Obama may re-instate the ban on assault weapons.

[Echo3Delta]

Against Ban. Here's why:
(Cliffs at the bottom)

In a free society, it's not the job of the citizens to justify their rights. It's the job of the government to protect those rights. Consider the wording of the Bill of Rights:

1. "Congress shall make no law [...] abridging the freedom [...]"
2. "[...] the right of the people [...] shall not be infringed."
4. "The right of the people [...] shall not be violated."
6. "[...] the accused shall enjoy the right [...]"
7. "The right [...] shall be preserved [...]"
9. "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

The Amendments not shown here detail what the federal government cannot do. Notice that rights are not to be abridged, infringed, or violated, but are to be preserved and enjoyed. Nowhere does it say that the government is the source of our rights. Indeed, if you follow the wording precisely, you must logically conclude that our rights were ours BEFORE the government came to be, else it would have nothing to abridge, infringe, or violate.

In this age of "What can my country do for me?" mentality, we have lost so many of our precious rights. Why would you be eager to give up yet another?

Cliffs:
It's the principle of the thing.

 

[Carnagath]

Sometimes I wish I lived in the US. Bigger salaries, cheaper computers, good stuff. Then I think that I might run into a psychopath carrying one minigun in each arm and an M60 in his backpack who is using them as a penis extension, feeling badass when he is carrying them... and just got dumped by his girlfriend. Greece is fine, Greece will have to do.

 

[Laurefinde]

As a red-blooded American who owns guns and is a member of the NRA I say NO to ANY type of assault or rapid firing rifle. That slippery slope argument is a crock. Way to go Obama!

 

[brewbeard]

Sometimes I wish I lived in the US. Bigger salaries, cheaper computers, good stuff. Then I think that I might run into a psychopath carrying one minigun in each arm and an M60 in his backpack who is using them as a penis extension, feeling badass when he is carrying them... and just got dumped by his girlfriend. Greece is fine, Greece will have to do.

This just makes me wonder if a crime has ever been committed anywhere in the US that involved a minigun actually being used. Besides, you should be more frightened of what one really angry guy can do with a couple 50-gallon barrels of chemical fertilizer.

 

[Carnagath]

This just makes me wonder if a crime has ever been committed anywhere in the US that involved a minigun actually being used. Besides, you should be more frightened of what one really angry guy can do with a couple 50-gallon barrels of chemical fertilizer.

Obviously the minigun thing was an exaggeration. Wait, owning a minigun is legal?

 

[electric discordian]

It seems that certain people on this forum are terrified of a socialist state and stating that the "founding fathers" wanted to escape a socialist state. Now then correct me if Im wrong but isnt the idea of "all men being created equal" socialism. Everyone having an equal chance shot at being succesful and not just the ruling classes also seems to smack of socialism to me too, the idea that you can work for a better future in America with the sweat of your brow hmm possibly akin to several pages in the Communist manifesto.

The only reason you appear to be frightened of the reds is because of the cold war which was required to keep the US on a war footing and keep your economy strong, without arms Britain and the US would have experienced a recession much like this one. After all there was a slight blip in the economy around the time of glasnost certainly in the UK.

But in response to the posters question yeah ban Assault Weapons, you honestly dont need guns of any kind anyway. But that would upset the right and probably lead to Mr Obamas assasination.

 

[ExodusinFlames]

As a red-blooded American

Never understood that ... are there other folks with green or orange blood?

 

[Seydaman]

Come on--these guns have the word "assault" right in the freaking name.

Unless you're in the military, or the deer you're hunting has a bazooka, you don't need one.

be careful of those bazooka deers!

 

[atomicmrpelly]

Nobody should own a gun? Why stop there? What about bows? What about catapults? What about swords, axes, heavy sticks, rocks, knives, and everything just a little bit sharp that could be used to kill somebody?

Oh come now, with your argument I could head all the way up to nuclear weapons and ridicule the fact we aren't allowed those.

There is clearly a link between how lethal a weapon is, and the how available it should be to the public.

Here here! Guns are not allowed in most countries because with them it is far too easy to kill people.

Sure if you stab someone they will probably die too but in order to do that you have to get right up to them and thrust the knife with your own force and then feel what you've actually done to them, with a gun you just point and squeeze and in an instant the victim is dead.

And we know from the original post that holding a gun makes you feel 'bad-ass' so you are more likely to do it in the first place.

 

[Seydaman]

As a red-blooded American

Never understood that ... are there other folks with green or orange blood?

blood is 2 colors, red and purple! but you can dye blood greeeen

 

[TechNoFear]

Against Ban. Here's why:
(Cliffs at the bottom)

In a free society, it's not the job of the citizens to justify their rights. It's the job of the government to protect those rights. Consider the wording of the Bill of Rights:

1. "Congress shall make no law [...] abridging the freedom [...]"
2. "[...] the right of the people [...] shall not be infringed."
4. "The right of the people [...] shall not be violated."
6. "[...] the accused shall enjoy the right [...]"
7. "The right [...] shall be preserved [...]"
9. "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

The Amendments not shown here detail what the federal government cannot do. Notice that rights are not to be abridged, infringed, or violated, but are to be preserved and enjoyed. Nowhere does it say that the government is the source of our rights. Indeed, if you follow the wording precisely, you must logically conclude that our rights were ours BEFORE the government came to be, else it would have nothing to abridge, infringe, or violate.

In this age of "What can my country do for me?" mentality, we have lost so many of our precious rights. Why would you be eager to give up yet another?

Cliffs:
It's the principle of the thing.

So the ban on slavery should be repealed as it abridged, infringed, or violated your rights?



That piece of paper was written in a different era, technologically and politically.

It is no longer a means to justify over 11,000 murders by firearms each year.

 

[Soulreaverm]

I don't think there's any reason to own anything more than a handgun, and even then I would prefer if people didn't.

If you're worried about looking cool, try one in each hand. You probably won't hit anything, but there's nothing more awesome.

Ok,maybe dual-wielding shotguns.

 

[Baby Tea]

Why on earth does a civilian need an assault rifle?

I'd say this is a fantastic counter-question.
To which the answer is obvious: They don't.

It's needless, and pointless. Same with handguns, actually, but I won't say more on that here. No need for derailing. I know there are a lot of responsible gun owners who own plenty of firearms and don't hurt themselves, or others, and loudly advocate serious gun safety. But sometimes the minority ruins it for the majority. That's just what happens.
Assault Rifles? Get rid of 'em.

 

[TornadoADV]

Smart, ban a factitiously named scary looking semi-automatic rifle while allowing me to still own and operate fully capable Main Battle Tanks, Fighters, Bombers and Naval ships.

Pure genius I must admit.

 

[ZZ-Tops89]

Mr. Tea isn't the only one who can't make heads or tails of your fishing expedition. You are going for "militia", but what about it?

The text in the bill of rights is

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed

The questions are

Is this the individual right or the collective right?
Is this out dated? (as are the laws about slavery etc)

1. It's an individual right. This is because militias are distinct from the army/navy as defined and used in the Constitution meaning there is a substantive difference between militias and official state armies (forces us to accept them as non-governmental or at least non-federal). Further, this is only the reason given for why the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Analyze the sentence as follows:

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State"...the word that should go right after this is clearly "therefore" or "thus"

"the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" this is the "conclusion" clause in the statement.

2. Not really, since you need the capability to counter state abuses of power with force in order to be able to check government abuses of power in any real or substantive way.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

Assault rifles? Are you kidding me? Why not get all clingy about RPGs and state the right to own helicopter gunships...seriously what's wrong with sticking to stuff that is more practical and isn't owned purely out of a gun fetish...?

 

[TornadoADV]

You can own RPGs and Gunships in the USA, just lots of paper work.

 

[WillSimplyBe]

Come on--these guns have the word "assault" right in the freaking name.

Unless you're in the military, or the deer you're hunting has a bazooka, you don't need one.

/Thread.

This sums up my views as well as my agreement with the Original Poster. I mean people get handguns for protection, and hunting rifles for sport but... An Assault weapon is totally different... what the hell do you need one for? What do you plan to use it for?

Here's hoping they are banned.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

You can own RPGs and Gunships in the USA, just lots of paper work.

...

You're kidding right?