Ban assault rifles
I saw in the NY Times today where a well known hunter and outdoor writer basically had his career killed, "shot down" one might say, by the NRA because he dared to write in his blog that assault rifles should be banned.
His name is Jim Zumbo.
In the land of the free and the home of the brave, I guess the NRA believes you are free to speak as long as you march in lock step with the NRA and if you are brave enough to disagree with them you had best be prepared to have your career ruined.
I must confess I used to belong to the NRA back in the 70's, belonged until they became a right wing political organization who never saw a gun they didn't love and campaigned for capital (or is it capitol?) punishment. I also admit to owning one rifle.
Having said that, let me say the following.
When the so-called assault rifles started being sold to the public, I thought they were geeky and nerdy.
I, like Zumbo, just never liked the looks of them and have always liked the traditional rifles, shot guns and pistols.
For those of you who don't know what exactly is a legally sold assault rifle, it is a knock-off in appearance of a military rifle. I say it looks like a military rifle but it does not have the full firepower abilities of an AK-47 or whatever other military rifle. It is not fully automatic.
But here is the problem. While all guns are dangerous (even BB guns), a knock-off is not only dangerous but it can be intimidating in appearance. This is why Zumbo thinks they should be banned.
I will add another reason. Those who buy them buy them because they look dangerous. It's a macho thing for little boys. They probably never used a real assault rifle but they like to pretend. And dare I say for these overgrow children, the assault rifle compensates for what they don't have in their underpants.
His name is Jim Zumbo.
In the land of the free and the home of the brave, I guess the NRA believes you are free to speak as long as you march in lock step with the NRA and if you are brave enough to disagree with them you had best be prepared to have your career ruined.
I must confess I used to belong to the NRA back in the 70's, belonged until they became a right wing political organization who never saw a gun they didn't love and campaigned for capital (or is it capitol?) punishment. I also admit to owning one rifle.
Having said that, let me say the following.
When the so-called assault rifles started being sold to the public, I thought they were geeky and nerdy.
I, like Zumbo, just never liked the looks of them and have always liked the traditional rifles, shot guns and pistols.
For those of you who don't know what exactly is a legally sold assault rifle, it is a knock-off in appearance of a military rifle. I say it looks like a military rifle but it does not have the full firepower abilities of an AK-47 or whatever other military rifle. It is not fully automatic.
But here is the problem. While all guns are dangerous (even BB guns), a knock-off is not only dangerous but it can be intimidating in appearance. This is why Zumbo thinks they should be banned.
I will add another reason. Those who buy them buy them because they look dangerous. It's a macho thing for little boys. They probably never used a real assault rifle but they like to pretend. And dare I say for these overgrow children, the assault rifle compensates for what they don't have in their underpants.
posted by ravenwolf at 3:36 PM
5 Comments:
Oy. Ignorance again. I've been following the reaction to this story around the blogosphere (recently here for example), and the level of hubris and ignorance stuns me.
Yours is no different.
I'm glad you own a firearm. Congratulations. Please bear in mind that someone, somewhere, believes fervently that you should not own it. Now, let me address some of your erroneous assertions.
"For those of you who don't know what exactly is a legally sold assault rifle, it is a knock-off in appearance of a military rifle. I say it looks like a military rifle but it does not have the full firepower abilities of an AK-47 or whatever other military rifle. It is not fully automatic."
Right. This explains why the state of New Jersey convicted Joseph Pelleteri for possession of an "assault firearm" - a .22 caliber, tube-magazine fed Marlin Model 60 semi-automatic rifle.
Give them an inch...
"While all guns are dangerous (even BB guns), a knock-off is not only dangerous but it can be intimidating in appearance."
There are people out there who are deathly frightened of all firearms. It doesn't matter if they are richly blued and have beautiful birdseye maple stocks. It's a gun. It terrifies them. The answer isn't to support banning the ugly ones, its to educate (or ignore the irrational terror of) people like this.
"Those who buy them buy them because they look dangerous. It's a macho thing for little boys."
There is some truth in that, but it is hardly the only or even the major reason for the tremendous popularity of these firearms. In the case of the varmint rifles that Zumbo protested against, the AR15-based varmint rifle has become popular because it is a terrifically accurate rifle that can be much less expensive than its blued-steel-and-walnut bolt-action counterpart. As I wrote at the other blog, these firearms have about as much in common with the M-16 as today's Remington 700 has with an as-issued 98K Mauser. But in the eyes of Diane Feinstein et al., they're still "assault weapons."
Another reason these "military rifle knock-offs" is because our government doesn't want us to have them, which is why I bought mine.
I'd be happy to continue this conversation. Please drop me an email if you'd care to.
Kevin,
I don't have a problem with any of your arguments in favor of gun ownership.
I fully realize there are people who oppose gun ownership period by the average citizen.
I fully endorse the ownership of rifles, shotguns and pistols for hunting, target shooting and collecting.
What I do oppose is the NRA knee-jerk reaction to Zumbo's comments.
Kevin,
I don't have a problem with any of your arguments in favor of gun ownership.
I fully realize there are people who oppose gun ownership period by the average citizen.
I fully endorse the ownership of rifles, shotguns and pistols for hunting, target shooting and collecting.
What I do oppose is the NRA knee-jerk reaction to Zumbo's comments.
"What I do oppose is the NRA knee-jerk reaction to Zumbo's comments."
What I'm trying to tell you is that the knee-jerk reaction wasn't due to the NRA. The NRA was one of the last responders to this incident. You're trying to make it sound like the NRA sent out marching orders and all their little mindless drones responded. Not so. The story went around the gun message boards (AR15.com, The High Road, GlockTalk, etc.) first, where a lot of people aren't NRA members because they believe the NRA compromises too much.
This was a real, grass-roots response. Zumbo kicked a hornets nest, and got stung by it.
But the NRA - a day late and a dollar short, as usual - got the blame.
Kevin,
I am not objecting to anyone disagreeing with what Zumbo said or wrote.
I am objecting to him being canned for what he said or wrote.
Quite simply, I support private ownership of guns and I support the right to say whatever anyone wants to say - including making politically incorrect statements - whatever that may be on any given day of the week.
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