Expiration of the Assault Weapons Ban: 9/13/04

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=20&u=/ap/20040907/ap_on_re_us/assault_weapons_2

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban which was signed into law in 1994 by Bill Clinton will expire on Monday, 9/13/04.  George W. Bush claims he supports the ban, and just about EVERY police officer supports it, but the Republican-controlled congress has failed to renew it.  Is this good or bad for our nation?

Firearms manufacturers are already pre-marketing the previously banned assault weapons which will legally go on sale after Monday.  Other laws that prevent the importation of foreign assault weapons will be circumvented by having some parts removed and replaced with US-made parts, thus making them "US-manufactured."  Don\'t forget that the law not only banned certain specific weapons, but it also banned magazines of more than 10 rounds in ALL weapons, including handguns.

"Several public opinion polls, including one released this week by the National Annenberg Election Survey, have found deep public support for the ban, even among many gun-owners and conservatives. But the NRA has fought it fiercely."

Some zealous gun supporters claim that this law has not made us safer in the last 10 years, but it\'s a crazy argument.  This is an example of the Republican Party doing a great job representing "the people."  :rolleyes:  What kind of political party adopts a policy against our law enforcement agencies?  It\'s our police officers who will be going up against military weapons and large magazine capacities FIRST.  It\'s time to put aside the 2nd Amendment rhetoric and NRA donations, and renew this law.  We have to maintain at least the minimal protections we\'ve been enjoying for the last decade.

Cool - I can finally get that AR15 I have always wanted!

[Titan]

I think you still could have gotten an AR15, couldn\'t you? *runs out to buy AK47 and AR15*

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/10/politics/main642723.shtml

The NRA is a worthless organization that is endangering our lives and our safety.  The Assault weapons ban was not renewed because of the NRA.  Even this mild, arguably ineffective law could not be renewed because of the NRA\'s mindless zero tolerance attitude.  Now police officers will more likely be engaged in gunfights with criminals carrying magazines of 15 or 20 rounds.

I can\'t believe no one else cares about this.  American gun nuts should be ashamed.  This is not the true nature of our country.

O.G-ORIGINAL GANGSTA!
Those weapons are pretty deadly man!
I have no problem with Americans owning Firearms as I own 2 hand guns: 2 357 Magnums, and I also own 3 shotguns.  All I do with them is target practice at a gun club.  Assault weapons should be banned IMO and this is coming from a gun owner.  Do you know how many criminals and gang members are going to get a hold of these automatic weapons, all the innocent lives lost, it\'s very, very sad.

How is the NRA endangering your life?  Criminals who commit violent acts with weapons don\'t register them you know.

Police are already fighting with criminals using automatic weapons - I fail to see how letting law abiding citizens buy them makes things worse.

Here\'s how:

(NOW), You don\'t have to register to legally buy a 20 round clip for your black market 9mm pistol.  That is the most immediate impact this will have.

In addition, permitting any military assault weapons to be sold legally to consumers in the United States increases the quantity available at ALL levels of society.  Some are stolen, some are sold by unscrupulous gun dealers who do not perform legally required background checks.  There are all sorts of holes in the system where the weapons will leak out into the wrong hands.

However, if you stop them from being sold and marketed in the first place, then they never go into the system to begin with.  Do you think the urban gangs in the US are smuggling rifles from China?  No, those weapons were originally sold by legally authorized US gun dealers in some capacity.  They don\'t come from thin air.  

I\'m so sick of that argument that "criminals will always have illegal weapons, and won\'t register them..."  They won\'t have them if there\'s no supply.  It doesn\'t happen overnight, but it needs to start happening.  There\'s no sane reason for civilians to own military assault weapons.

[Titan]

But you can\'t stop guns being smuggled in. If someone really wants one, they will get it. Its like drugs. If someone wants it, it will get smuggled into the country.

Originally posted by Titan
But you can\'t stop guns being smuggled in. If someone really wants one, they will get it. Its like drugs. If someone wants it, it will get smuggled into the country.

Then tell me why drugs are illegal, and assault weapons are not?

What you\'re saying is crazy.  Basically you\'re saying that we have a choice between allowing dangerous military weapons to be sold to civilians in the US, increasing the supply available to criminals, OR making them illegal, and forcing criminals to smuggle them in from other countries, making it enormously more difficult and expensive for those criminals to obtain them.  Oh well, they\'re going to get them anyway, so why bother making it harder for them?

Do you seriously believe that?

Why would anybody need weapons like this to hunt? Its just retarded.

They are mainly for gun enthusiasts and collectors.

Maybe gun enthusiasts and collectors should make a little sacrifice and do without them, in the interest of public safety.

I think you are overreacting.  

Hey!  I need someone to debate with!  Come on Core!  Though secretly I may agree with you on the assault weapons ban, I want to point out another idiotic Kerry comment on the matter.  He could have made a more relevant criticism IMO.

Kerry hits Bush for lapse of gun ban

By Stephen Dinan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The assault-weapons ban expired at midnight with no congressional action to renew it, and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry blamed President Bush, saying he was aiding terrorists.
"Today, George Bush chose to make the job of terrorists easier, and the job of police officers harder," Mr. Kerry said.
"In a secret deal, he chose his powerful friends in the gun lobby over police officers and families that he promised to protect. The president made the wrong choice for Americans, and the American people are going to pay the price for his choice," he said.

Since when do terrorists come to US to buy guns?  Since when do terrorists abide by our laws?  Also, fully automatic weapons are still banned.

I was also under the assumption that it took congressional action to renew the ban.  Isn\'t Kerry still a Senator?  If he felt so strongly about this why wasn\'t he in the Senate proposing this?

...Because the senate is controlled by republicans, and they refused to allow discussion.

"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., saw no reason to push for renewal without House support.

"It just doesn\'t make much sense to pass something when the House says it\'s not going to consider it," Frist\'s press secretary, Amy Call, said. "

BTW, this DOES aid terrorists because it\'s now easier for them to obtain assault weapons for a future operation within the US.  It\'s not a question of whether criminals (or terrorists) obey gun laws.  If the assault weapons cannot be sold to civilians under ANY circumstances, then the supply will be radically diminished.  Without a supply there will be fewer people obtaining them illegally.