SOAPBOX: What Do You Need That Assault Rifle For?

ByDon

Start Soapbox

I know that this is a controversial topic, but I am in favor of the proposals that the President made for some additional gun control measures. While most people can agree that universal background checks and more attention to mental health issues are important, I think that it becomes emotional somehow when the discussion turns to assault rifles and extended ammunition clips.

I see absolutely no reason — constitutionally or morally — that justifies the sale and possession of weapons of mass destruction. I put this particular class of weapons in that category. I am a gun owner and hunter, and while I support the right to have guns for hunting and protection, I just don’t get the opposition to banning weapons whose only practical use is killing large numbers of people.

If you drill down and talk to those who feel that banning assault rifles and large clips is wrong, you really have to get out your tin-foil hats and suspend reality. The 2nd Amendment was never intended to cover all arms — I mean, you really do not have the constitutional right to possess surface-to-air missiles and nuclear bombs. When I talk to those who oppose any gun control legislation and spend some time and a few beers trying to get to the bottom of their opposition, it turns to talk of black helicopters, people coming to their home to take away their guns and the notion that they would have to use these weapons against US troops. These are really scary and totally unreasonable reasons to allow these guns to be sold in Walmart or anywhere.

I am under no illusion that banning these weapons will mean that there are no more berserker killings. However, we have had virtually no gun control, and we have more guns per capita than any other country — which has not seemed to work to lessen or eliminate these tragedies, but somehow has created the NRA’s berserker mentality that the solution to gun violence is simply more guns.

Sensible gun control makes sense and is consistent with our constitution and civilized society!

End Soapbox

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