GUN BAN 2013: Childish Nonsense

By Berkley R. Bruce

I suppose by now anyone interested has at least had a glimpse of Senator Dianne Feinstein's proposed firearms ban. Obviously, written by the simple-minded for the supposedly simpler-minded. It looks more like it was hastily crafted by Anthony Fremont from the "It's a Good Life" Twilight Zone episode. Anthony, portrayed by Billy Mumy, is a six-year-old boy with special powers who holds a small Ohio town hostage by banning or destroying anything or anyone he thinks is bad. He controls everyone in town with the threat of wishing them into the "cornfield" never to be seen again. All the adults must constantly tell Anthony what "good" things he does, even though they live in misery and fear. I guess now we know how the episode would've gone if little Anthony had gotten hold of Dad's CDNN catalog. Apparently, Anthony, I mean Senator Feinstein thinks that firearms (even though she owns one and has a carry permit) and The 2nd Amendment are very bad things and she doesn't like them at all.

It's All About The Furniture

One can certainly see that not a lot of work or research went into drafting this bill. It is clearly written from what someone thinks they know, and that's never a good thing. Someone took a catalog and decided that anything black, uses a magazine, has a pistol grip or a thumbhole stock is bad? Just further proof of how intelligent one doesn't have to be to become a lawmaker in this country. These so-called "very bad guns" are simply semi-automatics with teched-out, polymer furniture. The AK-47, which often has wooden furniture got thrown in because they are popular and they do use a magazine and some have thumbholestocks. Semi-auto pistols use magazines too, they are on the list as well. Perhaps, we should really throw them for a loop and let them know that some bolt-action rifles have thumbholes too. Ok, maybe we better not. Don't want to throw too much at such small minds all at once. They can't even seem to process what ".....the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." means. It DOES NOT mean only the arms someone else likes the look of or the ones that only hold a certain amount of rounds, it means any arms. 

In the following photo, which is the "very bad gun"? 

http://www.promagindustries.com/

Answer: Neither. They are the same rifle with different furniture. It didn't gain any "special powers" with the furniture change.

Terminology

Shakespeare, said it best...."A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Personally, I think that we in the firearms community need to refrain from using terms like "Assault Weapon" and "Assault Rifle". It confuses the uninitiated and causes panic and fear of something that is simply a firearm by any other name. Lets look at the definitions of assault.

as·sault [uh-sawlt] noun 1. a sudden, violent attack; onslaught: an assault on tradition. 2. Law. an unlawful physical attack upon another; an attempt or offer to do violence to another, with or without battery, as by holding a stone or club in a threatening manner. 3. Military . the stage of close combat in an attack. 4. Rape . verb (used with object) 5. to make an assault upon; attack; assail.

Therefore, any rifle can become an "assault rifle" if used to assault someone. Anything else used as a weapon to assault someone becomes an "assault weapon". Recently, here in Las Vegas, two people were bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Better rush out to the hardware store and get an overpriced "assault hammer" before they get banned. On the flip side of that, we can forget about the media and others seeking to demonize gun owners using an alternative terminology. Since any news about assault anything gets attention and sells like hotcakes. It would really be great if they would spend more time on the "Assault People" behind the firearms. In my 30+ years of firearms handling experience, I have yet to see any firearm do anything without the will and intention of a human somewhere behind it. Anything, firearm or otherwise in the hands of an "assault person" instantly becomes an "assault _____ fill in the blank".

We The People

 If this bill passes and our Second Amendment rights are further diminished or done away with, it will be the first of many to fall in a vicious "domino effect". We The People, must remind those in Washington with the childlike minds and the special powers, that those powers were granted by us. We are always to have a say in the decision-making and law-making process. We shall not live in misery and fear, forced to smile and say how great it is that someone controls every aspect of our lives. The Second Amendment exists to prevent this from occurring. 

The phrase "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" certainly applies to the current situation. Gun owners come from various backgrounds, religious and political affiliations. We do have our differences, but we must stick together and stick to our guns, literally and figuratively. If we do not, freedom and those who love it , will be banished to the "cornfield" never to be seen again.