Americans for Gun Safety Foundation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gun interest groups in the U.S.
Pro-gun rights
National Rifle Association Gun Owners of America JPFO Pink Pistols Second Amendment Foundation Second Amendment Sisters Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Liberty Belles Law Enforcement Alliance of America
Pro-gun control
Americans for Democratic Action Brady Campaign Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence Coalition to Stop Gun Violence League of Women Voters
Pro-rights and pro-control
American Hunters and Shooters Association Americans for Gun Safety Foundation

The Americans for Gun Safety Foundation is an organization whose stated purpose is to 1) promote gun safety training; 2) promote responsible gun laws; 3) respect gun rights; and 4) reduce gun crime.[1] Articles by AGS leadership regularly appear in the Democratic Leadership Council's magazine Blueprint.

The Americans for Gun Safety Foundation is a project of the Tides Center, and a Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Their website states that the organization "seeks to educate Americans on existing gun laws and new policy options for reducing access to guns by criminals and children and to promote responsible gun ownership." The AGS Foundation has funded studies of background checks at gun shows and the way states develop mental health records and keep track of those prohibited from purchasing a gun because of mental insanity.

Due to the organization being established by Andrew McKelvey (the founder of Monster.com), a former member of the board of directors of Handgun Control, Inc. and the primary founder of the Million Mom March, gun rights activists frequently make the claim that AGS has all the appearances and affiliations expected of an anti-gun organization. It is thus usually identified as a gun control organization rather than a gun rights organization.