Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas
Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas
What does this solve?
All fifty states and the District of Columbia allow civilians to carry concealed guns in public places. Laws differ in each state, but certain sensitive areas are always unsafe for guns.
In addition to keeping guns out of schools and off of college campuses, all states should prohibit civilians from carrying guns in sensitive places. This should include daycare centers, playgrounds and other places where children gather, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, public demonstrations and rallies, airports, and courthouses. No location should ever be required by the government to allow guns. Unfortunately, many states’ laws fail to prohibit guns in sensitive areas.
Myth & Fact
Myth
Mass shooters target “gun-free zones.”
Fact
While mass shootings in public places tend to receive more media attention, the majority of these shootings actually occur in private homes. When Mother Jones looked at every mass shooting that did occur in a public place over a 30-year span, they were unable to find evidence that a single mass shooter chose to target a place because it prohibited guns. Rather, studies have shown that most mass shooters were connected to the location, or were motivated by hate, a perceived grievance, or an interpersonal conflict.
Featured Resources
Gun Law Navigator
The Gun Law Navigator is the largest historical database of modern U.S. gun laws.
Guns in Bars
Guns and alcohol don’t mix. There is strong evidence that people under the influence of alcohol are at an elevated risk of violent behavior.
All Resources
Prohibit Guns in Sensitive Areas
All Resources
Armed Extremism Primer: Oath Keepers
The Oath Keepers organize around conspiracy theories and propaganda about the reasonable regulation of firearms.
Fact Sheet
Armed Extremism Primer: Sovereign Citizens
Sovereign citizens fall under the umbrella of the wider right-wing anti-government extremist movement, which can include fixation on guns.
Fact SheetArmed Assembly: Guns, Demonstrations, and Political Violence in America
Armed demonstrations are nearly six times as likely to turn violent or destructive compared to unarmed demonstrations.
Report
Armed Extremism Primer: The Boogaloo
The boogaloo movement has risen to national prominence as a new and dangerous subset of the extreme right in the United States.
Fact Sheet
More Than Brawlers: The Proud Boys and Armed Extremism
Many far-right groups, including the Proud Boys, use fearmongering and conspiracy theories in an attempt to stop any reform of gun laws.
Fact Sheet
The Role of Guns & Armed Extremism in the Attack on the U.S. Capitol
The attack on the U.S. Capitol is the latest demonstration of the danger armed extremism poses to our democracy.
Report
The Danger of Guns on Campus
Guns on campus are likely to lead to more shootings, homicides, and suicides, and they’re unlikely to prevent mass shootings.
Fact Sheet
Armed COVID-19 Protests Exploit Open Carry Loophole
Lawmakers should close the open carry loophole and regulate open carry, particularly at demonstrations held on capitol grounds.
Fact Sheet
Keeping Our Schools Safe: A Plan for Preventing Mass Shootings and Ending All Gun Violence in American Schools
The failure of our leaders to address the root causes of school gun violence is having lasting consequences for millions of children.
Report
Permitless Carry: Carrying a Concealed Gun in Public with No Permit and No Training
Permitless carry legislation is part of the NRA’s broader agenda to weaken and repeal important gun safety measures.
Fact Sheet
State Firearm Preemption Laws
State firearm preemption laws are a relatively recent phenomenon inconsistent with centuries of American history in which cities and rural areas had different gun laws.
Fact Sheet