Guns and murder

Gun control is not high on my list of priorities but I do believe that law abiding citizens should have the right to own a gun. The following indicates that the problem is guns in the hands of criminal and the drug business. If you live in Brazil and want to own a gun you are faced with the following. Right now, Brazil actually has tough gun laws. If you want to own a gun legally these are the requirements: - a fixed address. - proof of legitimate income. - no criminal record. - a mental health test. - proof you know how to handle a gun and shoot it. - evidence of why you need a gun. For example, a police report of an attack against you. Even if a prospective gun owner supplies all this information, the police can arbitrarily deny a request for a gun permit. The population of Brazil is 200 million vs the 320 million in the US yet Brazil had 60,000 murders almost all with guns in 2014 vs the US 11,000 murders with guns. Here is a quote: "Brazil doesn't have a gun problem. It has a problem of illegal guns in the hands of criminals, especially drug traffickers," he says. Another quote: Dr. Fabio Ataide, a judge in Natal who teaches criminology, says guns overwhelmingly kill young black men in Brazil. Until the problem with illegal drugs is resolved the problem of criminals with drugs will not be resolved with new laws.