Can we please stop saying "Assault Weapon"

[sig228]

I said this already, I will say it again:

I think we should embrace the term instead of hiding behind it.

I own an assault weapon. It's legal. Get over it.

 

[Pvt. Pyle]

These are the problems with this whole deal, some people who buy these rifles have to put 100 lights, 7 lazers, 3 slings, and tape together 5 mags then go shooting and imagine they are the Rock in the new GI Joe movie, and post pictures on their facebooks being so tough and manly with their assault weapons that can take down an intruder without waking the neighbors.

Thats why assault weapons win, because that stuff sells. None of those things can be used and the rifle still be considered a Modern Sporting Rifle. The same with sniper rifle. Its ridiculous on both sides of the line.

 

[rodregier]

If you let your opponents pick the vocabulary for the debate you have given up significant ground at the beginning of the contest.

 

[itsa pain]

what I have noticed being in many gun stores over the years that the term assault rifles was used a lot by gun store owners to get guys to buy them

 

[x_wrench]

the way i see it, is ONLY the GOVERNMENT, and select few civilians that pay a hefty TAX, have "assault weapons". the rest of us have semi automatic firearms that LOOK like, but function unlike "assault weapons". therefore, the government is trying to ban its own firearms, but will gladly apply the law to anything resembling the real thing. it would not surprise me to see them ban even plastic look alike toys. the real problem is, that the anti-gun politicians behind these ideas have such little knowledge of what they are talking about, that they will inevitably screw up the entire thing. which will be fine as far as they are concerned, because it will allow them to grab many more guns than they originally intended. and by the time the laws get straightened around, or repealed, all the guns collected will already be automobile parts.

 

[slimjimriggins]

My good friend from another state recently posted a response on my FB page that stated, "Civilians should not be alowed to have assault weapons. They do more harm than good in society." I was shocked. I calmly explained to him many points that have been discussed on this board, but the main point I tried to make was that "assault weapon" is an arbitrary term, and that it covered my Ruger Mini-14 and 10/22. These were two of my firearms which he himself had shot a few times when I took him to the range! He let the issue be, but about a week ago he once again spoke out against assault weapons. I told him I couldn't be friends with someone who ignored logic, and that I was disappointed because I thought he was more intelligent than that. He replied that he had plenty of intelligence, AW's are bad, etc, so I deleted him as a friend. He and I were pretty good friends, so what I really wanted to do was see him in person and beat some sense into him. It hurts when you realize your friend is a jackass.

 

[breakingcontact]

We never called them Assault Weapons, even in the military.

 

[OilyPablo]

We never called them Assault Weapons, even in the military.

Exactly. It's an arbitrary term used to brainwash.

 

[CajunBass]

I know this isn't towing the "party line," but I don't care if we/they call them "assault weapons" or "EBRs" or "military-style rifles."

I don't watch the TV news much but I caught a few minutes of the local yesterday. They were discussing a rally to call for the banning of "military-style rifles."

Y'all want to stop calling them that too? What do you want to use now?

The other side is going to call them whatever they want to call them. They don't give two hoots in a windstorm what we call them. If you don't want to call them "assault rifles" feel free not to but don't think it will change anything.

 

[OilyPablo]

They were discussing a rally to call for the banning of "military-style rifles."

Right there. Proof we are winning. Yes it matters.

Now, how big was this rally?

 

[303tom]

Would not hurt my feelings one damn bit...................

 

[kwguy]

The anti's look for some ominous sounding catch phrase that they can use to put fear into people. 'assault weapon' is one phrase. It's true, the military doesn't even call them that. For many in the military, the M4 carbine is actually a personal defense weapon (aircrews, tankers, etc). But the anti's can't call it THAT, because that doesn't support their agenda.

Calling it a "military style" weapon just laughable. I guess a corvette is a "racing style" car, (and those red ones are the REALLY dangerous ones, better watch out for them).

We won't change what they want to call them, because they don't actually care that their terminology is jacked up. They are going to go for the emotion. Period.

 

[breakingcontact]

Calling it a "military style" weapon just laughable. I guess a corvette is a "racing style" car, (and those red ones are the REALLY dangerous ones, better watch out for them).

I think the left's technique on this matches how they battle people. They can't go after the true category of weapons because that is too large, so they have to create a group that is easily identifiable (with their made up definition).

This is the same as they don't separate people by ideology, such as believing in family, wanting lower taxes, they separate people by skin color.

They love to attack and demonize individuals or whatever they are pursuing based upon the terminology they control.

It's pretty effective generally.

 

[kwguy]

Unfortunately, it is generally effective...

 

[danez71]

If they're allowed to ban based on 'style' (military style assault rifle) then are children are all hosed years down the road.

The Hummer was a military style 4x4.

Sportsmanguide (and others) sells tons of military style cloths, axes, tents, mess kits, watches, ... on and on.

Heck, Walmart sells camo military style cargo shorts.


They are not going after a 'capability'. The are going after a 'style'.



Its not enough that we complain to each other that 'they' dont know what they are talking about and its not fact based.


We must point out to others that the politicians are using arbitrary subjective 'style' and not objective capability to erode the 2A, and by doing so, they are also eroding the 1A.


Isnt a style a form of expression? AKA what the 1A is all about?

 

[GEM]

Sig228 is correct. You won't convince folks they are nice guns. We own them because they are not nice. If you go for the sporting excuse, then they are quite easy to ban.

We don't own them to be modern sporting rifles - sport is a side effect of training.

 

[clutch]

I use the term AR, EBR , and MSR but I never call them assault rifles nor do I call my fairly inexpensive bersa .380 a 'saturday night special'.

I personally like 'modern sporting rifle' because for most of us that is what we are using them for.

I will not use the anti's words. They don't need any help projecting their message.

 

[Sambo82]

If "AK" is an incorrect term as some are saying for describing a semi auto rifle based off of the Kalashnikov pattern, isn't "AR-15" the same error if Armalite didn't produce the rifle in question? Do we really want to get into splitting those kind of hairs in our day to day gun conversations?

Ultimately when talking to someone about these firearms I think that tact and charisma is more important than terminology. Being a terminology-nazi to someone who doesn't know any better might win the debate, but it won't change any minds. Sure, correct people on "assault rifle" or "clips" but do it in a constructive way.

I mean, what if your mechanic condescendingly told you that your car isn't powered by a "motor"?