US Guns in the U.S.

[MadamSarcastra]

Don't Fret: The House Democrats' Sit-In on Gun Violence Is a Genius Move—and It's Already Working

No comment. Still emotionally wiped out. I'll simply say I certainly hope this keeps things moving in the right direction.... finally.

 

[beancounter]

All automatic weapons are already illegal in the US and have been for decades. So called Assault Rifles are not automatic, they just look scary.

VPC - Bullet Hoses - Ten Key Points About What Assault Weapons Are And Why They Are So Deadly

4. However, this is a distinction without a difference in terms of killing power. Civilian semiautomatic assault weapons incorporate all of the functional design features that make assault weapons so deadly. They are arguably more deadly than military versions, because most experts agree that semiautomatic fire is more accurate—and thus more lethal—than automatic fire.

 

[Freesia]

Yes, UK people often complain about having what they see as a nanny state and I think it can lead to some people being infantilized, but clearly you need to have laws to protect the safety of everyone. I don't drive but whenever I'm in a taxi I am astounded by how dangerous and reckless some drivers on the road are.

We have reached an era now, where we dont have to worry about a Nanny State, but a Police State... for example try calling the police if you have a burglary, they will be "too busy".

But then try and organise a protest on something awful a corporation is doing in your town, and the police will suddenly be free, deployed in great numbers to "make sure the protest doesnt become violent" even though the protest is made up with very average people, like mothers and pensioners, etc.. who are clearly not dangerous.

Most governments consider the interests of corporate bodies to be more of a priority than the humans which live in the country, and in fact corporations have more legal rights than humans, which in turn protects the upper management of these corporations, who basically have legal and diplomatic immunity.

The world has changed so much since the 80s and 90s, we are not dealing with the same thing anymore.

And what we are getting now is eroding civil liberties.. things like privacy and basic human rights seem to be falling by the wayside in todays world.

 

[Calliegirl]

All automatic weapons are already illegal in the US and have been for decades. So called Assault Rifles are not automatic, they just look scary.

And what legitimate use do civilians have for them?

 

[ledboots]

And what legitimate use do civilians have for them?

To protect themselves against criminals, terrorists--and all enemies, foreign and domestic. And some people sport shoot at gun ranges or out in the country.

 

[Calliegirl]

To protect themselves against criminals, terrorists--and all enemies, foreign and domestic. And some people sport shoot at gun ranges or out in the country.

You can protect yourself with a handgun, and sport shooting is a hobby, not a necessity. I think banning something which has been used over and over again to slaughter large groups of adults and children (which is its intended use) outweighs someones 'want' to have fun shooting it at a target.

This reminds of the same argument people who want to eat meat use, they feel it's their right because it tastes good and they want it, regardless of the consequences to anyone or anything else.




edited for punctuation

 

[Andy_T]

All automatic weapons are already illegal in the US and have been for decades. So called Assault Rifles are not automatic, they just look scary.

@ledboots , I am posting again the article I have shared earlier about how you can - completely legal, for US$ 299 - make your store-bought AR-15 shoot 900 rounds per minute with "bump fire", although technically not being a "machine gun" (which is why it is legal, although the only difference of this gun to a machine gun is that the shooter has less control over the weapon).

I guess you have not read that article and not seen the video embedded. (Or you have seen it, but continue to say that if it is technically not a machine gun, then it is not automatic, although you can empty the 30-round clip in 2-3 seconds)

And I agree, The video of the guy firing that gun looks pretty scary to me....

BTW, it is also still possible to legally buy an AR-15 that was converted to full automatic fire (not the same you can buy in the store now) before the 1986 ban on automatic weapons, all you need is a lot more money (US$ 10,000 as opposed to 699+299 for the new one that is not technically fully automatic), as not so many of these had been converted at that time and they are sought after by fans.

 

[ledboots]

I read the article earlier and was already aware that the rifles can be modified. I did not watch the video, as it would not play on my mobile.

None of the guns that have been used in the mass shootings has been altered to be automatic, to my knowledge. What I do know is that the AR 15 type rifles jam very easily if more than a few bullets are fired. Examples are the movie theatre killer and the Orlando terrorist, as both their weapons jammed. The rifles are far more likely to jam if they are altered to be rapid fire. (My nephew is a marine weapons expert and always says that those rifles are crap.)

 

[Mischief]

To protect themselves against criminals, terrorists--and all enemies, foreign and domestic. And some people sport shoot at gun ranges or out in the country.

I'm sorry, but if your aim is so terrible that you need an assault rifle to "protect" yourself, you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a gun of any kind, including a BB gun.

 

[ledboots]

I'm sorry, but if your aim is so terrible that you need an assault rifle to "protect" yourself, you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a gun of any kind, including a BB gun.

A shotgun is far better for those who can't aim.

 

[Mischief]

A shotgun is far better for those who can't aim.

Of course, which makes the whole argument that anyone needs an assault rifle to "defend" themselves even more ridiculous than it already is.

If you can't hit someone from whom you're defending yourself with one or two shots, you have no business using a gun.

 

[FortyTwo]

All automatic weapons are already illegal in the US and have been for decades. So called Assault Rifles are not automatic, they just look scary.

You're right, they do look scary. I'm sure they look even scarier to the people who are being assaulted with them right before the firing of the gun wipes their entire existence clean off the face of the Earth, along with the people right next to them, and the people right next to those people.

 

[FortyTwo]

I read the article earlier and was already aware that the rifles can be modified. I did not watch the video, as it would not play on my mobile.

None of the guns that have been used in the mass shootings has been altered to be automatic, to my knowledge. What I do know is that the AR 15 type rifles jam very easily if more than a few bullets are fired. Examples are the movie theatre killer and the Orlando terrorist, as both their weapons jammed. The rifles are far more likely to jam if they are altered to be rapid fire. (My nephew is a marine weapons expert and always says that those rifles are crap.)

Interesting distinction there.

 

[Moll Flanders]

We have reached an era now, where we dont have to worry about a Nanny State, but a Police State... for example try calling the police if you have a burglary, they will be "too busy".

Sorry, I forgot to respond to you. I have had to call the police quite a few times since I've lived in the area that I live in now and they have turned up when I called. One time they turned up late as they were busy as there was a little kid who had gone missing, but they did turn up in the end. It sounds terrible if that happens where you live, the police should be there to protect people.

 

[AeryFairy]

I spoke too soon about nobody in the UK wanting guns back

Nigel Farage calls for UK gun laws to be relaxed

help.

 

[Mischief]

Texas mother fatally shoots 2 daughters; police kill her

 

[Freesia]

Sorry, I forgot to respond to you. I have had to call the police quite a few times since I've lived in the area that I live in now and they have turned up when I called. One time they turned up late as they were busy as there was a little kid who had gone missing, but they did turn up in the end. It sounds terrible if that happens where you live, the police should be there to protect people.

Where I live, the government is closing the police stations altogether, or having them semi closed (closed at 5pm or 7pm so you cannot get any police help after this time). A lot of rural police stations have been closed too.

I read a statistic the other day which was something like only 9% of burglaries are solved here, most just go into a pile... our police forces are very underfunded and under resourced.

Yet when we had foreign trade officials here, they somehow magically came up with a few hundred police to guard them.


$3m saved by shutting police stations

 

[Mischief]

2 dead, several injured in Texas dance studio shooting

 

[Mischief]

Mother-in-Law Charged in Shooting Death of Atlanta Kindergarten Teacher, Killed Feet from Her Sons: Reports

 

[Mischief]

4-year-old N.J. boy accidentally shot dead by brother