Sick-n-Tired: Thoughts On Gun Control

Written by Mac Conant

After watching the President's press conference, I had some ambition to write this up. Please, if your not familiar with weapons, or are on the fence about these issues, give a read.

Mental illness is indeed a problem and sometimes that problem arises with a bad outcome, which involves a weapon. Surely improving mental illness research is important right? Can't fault it.

However, banning a rifle by how it 'looks' or is 'styled' is foolish. That rifle is no more deadly than any other gun in the hands of a madman. Furthermore, the very fact of the matter is, a gun owned by a legal citizen does not commit a crime. You might as well make guns illegal for criminals to possess. Oh wait, that already exists? They don't FOLLOW LAWS.

Quick History Lesson: AR in AR-15 stands for ArmaLite Model 15. ArmaLite created the first rifle you could recognize as a 'assault rifle' and was later adopted by the US military. So AR DOES NOT stand for assault rifle. Colt later bought the rights to the AR-10 and lighter version, AR 15 and still used the name to market it to civilian and law enforcement persons. An assault rifle defined is a rifle that can shoot in Semiautomatic and fully automatic. So, a semi automatic rifle is not an assault rifle. But if you read the "English Learners" Definition by Merriam-Websters Dictionary, this must be what congress's reading level is at:

Assault Rifle : a gun that can shoot many bullets quickly and that is designed for use by the military.

Another thing, people have been talking about 'high cap' alot recently. I feel I need to let in some light on that situation. A 'high capacity MAGAZINE(ITS NOT A CLIP)' is a magazine designed to work with a rifle or pistol, and holds MORE rounds than it was designed to carry. So, my pistol for example, came from the factory with a 13 round mag. Now, in the state of California, that magazine is illegal. However, that magazine is a factory magazine. And sits flush with the bottom of the grip on the pistol. If the magazine extended past the end of the magazine well, it would THEN be high capacity. Rifles, same thing. For example, a Sig&Sauer M400 comes, from factory, with a Magpul brand, 30 round magazine. That is NOT high capacity. How ever, stick in a 100 round drum mag, and that IS high capacity.

Some states have passed laws that anything over 10 rounds is 'high capacity'. In my opinion, a responsible gun owner shouldn't be told how many rounds he can use to defend himself. Who said the fights over after 10 rounds?

Finally, the problem with mass shootings in gun free zones: That's just the problem. Gun free zones. If you put a madman in a target rich environment, its going to be deadly. Look at it from the criminal's point of view, for example the one who shot up the movie theater.

"I could shoot up that one, but there isn't a 'No Guns Allowed' sign on the door. Someone might have a gun and stop me. OH! That one will do! It says No Guns Allowed."

Simple isn't it? You put a coward into the position to be confronted with resistance, and 9 times out of 10 he will probably shoot himself or give up. EVERY single mass shooting, besides one I believe, has been done in a GUN FREE ZONE. If you make a criminal realize "Hey, if I start shooting, some guy/gal might shoot back" you might have diverted some horrible situation.

Lastly, the FBI is already over-run with requests for gun purchases. What would this proposal do to the FBI? Will that create more jobs? I hope so, because if you ban the
manufacturing of these rifles, your taking away jobs. Sure, they could just make other guns. But if you take away the Number 1 Selling rifle in America, what happens to the people who build them?

A big problem people have ignored in this country is jobs. SO! As a gun owner, I have an idea. Lets put armed guards in every school in America, put in place a Free Background check system with the FBI (or at least, cheap) and leave the firearms companies alone so they can continue to be a supporting factor to this country and its economy.

You make jobs through the FBI, guards in the schools. Then again America, for peace of mind, its going to cost money. And trust me, nothing short of a Armed guards in place at a school is going to stop a mad man.

The 2nd amendment is not about deer hunting, or shooting a Turkey. It's about defense of the Constitution and the American people from Tyranny. You can't trust that these 'little' gun measures will do nothing to constrict gun rights, because over time it will. And once you have time go, "Duh, they planned it all along!" its already too late.

The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is good guys with guns.

(These opinions are that of the poster of this status, and do not reflect upon any other gun owner, or ani-gun persons. Nor does he represent any group. Just his observations.)