[familyop]

"(fairly neutral article on AR-15 type rifles from the NYT)"

The choice of words, "AR-15 type," with the title lends a sinister look to a article on semiautomatic rifles. The earlier AR-15s were fully automatic and were later designated "M-16s" by our Army (except for a few of the first ones, issued with the old AR-15 stamp). Many voters who have no experience with them or knowledge of them believe that they are fully automatic or are somehow generally more dangerous than other varmint/defense rifles.

I personally find the whole piece to be hilarious. ..."guns" (term for M-60s and private parts) "black rifles," and the like.

If you can grasp the workings of linguistic activism, you can win legislative activism to respect our Second Amendment rights. Let the world know that those range/varmint rifles are no more of a threat to our society than any other firearm.

[RKV]

How about “Homeland Defense Rifle?” By the way, “AR-15 type” was my insertion, not the authors. As a shooter, I tend to stick to technical definitions, rather than evocative wordings like “black rifle.”