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Email your opinions to Fatima Yousuf ([email protected]) or Areeba Amer ([email protected])
UNITED STATES - Under the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution, "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed". However, the Gun Control Act of 1968 also prohibits the sale of firearms to several categories of individuals, including minors, illegal aliens, and the mentally disabled.
CANADA - Federal regulations in Canada require all gun owners, who must be over 18 years of age, to obtain a license that includes a background check and pass a public safety course. Handguns and semiautomatic rifles are restricted and can only be purchased through obtaining a federal registration certificate.
ISRAEL - Military service is required in Israel, so guns are a part of everyday life. Civilian gun ownership laws are relatively strict, and owners must register their weapons with the government. To be licensed, applicants must be Israeli citizens, at least 21 years old, speak Hebrew, and pass other qualifications.
JAPAN - Japan has some of the lowest crime and gun ownership rates in the world. Under their firearms and sword law, the only guns permitted in the country are shotguns, air guns, or those used for industrial or research purposes. To obtain one of these guns, applicants must obtain formal instruction and pass a rigorous background check and a battery of exams. Owners must inform the government of where ammunition is stored and provide the firearm for annual inspection.
AUSTRALIA - The National Agreement on Firearms, which was put into place following the Port Arthur Massacre of 1996, prohibited automatic and semiautomatic assault rifles, instituted a temporary gun buyback program, and required licensees to demonstrate a "genuine need" for their weapon and take a public safety course.