Should Assault Weapons Be Banned?

I recently went on a little rant complaining about self absorbed media types like Bill O’Reilly and Bill Kristol who throw out bad advice fast than I can sort through it. The problem goes much deeper than the MSM and their propaganda. Average, everyday Americans seem to listen to the total nonsense thrown at them each day and buy totally into it! I am getting more than a little tired of people weighing in on subjects they know NOTHING about.

I recently got into a little exchange with a friend who likes to give her opinion on subjects, especially ones she does not understand. I doubt that O’Reilly or Kristol or this friend have ever touched or even seen an AR 15 up close and personal. They are making the mistake of judging the power of a weapon by how bad and scary it appears.

Here is the argument my friend presented:

I’m not against the concealed carry laws camp; my father had hunting guns in our home throughout the years I was growing up and my son inherited his grandfather’s guns. He also had me buy a gun that I keep in the house and he has taken me to the shooting range to target practice though I actually carry mace in my purse for self defense. I have stated repeatedly it is common sense to put the assault weapons ban back in place so that a deranged person cannot go berserk and shoot dozens of people before he has to reload.

As you can see there are several holes in her argument.

What she calls an “assault rifle” is nothing more than a label and has no meaning in such a generalized statement. The term “assault rifle” is a term the media uses as a hot button to invoke a response from their readers who are uniformed about firearms.

What is the difference between common semi-automatic hunting rifles like the Remington 740, 742, and 750 with a 10 round magazine and an AR 15 with a 10 round magazine? Absolutely nothing, except the hunting rifles are larger calibers! Would she consider a child’s Ruger 10/22 plinker rifle with a 25 round magazine an assault rifle? The Ruger 10/22 is the same caliber as the ubiquitous M16 military rifle. Is it just the high capacity magazine that’s a problem for you? Does that mean a handgun that can shoot 10 rounds rapidly is an assault weapon?

This national debate going on with people making blanket statements about assault rifles shows their ignorance of firearms. For example, I own a 7 round pump shogun that can be cycled within a split second as fast as a semiautomatic shotgun. These comments are a slippery slope into apparently banning all semiautomatic rifles, shotguns and handguns. I keep a semiautomatic handgun in my night stand and it has never once gotten up in the night and shot anyone. Instead of making ignorant, generalized comments about inanimate objects, perhaps those ignorant of firearms should begin thinking about supporting a fast-track death penalty for all convicted murderers. If you don’t know what you are talking about…please, stop talking!

Leah Herron writes for Political Chips and is Vice President of the Kansas State Rifle Association