Nationwide that year, an average of 14 children aged 19 and under were killed with guns daily. Opponents of additional gun control point out that Michigan already has laws tougher than in most states. They argue that education in firearm operation and safety would be far more productive than more restrictive legislation and that firearm homicides usually are associated with other illegal activities, such as drug crimes. Some opposed to statewide firearm regulation prefer to have local control over such matters. Insofar as handguns are concerned, those who oppose their being banned or their use restricted believe their position has constitutional support.
Many people believe that the Second Amendment is a restatement of a fundamental, individual right.
According to the Firearm Law Deskbook , Historically, the Second Amendment was adopted as an individual right so that people could maintain a balance with government, which the framers believed had the potential for oppression. Since the late 1980s, gun rights activists in several states have lobbied for more permissive CCW laws. They charge that CCW boards have issued general permits primarily to retired police officers and other members of the law enforcement community. In general, it would give law enforcement authorities less discretion in deciding who may be licensed. The legislation's supporters maintain that by not requiring a person to state a reason for wanting a license, simplifying the application process, limiting and clarifying the conditions under which a person may be denied licensure, requiring that licenses be valid for three years, and expanding the local concealed weapons boards to include two public members, a board's decision on who is licensed will be less arbitrary.