America's love affair with guns
More and more Americans are taking a stand against a widespread gun craze in
the country - especially since a rampage at a Florida school left 27 dead.
But they face stiff resistance from a powerful weapons lobby, above all the
National Rifle Association.
Since it was founded in 1871, the National Rifle Association has gone from a
shooting club to a fighter for the unrestricted right to carry firearms - a
political heavyweight that influences legislation and elections through
donations to parties and members of Congress and the Senate - and
practically co-governs in Washington. The NRA invokes the Second Amendment
of 1787, which guarantees American citizens the right to defend themselves.
However, at the time of the Founding Fathers, muskets were the only common
firearm. Today there are about 300 million pistols and rifles in circulation
in the United States, many of them rapid-fire devices.
The most popular weapon is the AR-15, a semi-automatic assault rifle that
any 18-year-old can buy in most states - without a police clearance
certificate or aptitude test. As we show, even children of pre-school age
are being trained to handle this weapon. It was frequently used by the
perpetrators of school massacres of recent years.
The issue of gun laws divides American society. As the survivors of the 2018
Parkland rampage and other young activists call for stricter legislation and
control, the gun lobby and its supporters invoke their mantra: "To stop a
bad guy with a gun, you need a good guy with a gun."
In the past, all attempts to tighten US weapons laws have failed. Will the
growing resistance of a generation of rampage victims finally succeed in
putting a stop to America's gun madness?
An Armed Society - America's Love Affair with Guns
Production: DW
Duration: 42:00 min
Language: English
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