Assault gun ban is political ammo for Democrats

Chicago Tribune ^ | 7/31/04 | Frank James

[E. Pluribus Unum]

When was the last time an assault rifle was used in an armed robbery?

See?!?!

See?!?!

The AWB is working!!!!

</sarcasm>

[doug9732]

Seems that the Democrats are preparing to commit political suicide again.

[Give Piece A Chance]

Funny, he didn't seem to talk that up much at the Convention last week, with that streaming banner about a "Stronger America".

I noticed the same conspicuous absence of gun ban talk at the DNC. No Feinstein or Chuckie Schumer, no Rosie O'Donnell, Sarah Brady or her pull-toy husband. Just a brief non-prime time rant on evil assault weapons (tm) by the fugly one-issue Congresswoman from Long Island.

Maybe after 1994 and 2000 they've finally realized that gun bans are not an issue on which to campaign. Rest assured, however, that if elected, Kerry and his statist comrades will resume their attacks on the Second Amendment. As Al Gore tells us, the zebra does not change its spots...

[kcar]

Yeah,I think they've been stung by the gun issue. They probably only want to use this as "ammo" against Bush after it's expired, by saying (in their own safe circles) that W let it expire, didn't do anything to get it passed, despite his "promise" (which was only that he'd sign it if it reached his desk).

[nightdriver]

"Our policy was to put more police on the street and to take assault weapons off the street, and it gave you eight years of declining crime and eight years of declining violence," Clinton said in his prime-time speech at the Democratic National Convention last week.

What the bee esser from Hope cagily does NOT mention is that confiscating "assault weapons" from those who cooperate (the law abiding) does NOT take them off the street in the first place.

The entire issue is merely a subversive plot to take away the citizens' ability to defend themselves.

Totalitarians like the democRATs prefer an UNarmed peasantry.

[El Laton Caliente]

Nope the Kali bank robbers used illegal machine guns smuggled in from Mexico...

Point being the criminals will never be without a weapon of choice if they want it.

Best stats were that 1.8% of all firearms involved in crimal arrests were "assault weapons". This included firearms that were confiscated and not used.

[Euro-American Scum]

An extension appears to have public support. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll in November found that 78 percent of respondents favored keeping the ban.

Since when? And who did they poll? The San Francisco chapter of the ACLU? What a crock.

[nickcarraway]

Does that 1.8% include weapons that will still be illegal when the AWB expires?

[Dan from Michigan]

You asked assault RIFLES, not assault weapons. :)

Assault rifles are full auto and can be select fire. It's an actual term.

Assault "Weapons" is a definition that changes every two seconds............depends on the media reporter....

[Pearls Before Swine]

They probably only want to use this as "ammo" against Bush after it's expired..

For now, during the campaign that is the case. After, if they come to power, their true wishes on this matter will become more apparent.

[RogueIsland]

Assault "Weapons" is a definition that changes every two seconds............depends on the media reporter....

Dan, I believe the technical definition of "Assault Weapon" is "any firearm the VPC finds 'scary' today".

[Mulder]

Another clueless reporter. You might as well hire a Sahara nomad to describe the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska, from his personal knowledge.

The more ignorant the populace, the easier to control them.

[Travis McGee]

Ignorance is strength.

[El Gato]

Doesn't really matter. Might as well ask when the last time a Ford used as a getaway car...

Except that it reveals that the real agenda is not "crime fighting", it's control, starting with guns. You didn't see any calls for controls on truck rentals, after the OK City bombing, you saw calls for "gun control". This in spite of the fact that rented trucks have been used as bombs in mass murders and attempted mass murders.

[Ancesthntr]

When was the last time an assault rifle was used in an armed robbery?

Of the 250,000 robbery instances (my un-official figures) every year in the USA, 99.999% are by a small handgun and/or knife or other means.

Who cares what the percentage is? My and your rights shouldn't be defined (i.e. destroyed) by the actions of street criminals. A right is a right, PERIOD! Street crime has NOTHING to do with the reasoning behind the proposition or adoption of the 2nd Amendment - read Federalist #46 by Madison if you don't understand this.

Can your right to freedom of speech be diminished because some eff'wit yells "FIRE!" in a crowded theater (when, in fact, there is no fire and he knows it), thereby causing the trampling death of X innocent people? Can your right to freedom of religion be diminished by the lunatic actions of James Jones or Osama Bin Laden? Can your right to freedom of the press be diminished by the publication of libelous accusations in some supermarket tabloid? NFW, baby, and so it MUST be with regard to guns. The starting basis for our society was, and must always be, that we each have nearly unlimited freedom. The only limitations are post facto, i.e. after the fact of an abuse of those rights, and those limitations MUST apply ONLY to the abuser(s), not to the citizenry at large.

I know that prophetic and sgtbono 2002 are pro-freedom and pro-gun, but I'm a little bit upset that we keep giving the other side ownership of the terms of the debate. Yeah, it is both easy and understandable, especially given the endless drumbeat of anti-freedom rhetoric from the Leftist press and media, but we've got to wake up. Posing a question about crime and guns, or posting statistics about the same subject, is an invitation for some statist SOB to find or create a fraudulent statistical analysis of how more guns = more crime, and then such questions or answers will lead to confiscation of guns (or a 2nd civil war to prevent it). Stay on your rhetorical and logical toes, guys, or we'll have lost the battle before it begins.