American Firearms Institute
To promote the right to keep and bear armsA statement on mass shootings
We defend the 2nd amendment rights of everyone to own a gun. We also recognize that mass shootings for no reason, that have nothing to do with defending our country are not what our founding fathers intended when they wrote it. We must recognize this as a country. We are fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, these mass shootings affect us all. Tomorrow it could be our fathers, mothers, brothers or sisters killed. We must come together as a country to find a solution to this problem while maintaining our right to bear arms.
AFI
American Firearms Institute
Established to provide accurate balanced information, resources on guns and the second amendment. Gun history, advice to the beginner, safety, statistics, manufacturers, gun laws, legislation, Gun Dealer and Gun Manufacturer Directory. Please explore our site and learn as much as you can.
The main sources of gun crime are:
- Inner City cycles of violence and gangs
- Violent Criminals
- Mental health problems associated, most often, with the
use of alcohol and drugs. Sometimes involving the lack of use
of prescribed drugs
Gun crimes are not caused by:
- Legal gun owners
- Guns
American Firearms Philosophy – Introduction
Firearm ownership is a Constitutional Right of every American guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791. It proves the foresight of our founding fathers in providing us with the freedom to choose to own a firearm or not. American Firearms Institute supports that guarantee. American Firearms Institute (AFI) supports that choice.
Enough with the laws already
There are safe guards in place to ensure that gun owners meet certain criteria before receiving possession of a firearm; these include passing a background and criminal check. Felons and domestic violence perpetrators are not allowed to own firearms. Mental health issues are taken into consideration in applying, as are addictions to alcohol and drugs. The penalty for knowingly filling in firearm application form incorrectly is 10 years in prison.
It’s the Criminal
There are an estimated 280 million firearms in the US – all owned by law abiding citizens. There is no record of the number of illegal guns that exist. The criminally minded laugh at societies gun control laws, according to an FBI report issued in March of 2007, which you will find under the Reports section of the site.
Criminals find it amusing that laws are passed that are assumed will make any difference to them and their way of living. Criminals by their nature are anti-social with sociopath or psychopathic tendencies. They never purchase their firearms through legal channels or abide by laws. Many have no qualms at shooting at their victim or killing a police officer. Why? Because they’re criminals! The law does not apply to them until they get caught. And then it’s to late.
There is vast disconnect in the equating gun ownership and criminal behavior. Certain members of society – the anti-gun groups – automatically equate gun ownership with criminal activity. And for that reason they want firearms removed from society altogether. A does not equal B. Their reasoning defies logic.
Firearms have been in existence for 700+ years – the first reference to the use of gunpowder in Europe dates from 1247. The first record in China dates from 142 CE. It would be easier to suggest that we all stop breathing than attempt to rid the world of firearms. Why? Because for most societies they are a source achieving and holding power. Ownership dictates how countries are run, how wars are won and how lives are lived and lost. Firearms are not going anywhere.
Power to the People
Our forefathers framed out our constitution to ensure that the power of the populace remained in the hands of the people. To ensure that, (this is a matter of much debate), they ensured that we would have the means available to us to counter any tyrannical efforts to rule us. Thus the Second Amendment came into being. It also gave us the power to choose whether to own a firearm or not. An individual choice.
Who owns the guns?
There are three categories of firearm owners in the USA.
- The government, represented by the military and law enforcement.
- Private citizen owners who legally possess 280 million firearms.
- Criminals.
Which of these is the source of criminal firearm activity? The last, of course. The proof is in the news everyday and our prisons are filled to capacity with them. Why then are the members of category 2, private citizen owners, being attacked for legal possession of firearms? There is no link factually or otherwise between legal firearm ownership and criminality. None whatsoever. ……read more