady Bill"
• Argumentative Essay # 110244 : "The Clinton Gun Bans"
• Analytical Essay # 44973 : "The National Rifle Association"

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