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Posted on 12/14/2007 5:07:40 PM PST by holymoly
I asked this question last week of the candidates for President now campaigning in Iowa, and I think that for most of the American people [pdf] the answer is clearly “no.”
In the last ten days, two states in the heart of the country have sustained mass shootings by people armed with military-style assault rifles – two attacks with assault weapons in less than a week. One shooter attacked a mall full of employees and Christmas shoppers in Omaha. The other attacked a church in Colorado.
Together, they left twelve people dead.
Yet today assault weapons remain perfectly legal to buy in gun stores and gun shows across the country, in unlimited quantities. Perhaps even more shocking, the type of bullet many assault weapons fire (7.62mm full metal jacket) can penetrate four categories of police body armor [pdf]. There is no legitimate reason the public should have this kind of access to military-style assault weapons.
It’s also frustrating that when a UPS employee raised concerns on September 13 about the “multiple boxes” of ammunition the Colorado shooter had delivered to his postal box, police officers said there was nothing illegal. No limits on the number of guns; no limits on ammunition; very minimal limits on the type of guns – no wonder we have problems.
Since the terrible shootings last week, leading newspapers are joining the call. Here is a sample of what they’re saying.
The New York Times: “Until recently, the nation did have a law designed to protect the public from assault rifles and other high-tech infantry weapons. In 1994, enough politicians felt the public’s fear to respond with a 10-year ban on assault-weapons that was not perfect but dented the free-marketeering of Rambo mayhem. Most Americans rejected the gun lobby’s absurd claim that assault rifles are “sporting” weapons. But when it came up for renewal in 2004, President Bush and Congress caved to the gun lobby and allowed the law to lapse.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer: “The troubled 19-year-old in Omaha used his stepfather’s AK-47-type assault weapon to unleash 30 rounds of gunfire on innocent victims, and then killed himself. Who needs a gun like that around the house?”
The Washington Post: “The AK-47 assault rifle that an Omaha teenager pilfered from his stepfather was among the guns outlawed under the ban on assault weapons that Congress and President Bush unwisely allowed to lapse. Why that kind of gun should be so easily available to someone as troubled as that 19-year-old is unfathomable. Eight people shopping or working at a mall died as a result.”
To protect ourselves and our police [pdf], these weapons of war should be kept out of the hands of civilians.
I have (attempted) to post a response there. Whether the moderators will allow it remains to be seen. It was difficult to formulate a response, without referring to Helmke as a loathsome, reprehensible, despicable, dishonest sack of human excrement. But I managed. Somehow.
Here's my (attempted) response:
The firearms available to U.S. civilians are not "the types of guns we use in Iraq".
The firearms sold in the U.S., such as the AR-15, are semi-automatic ONLY. That means, when you pull the trigger, they fire one round (bullet) and one round ONLY.
The weapons used by our military are selective-fire. This means they are capable of BOTH semi-automatic AND fully-automatic fire.
Automatic weapons have been strictly regulated in the United States since passage of the National Firarms Act of 1934.
One does not simply walk into a gun store, and purchase an automatic weapon, as the dishonest Mr. Helmke would like you to believe.
Helmke states:
"...two states in the heart of the country have sustained mass shootings by people armed with by people armed with military-style assault rifles..."
Assault rifles, by definition, are selective-fire. ("Assault rifle" comes from the German "Sturmgewehr". The term, and it's defintion, are derived from the first "assault rifle", the "Sturmgewehr 44".)
The firearms used in the most recent attacks were semi-automatic only. They are not "assault rifles". Referring to semi-automatic rifles as "assault rifles" demonstrates a noted lack of veracity.
Helmke further states:
"...the type of bullet many assault weapons fire (7.62mm full metal jacket) can penetrate four categories of police body armor..."
The same is true of ALL center-fire rifle ammunition.
All classes of body armor are rated to stop certain calibers of ammuntion.
Class III & Class IV body armors are rated to stop rifle rounds (.308 Winchester & .30-06, respectively).
The other classes ("I" through "III-A") do NOT stop rifle rounds. These classes of body armor are not INTENDED to stop rifle rounds. They are rated to stop certain calibers of hand-gun ammunition, only.
Banning ammunition capable of penetrating certain classes of soft-body armor would mean a ban on ALL rifle ammunition.
If this is Mr. Helmkes' goal, I wish he would state it openly, and honestly, and without the hyperbole and misinformation.
Heck, yes! I wanna M-242 for my SUV. Hooah!
The Brady bunch is doing their blood dance right on cue.
The Mall was a GUN FREE zone, no concealed Carry even with a permit, and a massacre happened. The church shooting was stopped because a good lady was armed.
Yes, the public does get those. You of course are not the public. You are a private citizen.
Heck, yes!!
If I could have the M-16A2 I used in the Army, I would be a happy camper!!
Uh..only to look at, of course!
Actually, the question should be revered: should American citizens be allowed to have the same weapons Iraq citizens have tradionally been “allowed” to have (even during Hussien times) and have today. Iraq has long been known for each and every household having a weapon (usually, a gun).
Juz wondering...
Good thing she doesn’t mention my 4 shot BAR 300 winmag
I want a PPSh-41. I've got a ton of 7.62x25 I bought for my Tokarev, and it's taking much too long to shoot it all up.
;o)
“The Mall was a GUN FREE zone..”
Is that a correct statement?
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For people that respect others,yes.
Yep, a couple of VN era Stoners (Stoner 63, MK 23 Mod 0) would look good in my gun case. ;-)
Yeah, What you said!
Perfect Response!
Moles in the backyard, that's why...
YES, YES, YES. Nowhere in the Constitution does it put a limit on the types of Arms I can have. America is free because of wealthy men who stored up all sorts of weapons that would make a lieberal or a RINO pee their pants.
Unadulterated manure.
Usually a rifle, a Russian AK-47. Iraq was a Russian client state for quite a while.
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