assault weapons ban?

[Epidemic]

Ok now you can argue whether I need, or should have a 30 round clip or a beyonet on my rifle. But where I get perplexed is when the politicians say that the assault weapon provision in the omnibus crime bill has reduced crime.

How many crimes were comitted with assault weapons where the fact that it was an "assault weapon" was instrumental to the crime prior to the ban? In other words had the gun been a 38 with a 10 round clip would the crime still have happened with the same or similar results?

Now add to that the fact that the entire duration of this law one can purchase "legally" an assault weapon made prior to the ban.

Do you believe that the assault weapon ban has accomplished anything of substance?

[whitebeard21]

Do you believe that the assault weapon ban has accomplished anything of substance?


Absolutely 0 while I do not understand why you need 30 rounds to kill a deer. If you can't put 3 out of 3 inside a 15 inch target at 300 yards you do not belong in the woods. go practice on a rifle range until you can. Nor do I want to see some law enforcement officers ambushed, I do not support gun control.

The assult weapons bill was just another case of pandering to the public.

[John Prophet]

just on a general note....I dont really see the wisdom in stating this stat or that one as far as , you know, "crime didnt slow down to any significant degree after this bill or that one was passed"

I dont think that is a valid way to look at things..because it is assuming things are static and that the only variable is the bill....


in other words....what would the crime rate have increased too WITHOUT this bill or that one being passed....or what message is being sent to criminals...are we encouraging them to take the plunge and get into a life of crime or encouraging them that "we will not make it easy for you to be a criminal"

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sorta like a man getting chemo for his cancer....yeah, the cancer may come back...but what are you going to do otherwise..let him lay there and die without even trying?


same for crime of any sort...are you going to let criminals run free or are you going to do anything you can to put some brakes on it?

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also.....when we criticize..we should then offer better alternatives....what would YOU do to lower violent crime?

JP

[jynxedu]

Wow, one of those rare occasions where I actually agree with you whitebeard. Glad I was seated at the time.

I read/heard an article a few days back which stated that the Brady Gun Control bill has not changed a thing; not even lowering the crime rate. So it has accomplished nothing it was created to do.

On assault rifles. My parents purchased a rifle (and scope) for me one Christmas to go hunting squirrel, which is a "right of passage" for most men in our family. The rifle (.22 cal) held fourteen in the stock and one in the chamber, which makes it an assault rifle. Yeah.

The one thing I did take not of was a poll. Two researchers polled one thousand felons currently in the prison system. One question was what do (did) you fear most, 99% of them answered "a victim with a gun."

[Epidemic]

JP,

I agree that we must do something to curb violence.

But I liken the assault weapon ban to your chemo scenario by this scenario. A man has cancer so instead of doing nothing you ban blue jeans and cotton balls.

I simply do not find a relationship between crime and assault weapons. especially considering that 99% of crimes comitted would still be comitted even if a two shot derringer was employed.

[TOAD6147]

I think you miss the big picture: What are "assault rifles " for? Answer: Strictly for killing people. They have absolutely NO OTHER PURPOSE. The Brady Bill was not designed or written to reduce crime. That is ludicrous! It was designed to stem the tide of the ease at which the disgruntled Postal worker or high-schooler could so easily obtain one and take out half of his shift or class in a "brief" bout of rage. The Brady Bill was designed to allow this person to cool off and re-think his/her options rather than so easily buy a killing machine to vent his/her frustration.

[vass0922]

drive by shooting with a 2 shot...

Heh

Down in compton they gotta worry about the "drive by shot"

right....

people always rob banks with tiny guns

I simply can't find ANY REASON whatsoever that a normal civilian would need an assault rifle to warrant killing a ban over it.

Ya... lets go huntin' deer with an assault rifle... tons of fun and very challenging!

Although I will submit that ya the prohibition on alcohol worked fabulous as well

Will it make much difference?
Nah not really...
Chances are the folks that rob banks and do drive by shootings aren't exactly going down to walmart to buy them anyways...
Black market is always better... less able to trace the weapon.

[jynxedu]

Agreed, you outlaw guns and then only the criminals will have them and the unarmed law-abiding citizens will be easy prey.

[TOAD6147]

"Outlaw guns and only the outlaws will have them!"
It was junk when it was first coined and it's still junk today. But the NRA sure got a lot of mind control mileage out of that one. You can tell by how it's been handed down through generations sota' like racial bias.

[jynxedu]

I like Sen. Feinstein's quote: " Mr. and Mrs. America, turn them all in."