BearLineman;841912275 said:
Even during the ban on assault weapons bad guys still had them and had easy access to them. I love my AR-15 (California legal specs of course) and won't give it up. The reliability of law enforcement (federal, state, and local) to handle a large scale domestic incident/emergency will be minimal in the initial stages which could last days to weeks depending on the status of infrastructure. As a law enforcement officer I will not rely on them to protect me or my family at any stage of an emergency. Take all the steps you can to be prepared (water, food, cash, gas, etc) but in the end it is the person with the firepower who will survive.
I'm far from a doomsday freak but a small investment in a few firearms and ammunition will go a long way towards your family surviving. I just don't trust the government enough to say with certainty they actually care about me and my family. The government is relying on two things during a national emergency...prevention and continuity of government. Support for the people is not a priority for them.
Convince me you can take all the assault rifles from bad guys and I may consider giving mine up one day.
That is because there is no such thing as an "Assault Weapon/Rifle"
I said it before in this thread, and will say it again.
There will never be effective gun control until there is an honest informed discussion without fear tactics (such as "Assault Weapon" BS), and mental health is brought to the frontWithout question, these people died because of a failure in our mental health system, not gun control.
The problem with Gun Control in the country is the same as the problem with civil rights. Ask ANYONE who is against gay marriage and they come up with unnervingly similar reasons for blocking it as people who are trying to strengthen gun control. Even better example is with black people's rights... the arguments people made out of ignorance against that group was exactly the same. Fear and ignorance driving a discussion NEVER helps the situation. At best it distracts from what can actually be done to improve the situation.
Here are some Myths and facts:
[COLOR="Red"]MYTH[/COLOR]: You can easily buy automatic weapons in the United States.
[COLOR="Blue"]FACT[/COLOR]: You must obtain permission from the ATF (federal) and be approved by your local sheriff or chief of police. Then (depending on state) you have to pay your NFA tax, fees, permit, and have it transferred by a Class III FFL.
While generally completely restricted, if you do pass the steps above automatic weapons are extremely expensive to buy. in 2008 an M-16 cost about $20,000, $19,000 of that going towards taxes and fees.
Additionally, ANY individual part of an automatic weapon is considered an automatic weapon and a felony to produce, fabricate, modify, own or possess without the above authorization.
Additionally, it is extremely hard to take a weapon off of a military installation. In the Marine Corps, at least, they will lock down first the area of training that the weapon was lost, then the entire base, and either locate the weapon or complete an investigation. This has ruined several of my weekends personally. in all cases the weapon was found.
[COLOR="Red"]MYTH[/COLOR]: Assault weapons can be bought like hunting rifles.
[COLOR="Blue"]FACT[/COLOR]: one of the 5 required features of an "assault weapon" is defined as having selectable fire. Unless you go through the process above, what you own is a look-alike. It is no different than fabricating a Ferrari body around a ford.
As this is abundantly clear to anyone involved in the law or guns in general, places like California went out of their way to enact a meaningless law that focused on the looks and not functionality of the firearm. These rules, as they were made by people with no understanding of what they were trying to regulate were made obsolete by extremely minor changes to the weapons.
[COLOR="Red"]MYTH[/COLOR]: The weapons used in Colorado could not be bought in California
[COLOR="Blue"]FACT[/COLOR]: The weapons used in Colorado is functionally the same as weapons in this state. The difference is minor. It is like saying a drunk drivers car could not have been bought in California because our emissions standards are different.
[COLOR="Yellow"]OPINION[/COLOR]: The only issue that is true to Ca vs Co is the 100 round magazine. TRUST that if he had had to learn to swap magazines, he would have also learned to clear a simple jam, and killed a LOT more people. It is an awkward relief that he relied on a ridiculous drum, and that likely saved a lot of lives (though IMHO, the should be illegal... The military does not even use that type of thing).
[COLOR="Red"]MYTH[/COLOR]: The shooter in Colorado buying 8000 rounds of ammunition had any bearing on the outcome.
[COLOR="Blue"]FACT[/COLOR]: 8000 rounds of 5.56 ammo would weigh about 350lbs. This cowards entire plan revolved around a movie theater and at best a few hours of gunning it out by himself.
He carried a 12G shotgun an AR-15 Semi-automatic with a 100 round drum, and a couple .40 S&W pistols. That is about 130 rounds of ammunition. Two boxes.
Yet, no one has mentioned the effect that a shotgun in a crowded theater, or a .40 S&W has in a crowded theater. (it is known that the penetration of a 5.56 is low, but a high velocity .40S&W can go through several people, and a shotgun is extremely effective against groups.) Again, the focus is on what people do not understand and sounds scary, and not the actual problem (concealable handguns, and mental health for example). Again, the subject revolves around a non-essential piece of information, because it is scary sounding... There was never any additional danger after he bough the first 300 rounds.
Bottom line: There is a way to make this country safe with the 2nd amendment.
1. Education. If you want your opinion to matter, get educated. From how they work to what they are. This should apply to buying a gun. Show you are proficient with them, or be forced to take a lengthy class to buy one. They are no different than cars, and a whole lot less dangerous if in the hands of an educated person.
2. Take away civil rights based on people's background and brain function. There has LONG been a pushback against attacking the problem (the most notorious shootings for the last 20 years ALL were done by people who were KNOWN to be mentally unstable - not just "strange" - and had bought guns AFTER they lost their marbles). We have to stop treating mental disorders as though the people have a right to be treated normally. A back ground check is almost useless. A mental health check at each purchase should be mandatory (paid for by the government, same as a driving test).
3. ENFORCE laws that we have (this would have been entirely prevented if there had been a way to enforce current laws). Enact meaningful laws that focus on the criminality, not the tools. Be proactive and not reactive. Just because the general public thinks this guy used a "Military Style Automatic Assault Rifle" does not mean that laws regarding "Military Style Automatic Assault Rifles" would have had the slightest effect.
). I've had guns flashed at me due to ridiculous incidents like honking at someone who was about to back into me from a parking spot. So my experience is pretty mixed.