The Gun Free School Zones Act Of 1990 - 1164 Words

President George H.W. Bush signed the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 into law on November 29, 1990, making it a federal offense for â€Å"any individual to knowingly possess a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a school zone.† Subsequently, in United States v. Lopez, 514 U.S. 549 (1995), the Supreme Court held that the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 was unconstitutional as it violated the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution. In reaching this 5-4 Supreme Court decision, Chief Justice Rehnquist, in concurrence with Justices O’Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas wrote the majority opinion, correctly determining that Congress lacked authority to pass this law as, even if replicated throughout schools across the United States, the carrying of a gun to school was not a sufficient economic activity that would substantially affect interstate commerce. Contrarily, Justices Breyer, Stevens, Souter and Ginsberg dissented, opining that the Act’s prohibition against firearms in schools had a sufficient connection with interstate commerce and thus, Congress’ application of the Commerce Clause was appropriate. In finding a substantial connection between gun-related school violence and interstate commerce the minority dissenting opinion relied on evidence that gun-related violence near schools is a commercial problem that interferes with the quality of education and thus relates to economic viability, giving CongressShow MoreRelatedLegalizing The Gun Free School Zones Act Of 19901860 Words   |  8 PagesIn 1995, a case went to the United States Supreme Court on the constitutionalism of an act passed by the United States Congress under the Commerce Clause. The respondent, Alfonso Lopez, Jr. had appealed his case up from his district court in San Antonio all the way to the Supreme Court. The process took almost three whole years. Lopez had been charged with violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 that was passed by Congress through the Commerce Clause. Lopez’s lawyer argued that the CongressRead MoreAmerica Needs Stricter Gun Control Laws Essay1161 Words   |  5 Pagesmillion non – military guns in America† (O’Brien and Stanton). Many people that own a firearm usually have more than one gun. Also, a majority of gun owners feel that owning a firearm is the best way to protect themselves at home. With the large number of guns said to be in America, there needs to be a way to prevent the number of frequently occurring mass shootings. The solution to this issue is called gun control. Gun control needs to be implied more in our society because gun related crimes are mostlyRead MoreGun Control Is Not The Solution982 Words   |  4 PagesFurther Gun Control is not the Solution Lately, as a nation, it seems that we can’t progress more than a month without hearing an incident on national news concerning a shooting. Every shooting that occurs is gaining the national media spotlight. This is prompting leaders and politicians around the country to call for further gun control to answer this current epidemic. Creating new gun laws is not the solution. This only creates extra problems with law-abiding citizens obtaining a firearm and infringingRead MoreThe Assault Of Gun Control920 Words   |  4 PagesGun control has become a hot topic in the United States as of now. There will be those who are for guns and those who are against guns. Those who are for guns, assert that it is our right to bear arms according to the 2nd amendment and those who are against guns, believe that guns are unnecessary and cause more violence. Assault weapons, in particular, have caused too many deaths and the government needs to put a ban on assault weapons. First and foremost, assault weapons have claimed the livesRead MoreDefining New Gun Laws Are Not The Answer996 Words   |  4 Pagesspotlight. This is prompting leaders and politicians around the country to call for further gun control to answer this current epidemic. Creating new gun laws are not the answer. This only creates extra problems with law-abiding citizens obtaining a firearm and infringing on their second amendment right of the United States Constitution, which states: â€Å"a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† The secondRead MoreGun Free School Zone Essays1805 Words   |  8 Pagesarrived at Edison high School in San Antonio, Texas, carrying on his person a concealed .38 caliber handgun and five bullets. Acting on an anonymous tip, the school authorities confronted Alfonzo, who readily admitted to having the weapon. He was arrested and charged under Texas law with firearm possession on school property. The next day the state charges were dropped and federal agents charged Alfonzo with federal charges of violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990. The question that wasRead MoreGun Control Of The United States1698 Words   |  7 Pagesnew laws on how people purchase weapons should require background checks. Gun Control in the United States of America is a topic that has had lots of criticism and support by many citizens. The critical people of this topic believe that the guns do not kill people, it is the people that kill people. The supporters of this topic believe that guns lead to violence and a feeling of power over others. They also believe that if guns were eliminated from the public, then violence and death would decreaseRead MorePublic Gun Control And The United States1732 Words   |  7 PagesPublic Gun Control in the United States Gun Control in the United States of America is a sensitive (understatement) topic that has resulted in various criticism and support by many citizens of the United States (also an understatement). Some citizens believe that the guns don t kill people; it is the people that kill people while others believe that guns lead to violence and a feeling of control and power over others. The belief of some is that if firearms were to be eliminated from the publicRead MoreThe People Stand On Common Ground1553 Words   |  7 Pages recognize that there is a serious gun problem in the nation that needs to be addressed. According to studies it is apparent that many people stand on common ground. â€Å"A national survey conducted in January 2013 found that 77.3% of Americans (including 59.4% of gun owners) support requiring people to obtain a license from a local law enforcement agency before buying a gun to verify their identity and ensure that they are not legally prohibited from having a gun (Barry, McGinty, Vernick, and Webster)Read MoreGun Control Of The United States1704 Words   |  7 Pagescountry do to keep further shootings from happening. Numerous individuals trust that forcing new laws on how people buy weapons should require background verifications. Gun Control in the United States of America is a topic that has had lots of criticism and support by numerous citizens. The critical people of this topic trust that the guns don t murder people, is that people kill people. The supporters of this topic trust that weapons lead to violence and a feeling of power over others. They additionally