The Unabridged Examination of Kamala Harris’s Stance on Gun Restriction
A Historical Overview of Gun Laws in America
Mass shootings, an unsettling routine in American society, have habitually ignited a rallying cry for more comprehensive gun restrictions. Pronounced shifts in public sentiment towards stricter gun regulations have been witnessed twice this century, following the heinous massacres at the Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 and the Las Vegas shooting in 2017. However, despite the public clamoring for restricting firearms, the political coalition needed to implement concrete reform never appeared.
Democrats’ Position on Gun Restriction
Democrats, for a considerable time, have espoused an array of ‘common sense’ gun reforms that fall short of markedly overhauling the constitutional right of gun ownership in America. Kamala Harris, the Glock-possessing Democratic nominee, abides by this approach.
A Peek into Harris’s Gun Reform Proposal
Harris took liberals by surprise during the September 10th debate when she confessed to being a gun owner in response to Trump’s assertion that she intended to seize firearms from the citizenry. As a career prosecutor, she cited personal safety as her primary reason for owning a gun—a sentiment echoed by many other judges and prosecutors who often fear reprisal for their roles in the justice system.
Harris’s Endorsement for Mandatory Assault Weapons Buyback
In her unsuccessful pursuit of the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019, Harris expressed support for compulsory buyback programs for assault weapons, requiring gun owners to surrender such weapons in exchange for monetary compensation if Congress were to pass a law akin to the 1994-2004 ban. However, she has since withdrawn her endorsement.
Stance on Background Checks and Assault Weapons Ban
As a senator from California, Harris co-sponsored bills aiming to enact a renewed assault weapons ban and enforce universal background checks for potential gun purchasers. Additionally, as vice president, she backed initiatives encouraging states to adopt red flag laws, enabling certain parties to urge a judge to temporarily disarm individuals deemed a risk.
The Reception of Harris’s Gun Reform Stance
In the wake of these positions and undertakings, all major gun reform advocacy groups have endorsed Harris, including Everytown For Gun Safety. However, the National Rifle Association has castigated her policies as a direct assault on the Second Amendment, voicing their endorsement for Trump instead.
Kamala Harris’s Stance on Gun Legislation in Her Campaign
Notwithstanding her historical stances, Harris’s campaign page currently lacks any statement on firearm regulation, and she has not spoken publicly about new firearm legislation proposals during the campaign. She has, however, restated her support for a new assault weapons ban and universal background checks, both of which, proponents argue, can prevent firearms from falling into wrong hands.
A Look at Harris’s Position on Handgun Restrictions
Despite her past support for more extensive handgun regulations as District Attorney of San Francisco, the 2008 U.S. Supreme Court ruling against such measures and Harris’s reassurance that she does not encourage targeting handguns add another layer to her nuanced stance on gun control.
Originally Post From https://theweek.com/politics/kamala-harris-gun-restrictions-control-background-checks-policy
