If a state does not guarantee certain rights, then the state is not free and democratic. In that sense the Bill of Rights is a bill of needs. The fact is every other state omits the right to bear arms, because the right is completely useless other than relating to increased gun crime.

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"Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." — John Stuart Mill

Seriously. I mean, the things we actually need are those things which help us to sustain life. Other than food, shelter and water... there's really not much more that we need than what a cat or dog needs.

Spork, it just makes me REALLY nervous when a government starts thinking that it can or should start restricting things which cannot be shown to be needed. My Glock holds 17 rounds and is equipped with a laser sight and a ported barrel. My SKS holds only 10 rounds and has a slower cycle rate than the Glock. Which one is the assault weapon? The ammo I use in the SKS would go right through you. The ammo I use in my Glock would open a person up like a split melon. So which one is the assault weapon? My Weatherby 300 is more accurate than the sniper rifles the military uses (the Remingtons anyway). But my Weatherby is a "hunting rifle". Why is that? Do I need a "hunting rifle" that could open up a chest cavity at 700 yards repeatably? I don't even hunt anymore. Do I need that? Nope. Am I going to keep it til the day I die? Yep. Why? That's just the way I am. I think that desire is located in the same area of my brain that pushes me toward curvy brunettes, but I'm not sure.

As for the StG 44... such a sweet weapon! I've never fired a Sturmgewehr 44 or a Schmeisser/MP43. I wish I had the spare change to buy either... or both.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

I understand wanting weapons for a hobby, and I think that should be fine, with plenty of restriction. If you want an assault rifle, you should go through the paper work. (And have plenty of cash)
What I'm getting from Wolverine is that he wants them to available over the counter. For no other reason than why not.
Chances are you are pretty toast if you are dealing with multiple attackers anyway, an assault rifle will not change those odds. I don't have figures at hand, but I'd wager most crimes don't involve multiple attackers.

Well, if multiple attackers attempted a home invasion but they didn't have firearms, perhaps having knives or pipes, an assault rifle could save the lives of the residents of the home. Such crimes are disturbingly common in America, and at any rate one person disarmed in such a situation is one too many.

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"I am a Tory Anarchist. I should like every one to go about doing just as he pleased- short of altering any of the things to which I have grown accustomed." (Max Beerbohm)

A semi-auto is a semi-auto is a semi-auto.

In the U.S., a MAK90 with a solid sporter stock is a hunting rifle. The EXACT same weapon with a flash hider, bayonet lug and/or folding stock is an assault weapon? One looks meaner than the other. But one won't kill you any deader than the other.

I know you know the difference. But there are a lot of ignorant Million Mommy Marcher types who think that you can buy a submachine gun at Walmart. Some shotguns fell into the assault weapon category, even though their variants were considered hunting weapons. It made no sense at all.

Part of the problem I have with this is the definition of assault weapon is a media creation. I watched Babs Feinstein fumble with an SKS for five minutes, and she and Leslie Stahl(ed out) could barely figure out how to insert the AFTERMARKET magazine. It's a shame old Babs didn't blow her writing hand off. I wouldn't want someone who is ignorant of cars writing automotive legislation. I don't want people who are ignorant of firearms writing gun legislation.

No offense to him, but look at Wildbore. He actually thinks that people do/would commit crimes in the U.S. by mounting battle machine guns to the beds of pickup trucks. Now that's just three shades of ridiculous. But my point is, any firearm can be made to fit into the assault weapon box... if you make the box big enough.

Criminals don't follow the laws. And the cops would rather taser 6 year olds here than chase crooks. My concern with this is that the ONLY people affected would be those who have legally acquired firearms and are easy to track down and harass.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

If your aim isn't true, go for the Mossberg 590. And yeah, it's considered to be an "assault weapon". The 500 is just a shotgun. But with a Marine type parkerized finish and a bayonet lug, the 590 is an assault weapon.

A shotgun loaded with 00 buck will turn a single attacker into multiple attackers pretty darn fast. Especially among the Vietnamese immigrant communities in California, home invasion robberies are too common. They're known to remain private and shy away from the police, so they're seen as easy pickings by young punks. And with Californication being a place where you're better off being a criminal than a law abiding citizen, many/most guns like this are off limits. Plus these people aren't used to having guns, so criminals just bust in on them, rob and rape them and that's that.

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"Tweeter was a Boyscout before she went to Vietnam and found out the hard way... nobody gives a d@mn."

You need them for protection from foreign and domestic threats.

Do I need a reason to want one?

Given the fact that "AW's" are less powerful then you run of the mill "hunting rifle", I don't see your point.

Thanks.

Where in the Constitution does it state that there must be restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms?

By that are you refering to machine guns? There is no good reason to ban those.
If you mean semi-auto's, those are used in what? 2% of all gun crimes?

I doubt you can point out a substantial difference between an GP WAR-10 and a Browning BAR hunting rifle.

Or even a WASR-10 and a GP WASR-10, the first one being a "civilian weapon, and the second being one of those "evil assault weapons".

What I'm getting from Wolverine is that he wants them to available over the counter. For no other reason than why not.


But you have never been able to prove that a substantial number of guns are used in crimes. Come on, I'll give you a break, and just ask for proof of 25% being used in crimes.

Armed military service to country.

United States Constitution, The Bill of Rights, The Second Amendment
United States Constitution, Section 8. The Congress shall have Power…

So, it seems that their is a Constitutional mandate to be armed. Our founding fathers wanted every militia member to be armed as well as the ground-solder in combat. In their time it was a musket or a pistol or a cutlass, in our time it should be pistols, shotguns, and M-16's or M-60's.

Now, who should this militia consist of? Who should be allowed to own such weapons?

US Code Section 311. Militia: composition and classes
Every American able-bodied male 17 years and up! Thats who should be able to have them. Imagine if every guy 17 years and older had an M-16 and trained with it. This problem of an invading force at the Mexican border would be dealt with in about five days. Build a fence, put razor wire on it and take turns watching it. No entry for people who aren't citizens or in possession of a valid passport. Problem solved. Al-Queda operatives blow up the local military or National Guard barracks? Not a problem, every guy will get his rifle out and be ready to stand in defense of the country.

Now that doesn't necessarily mean that you "need" a firearm, granted. So I'll agree with your semantical interpretation of the initial statement in the report, their is no "need" for, specifically, an assault rifle. However, if we start judging what should be allowed based on needs, we could all be sitting in a shanty being fed gruel. I need an assault rifle because I live on a large piece of land where wolves, bears and other large animals exist. I'd like to be able to dispatch one of these creatures before they destroyed some horses. I also happen to enjoy shooting guns. I'm a firearms instructor for the local police department and sheriffs department. I think that they realize if something went horribly wrong, if riots broke out or if zombies started walking the earth, that I would be one civilian out there fighting along side of them and I think that they appreciate it.

I think Crotch-Rockets kill more people than guns. In this country anyway. Lets ban them. We had another one last week. Hit a car and sent its driver to the hospital. Biker, if he lives, will not walk again.

Why would anyone need a motorcycle (Assault bike) like that? Don't they know the danger they're getting in to.

Mac

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Before the sun goes down. Someone in this world will be shot. Don't let it be you.