THE AR-15: THE GUN LIBERALS LOVE TO HATE

[ShooterInPA1]

Politician after politician have joined the television talking heads in calling for a new “assault weapons ban” patterned after the ten-year Clinton ban that was allowed to lapse in 2004 after Justice Department and private studies concluded it had no impact whatsoever on murder and violent crime rates and had become a symbol of wrong-headed governmental attempts to restrict firearms ownership in this country.

California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein has called for reinstituting the old Clinton ban to outlaw the sale, transfer and possession of such guns in the future while grandfathering those already in the hands of private parties. Others, like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have gone so far as to suggest “confiscation” or forced “buy back” programs “to get these weapons off the street.” In the last week dozens of commentators, reporters and politicians have said they support the 2nd Amendment, but would support an “assault weapons” ban because such weapons aren’t used for hunting and have no purpose other than to kill people.

While such suggestions reflect a simple minded and narrow understanding of why the founders included the Second Amendment in our Bill of Rights, they also suggest that those making them neither understand the nature of the firearms they would ban, their popularity or legitimate uses.

Those who would ban what they like to call assault weapons like to portray them as automatic weapons designed for use on the battlefield simply because they look cosmetically like their military counterparts. In fact, they are semi-automatic firearms that are designed and built not for the military, but for the civilian market and function differently than their military counterparts. Were our soldiers outfitted with ARs, they would be at the mercy of every army in the world.

The more than three million Americans who currently own AR-15s must wonder if any of these people know what they’re talking about. These guns are not cheap, but they have been the best-selling long arm in this country for some years. Those three million people didn’t buy have purchased them just to look at or because they are planning to use them to kill their fellow citizens.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has surveyed the purchasers of AR-15s. The AR-15 is the most commonly used rifle for marksmanship training and competition. Nearly 90% of those who own an AR-15 use it for recreational target shooting; 51% of AR owners are members of shooting clubs and visit the range regularly. The typical AR owner is not a crazed teenage psychopath, but a 35+ year old, married and has some college education.

The popularity of the AR can be traced in part to the fact that it is a semi-automatic version of the rifle used by the men and women of the military. Nearly half of AR owners are veterans, law enforcement officers, or both. It is a configuration they are familiar with and enjoy shooting. My daughter, for example, served two tours in Iraq, one in Afghanistan, and only owns one gun — an AR.

AR 15s are good for hunting. Some buy an AR for home defense and about six percent of buyers are either collectors or varmint hunters. The standard AR is illegal in most states for deer and big game hunting because it is not considered powerful enough to reliably put down deer-sized or larger game, but is used for coyote, wolf and feral pig hunting in many states.

So the evidence tells us that although Sen. Feinstein and her friends may not know it, millions of Americans buy these guns because they like to shoot them and use them lawfully. The fact that a half dozen out of more than three million have been misused after illegally falling into the hands of crazed killers does not seem to be a reason to ban the popular gun according to most Americans asked in a recent USA Today poll.

These guns are not the weapon of choice for this nation’s criminals or killers. Indeed, the FBI found that in 2010, the last year for which data is available, more people were beaten to death than killed with all long guns including these so-called assault weapons.

It is true that the Supreme Court has left the door open for “reasonable” restrictions on firearms sales. There is good reason, for example, to keep guns out of the hands of felons, those who have been adjudicated as mentally incompetent, or unsupervised children. However there is no evidence whatever to suggest that a ban on the AR 15 or other semi-automatic firearms can be constitutionally justified just so politicians can say they have done something to satisfy the natural public desire act in the face of a tragedy like Newtown. A renewal of a juiced up version of the old Clinton “assault weapons” ban would no doubt make Sen. Feinstein and her friends feel good and deny millions of law abiding Americans the right to own and enjoy a gun protected by the Second Amendment,, but would do absolutely nothing to prevent future tragedies.

http://www.humanevents.com/2013/01/0...-love-to-hate/

[PocketProtector]

Don't kid yourself, they hate them all, are after them all, and I don't believe the Gunowners on the forum really grasp how deadly serious they are at getting them.

Do NOT underestimate these Commie POS, they will resort to any tactic, any trick, any lies, and any force they need to get them.

Please don't doubt me.

[ShooterInPA1]

Don't kid yourself, they hate them all, are after them all, and I don't believe the Gunowners on the forum really grasp how deadly serious they are at getting them.

Do NOT underestimate these Commie POS, they will resort to any tactic, any trick, any lies, and any force they need to get them.

Please don't doubt me.

You are 100% correct. But the AR is the one one they are going to go after first. Then handguns. Then "sniper" rifles (hunting rifles).

Any gun owner who thinks their gun of preference is not on their list needs their head examined tout suite.

[PocketProtector]

I believe we are dealing with psychopaths equivalent to those in the 3rd Reich. And I have no doubt, they will kill as many of us as needed to achieve their end game.
In fact, their mentor Bill Ayres said as much.
Sounds crazy but I believe it's true.
We haven't seen anything yet.

[villageidiot]

Were our soldiers outfitted with ARs, they would be at the mercy of every army in the world.

That's just so wrong its funny.

[harold63]

but would do absolutely nothing to prevent future tragedies.

Dude, the Libs want ABSOLUTE power. Disarming us helps them get there. They want everyone to be puppets, literally. They need to get rid of the guns that we as a nation could use to march against them. The numbers are out there if the people are willing, should it come that. They could give a shit about personal tragedies.

[Yellowfin]

A big reason they're pushing so hard now is because our side has been winning the last few years. The anti gun ideological disease is due for extinction and a healthy gun culture is the vaccine to wipe it out. They know they can't afford to lose--we have to hand them the defeat that's got them panicked.

[mrnyman]

Dont kid yourself, its got nothing to do with liberals or being liberal.

The first order of any battle is to know who your enemy is, at this stage if you dont know who your enemy is you have already lost.

Your only choice left to you is which bunk you want at the FEMA camp top or bottom.

[ShooterInPA1]

That's just so wrong its funny.

You are either clueless or a troll.

[villageidiot]

You are either clueless or a troll.

You're right I am an idiot, the US military would be at the mercy of even the Belize Defense Force if our troops had only had semi-auto rifles.

An economy that enables the US to account for 40% of the worlds military spending, combined with the knowledge, expertise, and experience to project that power anywhere within the world in a few hours means nothing. Reality is like a Chuck Norris movie, just spray that thing around with one hand and all the bad guys drops over dead. If our troops don't have full auto personal rifles they'll last like 3 minutes out there.