It would be interesting to see a poll of people who actually KNEW what the ban actually accomplished. Many in the media seem to think that the ban
actually banned "assault weapons" i.e. machine guns.
How ridiculous is the notion that private citizens should be able to tote machine guns? It takes someone with extreme positions like Alan Keyes
to righteously argue that cause. Most Americans -- Democrats and Republicans -- are against claiming Second Amendment protections for these guns and
support the federal assault weapons ban.
The semi-automatic rifles and pistols that this law banned were NOT fully automatic nor capable of burst fire (pull the trigger once and three bullets
come out). They are
less powerful than almost any deer hunting rifle on the market and have been used in less than 1% of all gun crime in the
U.S......ever.
Those on the end of the leash may be asking "Why did they ban them then!?!?!?" Good question.
Simple answer: They
look dangerous!
Here are the criteria for a so called assault weapon,
Detachable magazine on a semiautomatic rifle
and
any two of the following:
a folding or telescoping stock [no gun in the pack on your camping trip]
a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon [god forbid you can hold the rifle with comfort!]
a bayonet mount [Drive-by bayonet attacks must be on the rise
]
a flash suppressor or threaded barrel [You MUST be blinded after that first shot by the muzzle flash!]
a grenade launcher [included to scare people, since grenades and launchers are restricted by the National Firearms Act of 1934]
and
A semi-automatic pistol with a detachable magazine
and
any two of the following:
an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip [and that makes the bullet coming out the end more dangerous?]
a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer [you must be inaccurate, blinded or
deafened]
a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the nontrigger
hand without being burned [you must burn yourself!!!]
a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded [because lighter firearms are "safer"]
a semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm [just because]
The law did NOTHING to reduce crime as the statistics show.
This is hardly "a win for gun rights activists". This is a case of our rights being restored and the sunset of an unconstitutional law.
