There are a number of well-respected organizations that take an anti gun stance, such as the ACLU, the American Medical Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the American Bar Association, People for the American Way and the National Organization for Women, to name a few.

Celebrities like David Arquette, Alec Baldwin, Bob Barker, Drew Barrymore, Kevin Bacon, Tony Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi, Mel Brooks, Steve Buscemi, Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Cheryl Crow, Walter Kronkite, Danny DeVito, Jane Fonda, Andy Garcia, Whitney Houston, Spike Lee, Jack Nicholson and hundreds more have lent their names to campaigns speaking out about the gun issue. Perhaps one of the most vocal critics against guns is the influential Brady Campaign.

The Brady Center claims to be "the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence." The anti gun campaign is named after Jim Brady. He was Ronald Reagan's press secretary and was shot during the 1981 assassination attempt by John Hinckley Jr. Left permanently disabled in a wheelchair, Brady became a key figure in the gun control debate.

His wife became actively involved a few years later when she found her six-year-old son playing with a relative's loaded handgun. It's important to note that the campaign isn't advocating a ban on all guns, but rather more comprehensive gun regulations to keep these weapons out of the hands of dangerous individuals and shady dealers.

First of all, the Brady Center wants to encourage sensible laws to regulate those who buy and sell guns. "Brady believes that a safer America can be achieved without banning guns," their website states. "We believe that law-abiding citizens should be able to buy and keep firearms," but criminals and children should not have access to these weapons.

Next, they feel there should be strict anti gun ownership laws regarding Uzis, AK-47s, .50-caliber sniper rifles and other assault rifles. Lastly, they believe in securing weapons so unauthorized people cannot get their hands on them and in training people to use their weapons safely.

Anti gun campaigns often emphasize the economic burden of gun deaths and injuries. In a June 2008 article in the East Bay Press News, Matthew Green tells the story of a man who was shot multiple times, which amounted to a $75,000 hospital bill for just 9 days of care.

Since the man had no insurance, the state MediCal insurance covered the tab. In 2007, the Highland Hospital Trauma Center in East Oakland spent $33 million treating 2,337 patients with gun shot wounds. It's estimated that tax payers shoulder the real burden of gun violence, paying 50 to 85% of the costs.