Gun Laws, 1965 Immigration Act, and Looking Back At National Lampoon

Every time a mass shooting happens in America, we wonder what can be done to stop it. Do the laws we have now—for background checks, and mental health screening—even target the right people?

And 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Immigration Act into law. In 1965, 84 percent of Americans were white. Today, due largely in part to the Immigration Act, the white population has shrunk to around 60 percent. This had a profound effect on Los Angeles.

Next, a movie about Mars and Matt Damon. Also a tightrope walking thrill ride, a gay rights drama and a documentary about a 17-year-old activist in our Friday film roundup.

Finally, the magazine National Lampoon was founded by two Harvard students in 1969 and expanded into live shows, a radio show, records and finally, movies. Many of the people we know from SNL cut their teeth at the Lampoon. And even though it’s been gone for two decades, echoes of the magazine and its spin-offs still reverberate through the American comedy scene.

Banner Image: With the New York skyline in the background on clear October day, President Lyndon Baines Johnson sings the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 into law on Liberty Island. Johnson promised Americans that the law would make the United States truer to its values and strengthen the nation. (Photo: Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library)