Vote 2016
Proposition 63: Firearms. Ammunition Sales.
PalacioMagazine.com has been working with the California State University, Long Beach Political Science class of Professor Som Chounlamountry to gather Voter Voices on Proposition 63. On November 8th, voters will speak. We wanted to hear their opinions ahead of the election. The students were asked to interview fellow students, family members, teachers or random people on the street.
The B Word Team C is composed of Kassandra Chhay, Licette Alcantar, and Rick Garcia. Their assignment was Proposition 63: Firearms. Ammunition Sales.
Proposition 63 Summary
Summary: Requires background check and Department of Justice authorization to purchase ammunition. Prohibits possession of large–capacity ammunition magazines. Establishes procedures for enforcing laws prohibiting firearm possession by specified persons. Requires Department of Justice’s participation in federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Voter Voices on Proposition 63
The Arguments for Proposition 63
- 63 will keep people safe. The proposition will enforce current gun laws and will enforce new ammunition laws which requires a lot of safety measures. The National Rifle Association (NRA), who oppose of Prop. 63, and other gun lobby wants California to focus on current gun laws and that is exactly what the measure will do.
- The proposition will decrease the amount of gun death rates. It will prevent criminals, the mentally ill, and other dangerous people from purchasing ammunitions. Gun deaths is the 12th leading cause of deaths in the United States. Out of the various types of gun deaths, suicide accounts for 58.2% of total deaths and homicide accounts for 37.7% of total deaths, and 66.6% of all deaths related to homicides are gun deaths. Suicide rate will also decrease and this is supported by a 2014 study, which found a decrease rate of overall suicide when gun ownership decreased in the country.
- 63 will keep people safe. The proposition will enforce current gun laws and will enforce new ammunition laws which requires a lot of safety measures. The National Rifle Association (NRA), who oppose of Prop. 63, and other gun lobby wants California to focus on current gun laws and that is exactly what the measure will do.
- The proposition will decrease the amount of gun death rates. It will prevent criminals, the mentally ill, and other dangerous people from purchasing ammunitions. Gun deaths is the 12th leading cause of deaths in the United States. Out of the various types of gun deaths, suicide accounts for 58.2% of total deaths and homicide accounts for 37.7% of total deaths, and 66.6% of all deaths related to homicides are gun deaths. Suicide rate will also decrease and this is supported by a 2014 study, which found a decrease rate of overall suicide when gun ownership decreased in the country.
- Decrease the chances of mass shootings. After the Orlando mass shooting that killed 49 innocent people and the San Bernardino terrorist attack that killed 14 people caused Governor Jerry Brown to implement stricter gun laws. Some of the laws that were passed and are part of the ballot measure includes background checks for ammunition purchase and ban on high-capacity ammunition magazine. These stricter gun and ammo laws will ensure that guns and ammunition purchases will be purchased for proper use and therefore will reduce the number of death rates.
Arguments Against Proposition 63
- Proposition would detrimentally affect law-abiding citizens such as those who participate in competitive shooting and consequently require access to large quantities of ammunition in order to keep their skills sharp.
- Proposition is redundant seeing as the CA legislature has already passed severe gun regulation laws earlier in the year.
- Law abiding citizens would bear the brunt of gun-legislation, meanwhile criminals who are meant to be the targets of the proposition could potentially bypass these regulations.
- Individuals could easily circumvent regulations by merely traveling to neighboring states with looser gun restrictions.
- The viability of gun legislation has come into question as being an effective deterrent of domestic violence and terrorism in the wake of the San Bernardino attacks.
