When Emory University Professor Michael Bellesiles published a book about the history of guns in pre-Civil War America, he knew his conclusions might be unpopular. He didn't expect to provoke attacks from gun owners or to be besieged by fellow scholars. In his 2000 book Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture, Bellesiles contended the country's legendary gun ownership and use dating to colonial times is an invented tradition. He said they didn't become... (GunPolicy.org)

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — About twice as many Texans are toting concealed weapons compared with five years ago, when residents were first legally allowed to carry them. There were 218,661 concealed-handgun licenses on Dec. 3, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. That is nearly double the 114,475 licenses issued during 1996. Still, only 1 percent to 2 percent of the public has licenses, based on a sampling of DPS statistics from 10 statewide, 10 Tarrant... (GunPolicy.org)

I was raised in racially diverse New York City. In the 1950s, I took my first trip to the South and was in for a big shock. Before me were white and colored drinking fountains, restrooms, etc. Segregation was rampant. Worse, it was totally acceptable to the white locals, the local governments and even to the Southern state governments. Then, in the 1960s, the federal government stepped in and the civil rights of those who had been affected were restored. Local and... (GunPolicy.org)

COLOMBO — A two-week amnesty granted by the Sri Lankan government to hand over illegal arms has been a failure and police are now preparing to crack down on politicians and criminals in possessions of weapons. According to police sources only a few unusable shot guns had been returned during the two weeks. They are utterly useless for anyone, leaving aside even those who possess them, Senior Deputy Inspector of Police, H N Kotakadeniya was quoted in the state-owned... (GunPolicy.org)