3 out of 4 stars
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One of the topics taking center stage in America right now is the debate on guns. The discussion is inherently heated as pro-gun and anti-gun advocates attempt to secure their interests within the law as well as public opinion. The American Gun Controversy takes an in-depth look at the current debate and seeks to offer solutions to mollify both sides.
John Thomas Bowne has been a practicing attorney at law for forty-six years. The book begins with Bowne making it clear that his aim is to impartially supply information about various mitigating factors to the gun controversy. He cites evidentiary sources throughout his writing as they pertain to statistics and legal standpoints, but does not include additional references, as he strongly encourages pro-gun and anti-gun advocates to wholeheartedly research both sides of the argument for themselves.
Bowne asserts there are two major components that both sides of the gun controversy must face as an unchanging truth: the Second Amendment exists (and its language will likely remain intact), and American citizens will remain heavily armed for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, the author reflects on the arguments coming from both sides of the debate. Offering potential solutions to irresponsible gun ownership such as Strict Liability (including safe storage requirements), and Life Insurance Exclusion policies, Bowne examines the steps necessary to effect change and foretells what results could reasonably be expected from implementing these practices.
There is no denying the author has researched all angles of this topic, which I found to be an especially validating feature. This book is teeming with facts, statistics, real-life conversations, hypotheticals, and laws. I was pleased that the author presented suggestions for minimizing the deep divide over gun control, rather than simply identifying a problem we all know exists. What I liked most about the book was that the author delivered on his preface to remain neutral; I felt no sense of bias on his part as he presented thoughts, rebuttals, and contentions from both sides. The thorough editing left only a couple very minor errors, which I scarcely noticed.
My least favorite part was the technical language, which was often overly wordy and complicated, requiring significant concentration to follow along. I could certainly appreciate the abundance of information, but at the same time, many stats/points were repeated, creating challenges in regards to the organizational flow of the book.
Additionally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my qualms with the proposed “solutions” to the gun crisis. I don't believe they get to the heart of what the current debate is all about: the use of semi-automatic weapons to inflict maximum damage. What good is a Strict Liability law when it comes to murder-suicide cases? The author makes note that sixty-five percent of Americans killed by guns are not victims of a crime, but rather the results of accidents or suicide, but that certainly leaves a hefty percentage that doesn’t fall into the “accident/suicide” category.
While this book is well-researched and offers a lot of useful facts and proposals, I feel the language is ultimately too heavy, causing the pertinent information to become lost in a sea of words. It is for this reason I cannot rate this book above 3 out of 4 stars. And while I can't envision the solutions providing a satisfactory compromise to the gun controversy as it exists today, I applaud Bowne for his efforts on behalf of the issue.
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The American Gun Controversy
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Nevertheless, it would be a good book for our times right now. I feel like we all need to come to some kind of agreement. Thanks for the information!
