Assault Weapon Ban Poll.

[Missourian]

Since the assault weapon ban was was lifted in 2004, the number of deaths in the U.S., and that's all deaths, not just murders and crime related deaths, in four years is...163.

WASHINGTON - October 9, (2008) - In the four years since the federal assault weapons ban expired on September 15, 2004, at least 163 people have been killed and 185 wounded with military-style semiautomatic assault weapons, including at least [15 police officers killed and 18 wounded], according to a report being issued today by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Link

The number of Americans killed by by lightning strikes in the same four year period...360.

Lightning-related fatality, injury, and damage reports in the US were summarized for 36 years since 1959, based on the NOAA publication Storm Data. There were 3239 deaths, 9818 injuries, and 19,814 property-damage reports from lightning during this period. On average, 90 people are killed every year in the U.S. by lightning. Link

Airplane crashes...480.

While there are risks in using all forms of transportation, commercial airline travel is one of the safest. From January 1982 to March 2001, a period of 19.25 years, there were a total of 8,109,000,000 passenger enplanements. During that same time period, there were 2,301 fatalities (120 people killed on average each year), and 348 serious injuries. This amounts to a 0.00003% chance of being seriously injured or killed in a commercial aviation accident. This is far less than any other mode of transportation. Link

Car accidents...164,236.

In 2007 there were 41,059 highway fatalities overall, which is 1,649 fewer deaths than the previous year. The traffic fatality rate dropped to 1.37 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, said Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. Link

Average traffic related deaths per day? 134 per day.

The risk of death on election days was 18 percent higher than the other days, or 158 deaths per day versus 134 deaths per day. The researchers estimated that resulted in an extra 189 deaths over the period studied. Link

But, according to President-Elect Obama, semi-automatic rifles are the scurge of the country and must be banned.

Good judgement or blind ideology?


Let's recap, an American is more than twice as likely to, not just be struck by lightning, but to be killed by a lightning strike than to be killed by an "assault rifle".

And 5 less Americans (158) are killed in traffic accidents on election day (one day) than were killed in four years by "assault rifles".

Any comments?

.​

 

[Missourian]

Shame on me for perpetuating a myth.

An "assault rifle" is nothing more than a semi-automatic rifle.

It is not a machine gun.

While the semi-automatic mechanism is slightly different, the only true distinction between this semi-automatic rifle:

And this semi-automatic sidearm (pistol):

Is a buttstock and a 16 plus inch barrel.

.​

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

No I do not agree with a ban on assault weapons.

"A well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained in arms, is the best most natural defense of a free country."

"The Constitution preserves the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation where the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms."

"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

"We are right to take alarm at the first experiment upon our liberties."

- James Madison

 

[Shogun]

Listen to Leroy Pyle

[youtube]YjM9fcEzSJ0[/youtube]

and give me some fucking flame throwers, tanks and 50 caliber sniper rifles!

 

[Missourian]

Listen to Leroy Pyle

That is a fantastic video Shogun. I hope everyone takes the time to watch it.

 

[Gunny]

Shame on me for perpetuating a myth.

An "assault rifle" is nothing more than a semi-automatic rifle.

It is not a machine gun.

While the semi-automatic mechanism is slightly different, the only true distinction between this semi-automatic rifle:

And this semi-automatic sidearm (pistol):

Is a buttstock and a 16 plus inch barrel.

.​

Exactly. Trying to define an "assault anything" is disengenuous at best. If I just take a swing at someone, by definition, it's an "assault arm/fist."

Bayonet lug: Quick ... who was the last criminal to afix bayonet and charge?

Sling swivels: Hell yeah. Exactly the way the Marines trained us. Assault the enemy at sling arms.

pistol grip: Because no one but John Wayne could use a Winchester Model 94 as an assault weapon. Well, except the US military, cowboys, indians, good guys, bad guys, et al.

Sheeple are stupid.

 

[Anguille]

Is there such a thing as a non assault rifle?
The term is too vague. I am not against gun ownership permitted to licensed operators who pass a rigorous test to demonstrate they are sane and responsible and who will agree to possible random visits by inspectors to see that they are complying.
Automatic weapons of war are best left to the police and military.

 

[xsited1]

Nobody has voted 'Yes' yet? I can't believe that. I thought there were a lot of Obama-type liberals around here.

 

[Shogun]

you'd be shocked to know how many gun toting liberals there are. I mentioned this before but during the debates I was hanging out at a debate party with a bunch of gun loving liberals. The NRA would get more support if it were not a mouthpiece for the GOP.

 

[Missourian]

I reckon your right...it's been a couple day's and not one 'Yes' vote.

FWIW...I say the same thing about the Dems...if they would drop the pro-choice and anti-2nd amendment planks of their platform, they would have a fair shot at my vote.

 

[Shogun]

clearly, you've never been exposed to the Great Shogun Abortion Compromise.

 

[Missourian]

clearly, you've never been exposed to the Great Shogun Abortion Compromise.

Not yet...lay it on me.

 

[editec]

I don't understand the debate well enough to have an opinion to be honest.

They want to outlaw semiautomatic rifles?

Why?

We allow semiautomatic pistols, don't we?

I don't have the numbers but I'd venture to guess that far more Americans are killed with semiauto pistols than rifles.

So if America wanted to decrease deaths by semiautomatic weapons, but wanted to do so while continuing to allow people to own guns generally, then the solution is to outlaw semiauto handguns, more than semiauto rifles.

I suspect that handguns generally cause more harm to our society than rifles in any guise be it single shot bolt action, semi-or full automatic.

Very few armed robberies (in comparison) are done by perps with rifles, methinks.

 

[Silence]

guess I'm the only yes.

I see no reason for assualt rifles. If you're a hunter, then hunt like a real man with a one shot shotgun. Give the animal a fighting chance.

I'm in favor of gun control obviously

 

[Red Dawn]

I don't really care that much one way or the other.

But, if you have a fetish for playing with assualt weapons, join the National Guard, and play weekend warrior. They have all kinds of assault weapons and rocket launchers.

I come from a family of hard core hunters, and I've never seen any cousin or uncle of mine hunting deer or pheasant with M-16 or AK-47 knockoffs.

 

[Paulie]

Even if I WAS an advocate for gun control, I'd have changed my mind after seeing the story about the elderly lady earlier this year who pulled her gun on a home invader and held him at gunpoint until the police arrived.

You may never even have to fire a single shot with your gun for it to have done its job of protecting you.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I don't really care that much one way or the other.

But, if you have a fetish for playing with assualt weapons, join the National Guard, and play weekend warrior. They have all kinds of assault weapons and rocket launchers.

I come from a family of hard core hunters, and I've never seen any cousin or uncle of mine hunting deer or pheasant with M-16 or AK-47 knockoffs.

I suggest you learn to read, there are 10 criteria, any 3 of which make it an "assault" weapon.

One criteria is semi automatic.

One criteria is any kind of pistol grip.

One criteria is a muzzle flash suppressor.

One criteria is a bayonet lug.

One criteria is a detachable magazine.

One criteria is a folding stock.

I don't remember the other 4. But as you can see a LOT of rifles that are NOT M-16 or AK-47's can and do meet the supposed "assault weapon" criteria.

The Supreme Court decision in 1939, White Vs Texas , was clear, a weapon MUST meet military use and be a style the military HAS or will use.

The "assault weapon" Ban is unconstitutional. It specifically outlaws the VERY weapons required to meet the protection of the Second Amendment.

Having won the DC case, I suspect that if this idiotic law comes up again it WILL be challenged and the Court will agree it is unconstitutional. In the past everyone was afraid they would lose. Neither side was willing to risk that loss.

 

[PeterS]

Any comments?

Yeah, should any weapon be banned? After all we have the right to bear arms so why shouldn't we be allowed to own any and all weapons available?

 

[Anguille]

Even if I WAS an advocate for gun control, I'd have changed my mind after seeing the story about the elderly lady earlier this year who pulled her gun on a home invader and held him at gunpoint until the police arrived.

You may never even have to fire a single shot with your gun for it to have done its job of protecting you.

Right. So why the need for assault rifles?

Oh, yeah, if the government needs to be taken over.

(or if you've got a hankering for a shopping mall massacre)

It seems to me the main reason that people advocate for ownership of guns which go beyond the basic hunting or self preservation needs.

 

[Shogun]

have you ever shot a gun, Ang? And, I don't mean that in an innuendo sort of way.