Gun policy is among the most controversial topics in the United States. Acts of gun violence, particularly mass shootings of unarmed innocents, shake us to our core. What can or should we do about it?

To many, the answer is to enact more restrictions on legal access to firearms. Advocates on this side of the debate propose measures such as stricter eligibility requirements for age and mental health, more thorough background checks, longer waiting periods, fewer authorized sellers, strict liability for gun manufacturers, and/or bans on various firearms and firearm accessories.

Others, mindful of government’s failure to protect people, especially in “gun-free” zones and cities, are skeptical that tighter restrictions will improve public safety. They believe that reducing legal access to guns for law-abiding adults weakens the ability of people to both protect themselves from crime and defend their rights from growing encroachment by any government emboldened to abuse its authority.