Josh Sugarmann
Josh Sugarmann is an American activist for gun control in the United States. He is the executive director and founder of the Violence Policy Center (VPC), a non-profit advocacy and educational organization, and the author of two books on gun control. He has written a blog on these issues for the Huffington Post and publishes opinion pieces in the media.
Early life
[edit | edit source]Sugarmann grew up in Newtown, Connecticut, graduating in the high school class of 1978. He graduated from Boston University with a degree in journalism.[1] He moved to Washington, D.C., where he became engaged in public interest activities, serving as a press officer in the national office of Amnesty International USA[2] and as the communications director for the National Coalition to Ban Handguns (now known as the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence).[3]
Career
[edit | edit source]In 1988 Sugarmann founded the Violence Policy Center, a 501(c3) gun control advocacy and educational group based in Washington, D.C.[4] The Violence Policy Center is known mainly for its in-depth research on the firearms industry, the causes and effects of gun violence, and recommendations for regulatory policies to reduce gun violence.[5][page needed]
Sugarmann has opposed the widespread availability of semi-automatic rifles. In 1988 he published a study, Assault Weapons and Accessories in America. It examined the growing popularity of semiautomatic firearms, referring to them as "assault weapons".[6] Together with the response to a mass shooting in Stockton, California, the following year, his study has been credited for popularizing the use of the term "assault weapons."[7] The study documents advertising by the gun industry that specifically refers to these weapons as assault rifles.[6][page needed]
Sugarmann has written two books on gun control. National Rifle Association: Money, Firepower & Fear (1992) was an exposé of the National Rifle Association of America.[8][9] The second, Every Handgun is Aimed at You: The Case for Banning Handguns (2000), gives reasons to ban private possession of handguns in the United States.[10][11][12]
He maintains a Class One Federal Firearms License in Washington, D.C., which makes it legal for him to transfer and handle firearms.[13] Sugarmann believes a full ban on handguns is necessary.[14] He has also called for bans on semi-automatic rifles and firearm magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.[1]
References
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- Josh Sugarmann's blogs on the Huffington Post
- Josh Sugarmann, "The Price of Freedom: More Bodies", First Monday, 23 May 2005, Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence
- "The Brady Bill won't break the sick hold guns have on America. It's time for tougher measures.", Mother Jones, January 1994