[Vision2020] Gun Talk

[Paul Rumelhart]

You know, I could get behind these attempts to portray people who are 
against the assault weapons ban as sociopaths or schizophrenics, if it 
weren't for the following things:

1.  If the proponents of these bans weren't so disingenuous with their 
wording.  "Assault weapon" is a look-and-feel definition, not a 
usage-based one.  A Ruger Mini 14 is just as deadly in a spree shooting 
as an AR15, but it's not considered an "assault weapon" because it 
doesn't look enough like a movie prop.  I've both made this kind of 
comment on this list before and have seen it made here many times.  I 
haven't seen anyone answer it.  What is the use of banning a weapon 
based on how military it looks? Why ban guns with barrel shrouds?  All 
they do is keep you from burning yourself on the barrel.  Or bayonet 
mounts?  Are we really worried about the latest rash of gun stabbings?  
My conclusion: it's only useful politically.

2.  If they weren't so intent to ride the "think of the children" wave.  
If the deaths of school children should be driving our behaviors, then 
how about we overhaul the drone program?  Lots of children are dying 
every day via drones, all OK'd by our sitting President.  I posted an 
article about that a few days ago, I think.  So why is the outrage over 
Newtown driving the assault weapons ban but there is no outrage over 
drone-killings?  The only differences I can see are that the Newtown 
angle has been in the news non-stop while there is very little reporting 
on personally sanctioned assassinations by our President and that the 
children killed by drones are brown and not white.  "Foreign" and not 
"domestic", if that makes you sleep better.  Also, every new gun-related 
incident gets center stage attention, as if these kinds of tragedies 
haven't been happening all the time.  Suddenly, a switch is thrown and 
we're all outraged about them.

Now, I can get behind better background checks.  I'd like to see more 
focus on how we can keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill as 
well, as long as we're careful about people's rights so a random Joe 
can't be suddenly labeled "mentally ill" because he or she owns an AR15 
or for some other trumped up reason.  Better databases covering gun 
sales would also make sense, though I can understand the concerns that 
if they know about your guns they can also come take them away.  More 
training on gun handling and safety would also not go amiss.

But this push to ban "assault weapons" is blatant political theater.  
The magazine size restrictions are idiotic, as well.  It takes a second 
to swap a magazine if you've practiced it a few times.  Pick up the 
magazine, release the current one and let it drop, shove the new one home.

tl;dr version: gun control is currently all about political expediency 
when it should be all about actual effectiveness.

Paul

On 02/02/2013 09:26 AM, Moscow Cares wrote:
> 125763_600.jpg
>
> Seeya round town, Moscow, because . . .
>
> "Moscow Cares"
> http://www.MoscowCares.com
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "There's room at the top they are telling you still
> But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
> If you want to be like the folks on the hill."
>
> - John Lennon
>
> On Feb 2, 2013, at 9:05 AM, Art Deco <art.deco.studios at gmail.com 
> <mailto:art.deco.studios at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>> Understanding why we need assault rifles:
>>
>> <Tom Tomorrow Glib Guns TMW2013-01-30colorKOS.png>
>>
>> -- 
>> Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
>> art.deco.studios at gmail.com <mailto:art.deco.studios at gmail.com>
>>
>>
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