Josh Sugarmann

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Josh Sugarmann is the executive director and founder of the Violence Policy Center (VPC) and the author of two books on gun control. Prior to founding the VPC, Sugarmann was a press officer in the national office of Amnesty International USA[1] and was the communications director for the National Coalition to Ban Handguns.[2]

Early life

Sugarmann grew up in Newtown, Connecticut, graduating in the class of 1978. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in journalism.[3] In 1988 he founded the Violence Policy Center, a gun control advocacy group.[4] The Violence Policy Center is known mainly for its in-depth research on the firearms industry, the causes and impacts of gun violence, and regulatory policies to reduce gun violence.[5]

Campaigning

Sugarmann has been credited with popularizing the term "assault weapon".[6] The term "assault weapon" became widely used among gun control advocates starting in the late 1980s. The impression that Sugarmann originated the term may stem from a 1988 study he authored, Assault Weapons and Accessories in America, which examined the growing popularity of semiautomatic weapons the VPC called "assault weapons".[7] The Violence Policy Center study documents advertising from the gun industry that specifically refers to these weapons as assault rifles.[8]

Sugarmann argues that gun control should be approached as a broad-based public health issue as opposed to solely a crime issue and that firearms should be held to the same health and safety standards as other consumer products. This is detailed in the 1994 publication Cease Fire: A Comprehensive Strategy to Reduce Firearms Violence, which he co-authored.[9]

Sugarmann has written two books on gun control. The first, National Rifle Association: Money, Firepower & Fear, an exposé of the National Rifle Association, was published in 1992 by National Press Books.[10][11] The second, Every Handgun is Aimed at You: The Case for Banning Handguns, was published in 2000 by The New Press and details the arguments in support of banning private handgun possession in the United States.[12][13][14] In contrast to many gun-control activists, Sugarmann believes a full ban on handguns is necessary.[15] He has also called for bans on semi-automatic rifles and firearm magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.[3]

References

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External links