Pros and Cons of Gun Control Debated by Prominent Experts in New ProCon.org Website

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Jul 16, 2015, 03:18 ET

SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ProCon.org (online at www.procon.org), a nonpartisan research organization devoted to critical thinking on controversial topics, explores the pros and cons of gun control on its newest website, http://gun-control.procon.org.

The United States has 88.8 guns per 100 people, or about 270,000,000 guns, which is the highest total and per capita number in the world. 22% of Americans own one or more guns (35% of men and 12% of women). America's gun culture stems in part from its early history, revolutionary roots, frontier expansion, and perhaps most importantly, the Second Amendment.

Proponents of more gun control laws argue that the Second Amendment was intended for militias; that deadly and costly gun violence would be reduced; and that a majority of Americans, including gun owners, support new gun restrictions.

Opponents argue that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own guns; that guns are needed for hunting, sport, and especially self-defense; and that gun ownership deters crime rather than causes more crime.

In response to the core question, "Should more gun control laws be enacted?," the 53^rd ProCon.org website presents sourced pro and con arguments, a historical background section, videos, images, and over 180 footnotes and sources.

Some of the sources quoted in the gun control debate include: Hillary Clinton and Gabrielle Giffords (pro); Ted Cruz and Rick Santorum (con); the American Academy of Pediatrics (pro); the National Rifle Association (con); Al Sharpton (pro); Ted Nugent (con); the Democratic National Committee (pro); and the Republican National Committee (con); among many other individuals and organizations.

Some of the "did you know?" facts presented on the site include:

Mexico has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, and yet, in 2012, Mexico had 11,309 gun murders (9.97 gun homicides per 100,000 people) compared to the United States which had 9,146 gun homicides (2.97 per 100,000 people).
Five women a day are killed by guns in America. A woman's risk of being murdered increases 500% if a gun is present during a domestic dispute.

Kamy Akhavan, President of ProCon.org, stated:
"Gun control has been the most frequently requested topic from ProCon.org readers. Completing this important website took more than nine months and 1,000 hours of research. We hope the information provided here can help our millions of readers weigh the pros and cons for themselves and draw their own conclusions about gun control."

For pros, cons, and related research about gun control, visit http://gun-control.procon.org.

About ProCon.org

ProCon.org (www.procon.org) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2004, whose mission is to encourage critical thinking, respectful debate, and informed citizenship. ProCon.org has more than 20,000,000 annual readers. Information is presented on 53 different ProCon.org issue websites in subjects ranging from alternative energy, gay marriage, and medical marijuana to the death penalty, immigration, and physician-assisted suicide.

ProCon.org is free of charge, requires no registration, and has been used by educators in more than 6,200 schools in all 50 states and 80 foreign countries.

ProCon.org is widely used and cited by mainstream media, including: The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, BBC, Slate, Daily Beast, Forbes, The Atlantic, and USAToday.