I was frankly astounded when I realized the same thing. I have spent the last 1/2 an hour researching both sides of the issue and there is a grandfather clause for weapons purchased prior to 1994. I cannot believe that they demand the right to own assault weapons as part of the 2nd amendment and then I find out that gun manufacturers have been making guns to get around the ban.
Thanks to the people on this thread, I stand firmly with President Bush, President Reagan, President Bush 41 and their distaste for semi-automatic assault weapons. I have gotten a real education here this afternoon because I thought we were talking fully automatic as assault weapons. Thanks to Mr. Mojo I found out that was not the case. We are talking about semi-automatic weapons with more than a 10 clip capability are banned. Who needs more than 10 bullets to go off one after the other?
Thanks to Freepers who told me about the 1934 ban on fully automatic weapons as well and pointed out where I was wrong which caused me to do the research.
That said, I now support President Bush and the members of Congress in renewing the Assault Weapons Ban after what I have seen posted on this thread. Before this thread I thought it should expire in September -- no longer. When Freepers object to a criminal background check for weapons and the right to buy whatever kind of weapon they want, they lost me completely. I do support the 2nd amendment for rifles, shotguns, and handguns -- there is absolutely zero need for any other weapons in the hands of civilians and I don't care if someone is an expert marksman in the military. We do not live in a dictatorship no matter how much you all whine your rights have been taken away -- they haven't.
This is not 1776 and we are not fighting the British -- times were a lot different back then and if someone wants to take the Constitution literally then they shouldn't have any guns but the type of guns that were around when the Bill of Rights were written. Doesn't that sound ludicrous? Well no background checks and allowing criminals to go in a purchase any gun they want is just as ludicrous IMHO.
This is my last statement on this thread.
Arab terrorists? Urban gang members?
I do support the 2nd amendment for rifles, shotguns, and handguns -- there is absolutely zero need for any other weapons in the hands of civilians and I don't care if someone is an expert marksman in the military. We do not live in a dictatorship no matter how much you all whine your rights have been taken away -- they haven't.
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Excellent analysis. You've just about convinced me. Heretofore, I have been totally against background checks because I believe the 2nd Ammendment affords us the right to keep and bear arms anonymously --- without the government knowing who bears 'em and who does not. Am I wrong?
When a man like General Wesley Clark is considered a serious candidate for president we are in trouble. Don't you understand that Clark if elected could put people just like him in charge of our military? You think that that sort of leader should have control of all weapons that could win a civil war. You are saying that you trust men like Wesley Clark, Kerry and Dean and not ordinary citizens to protect your freedom. That is very scary.
Are you really so sure of your safety... do you have no fear of men like Dean and Clark ever taking control of the this nation?
No founder of this nation was afraid of the British. The british were not the reason for the 2nd amendment. The founding fathers won the revolutionary war a decade before the 2nd amendment was written. They were not afraid of the power of the King of England. They were afraid of unstable men being elected and subjugating the people of this nation. They feared those ambitious men would use the military to take control of this nation and subjugate our citizens. I still am.
Germany in the 1920's had a full democracy. But when Hitler made a deal with the military in 1933, freedom was gone in weeks. Germany was by far the best educated nation in the world. All it took was ONE Hitler, an armed military, and a disarmed citizenry to take all their freedom away. It cost 50 million lives to undo that mistake.
You are afraid that bad men or women will get control of some assault weapons and kill some innocent people.
You are not afraid a Hitler type leader can assume control of this nation once we are a severely under armed and vulnerable population.
You surely must understand that at least half the men who run for president would do anything to exchange the title of President for Supreme Dictator. Write down the names of the 9 candidates and then mark the names of all who would refuse to be a Supreme Dictator if the opportunity arose. Do it. And see how safe you feel. Sooner or later, perhaps in the not too distant future, such a person will get elected. You are betting they won't pull an Adolf Hitler... but history says one of them will. Our only protection is an armed citizenry that the Government can't control.
Do you think the courts can protect you? No less than Thomas Jefferson refused to obey the supreme court. He said, "Justice Marshall has made his decision.. Now lets see him enforce it." If Jefferson could get away with not obeying the court, a lesser president can as well.
If a Bill Clinton can make Wesley Clark a 4 star general how many 4 star Generals could a future President appoint that would be loyal to him and not anyone else.... how many colonels, majors and captains. would it take? How many privates would they have to execute before the privates shot whomever the Generals said to shoot. Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin both knew the answer to that question. I hope you never get to learn it.
You, believing you have complete freedom, will speak against such men. I hope that if it happens you will be bright enough not to do so. I hope you will spout the Dictator's party line. If you don't you will quickly learn the reason our founding fathers wanted the civilian population to be armed well enough to take on our own military and win.
The protection of the 2nd amendment was not to defend us from external threats... It was to protect us from internal threats from a government in the hands of evil people.