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Handgun Control No. 251

Adopted 2001
Reaffirmed 2004
Amended 2006
Reaffirmed 2007

Handguns have only two important properties: they are easily concealed and their use is to threaten, wound and kill people. A civilized society should not tolerate the possession, sale or manufacture of handguns. Outside the military, the same can be said for rifles designed to kill people, rather than wild game.

ADA proposes that the manufacture of guns be restricted to military weapons, to be tightly controlled by the military, and hunting rifles and shotguns of reasonably limited design. The possession of all other guns should be prohibited. Limited exceptions for the police might also be needed.

ADA also calls for immediate passage of more stringent gun control measures by the U.S. Congress, state legislatures and local governments. Among the measures ADA supports are:

1. A comprehensive ban on the sale of assault weapons.
2. Prohibiting concealed weapons.
3. Stricter gun registration requirements, including a lengthening of the "cooling off" period before the purchase of guns.
4. Holding adults legally culpable for selling or furnishing guns to minors.
5. Holding adults legally culpable if, because of their negligence, a handgun or other firearm is used by a juvenile to commit a crime.
6. Strenuous enforcement of existing handgun laws.

Any attempts to weaken control measures must be defeated.

# # #

No. 251
Political and Governmental Commission