>>>>>>>>>>I am not for complete gun bans in the U.S. I am for laws restricting the sale, trade, or use of weapons that clearly have no use other than military action. If we truly believe that U.S. citizens need the right to own assault weapons, than require them to be stored and maintained in local arsenals that are heavily monitored and secured. Restrict the use of such weapons to supervised practice in the same location.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>(applause)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I mention only in passing that the original intent of the 2nd amendment was for a well regulated militia. Unless the citizen militia had been called out to defend against an invading force the guns were kept in armories. We have had a standing army since 1850, replacing the citizen militia. As I guess you know very well ;-) (Thanks, which is what I say to every soldier).
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>UPDATE: What I am saying, and you agree, is let's take some reasonable action and ban assault weapons. We are not going to eliminate all guns, agreed again. But we can and should do something.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>The scary looking guns ban from the 90's. Worked great.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Yesterday I asked for anyone to defend a reasonable purpose of these weapons. No reply yet.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>There is now.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>No, no there's not - and I stand firmly in the 'It's MY gun, dammit' field. And, if you ask any of my friends and co-workers, I can justify almost anything - but not this. No, you don't need an assault weapon for hunting. We've taken all the skill out of it anyway, unless you're bow hunting or what you're hunting is also hunting you with a non-attached weapon (but that's called war). No, you don't need an assault weapon for home protection - the Zombie Apocalypse is NOT just around the corner. Besides, as any veteran of first-person shooters will tell you, assault weapons on full auto are a wonderful way to waste bullets not hitting what you're aiming at.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>This wasn't an assault weapon. The bushmaster is semi auto.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>It apparently did have 30 round clip(s). I don't see a need for that.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>And please don't pull out the tired "Well, if someone had been there with an assault weapon they could have stopped this from happening!" crap. If someone had been there at the school with an assault weapon, well yeah - it might have stopped this from happening, mostly because the school would have been on lock-down with 37 cop and first responder units surrounding it as they were arresting the idiot who was standing outside of an elementary school with a freakin' assault weapon.
>>>>>
>>>>>Can you please explain the distinction between assault weapon and semi automatic rifle? This is a sincere question from the uninitiated. To me they look a lot alike and seem to have the same characteristics.
>>>>
>>>>In loosest terms, an 'assault weapon' is a term applied to a subset of weapons that can or are fired in a 'fully automatic' mode. This means that when you press the trigger the weapon continues to fire until you either release the trigger, or you run out of ammunition.
>>>>'Ripping a clip' is one of the most inaccurate methods of firing such a weapon. For assault rifles, think AK-47 or the M-16.
>>>>
>>>>It can also be fired (in automatic mode) in 3 round bursts. This means when you hit the trigger, 3 rounds are going downrange. This is the 'preferred' method of automatic fire.
>>>>
>>>>Semi-automatic weapons require a trigger pull (only) for each round down range, having recocked itself using the escaping gasses to work the mechanism. Revolovers are not semi-automatic.
>>>>
>>>>The weapon used for this latest shooting was a semi-automatic, not an assault.
>>>
>>>Got it. Thank you.
>>>
>>>I am definitely not going to invade your house ;-)
>>
>>Imagine if Dorris lived next to Bill and they had an argument over where the fence should be or noise or somesuch. It'd be like WWIII
>
>Nope. Neither one of those is a killing offense and I subscribe to "If I pull it, I'm gonna shoot it and if I shoot it, I'm gonna kill it" theory. And anyone who's ever talked to me about what first gun they should get, they get asked if they can live with that statement. If they can't - I tell 'em to get an aluminum baseball bat.
>
>Personally, I really REALLY enjoy putting large holes in paper. It's very relaxing (for me), but I do understand that it is a weapon and a (very possibly) deadly one in my hands and both of my guns are treated as such.
Will you be my sweet Texas woman? Will you be my gal with a gun? (smiling and channeling Lyle Lovett)
Sorry for continuing to offload my thoughts to musicians but here is one more. Very enjoyable to listen to, too, with Miss Emmylou dropping in at the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uGyClRhGg0UPDATE: Crap, I am on another musical riff. I know it's obsessive but they comfort me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4evzpIVnMVshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-42NzUuUlLY
