But this event spawned the Guncontrol Act of 1968, which was the modern era beginning of other "common sense" gun laws that haunt us today.
The black riots of the 60s were a major factor as well
I think the two major assassinations right before the votes helped more than anything
Neither figure was popular in the white south were I grew up but it roiled the media
My memories goes back farther.
And to think, in 1962 Thomas J Dodd and Emauell Cellar proposed the first federal law on common firearms.
1962; “We don’t want to take away your guns, we ONLY want to register handguns! Rifles and shotguns will not be affected”.
1964: “We only want to register all your guns, not ban them! Only 5 shot bolt action Army surplus rifles will be banned.”
1968: “We only want to register your guns, and ban “Saturday Night Specials” and small foreign handguns along with army surplus rifles!” (They got the ban on 5 shot army surplus rifles and handguns and small foreign pistols)
1970: “We only want to ban Saturday night specials! Large handguns and rifles will not be affected!”
1976: “We only want to ban all handguns! Long guns will not be affected!”
1981: “The NRA is a rifle organization! They should give up their handguns, and they can keep their rifles!”- Lee Grant on GMA
1984: “We must ban “assault Rifles, unsuitable or hunting!”
1989: George Bush bans import of some foreign made “assault rifles”.
1992: Assault rifle ban passed by Clinton.
2000: first calls to ban single shot .50 cal rifles...
2012 calls for MORE bans on semi auto rifles and handguns. If you can’t ban them then go after ammo limits, the magazines and styles of the stocks.
And so it continues.