Congress has approved an "assault weapons" ban bill, which will expire on September 2004 if the president does not sign it. Us pro gun groups will not let this bill even hit the president's desk for him to sign it. This ban is wrong. Despite the claim by former presidents "that this is a matter of vital importance to the public safety." There is little reason to believe that banning these weapons will have any affect on violent crime.
Suppose a lobby group wants congress to ban "death cars." They are a little unclear about what exactly "death cars" are, but the vehicles seem to share certain characteristics including red paint and speedometers that go above 100mph. These cars are said to be the special vehicles of speeders and drunk drivers and they are supposedly considered to cause accidents that kill as many people as possible. Supporters of the ban cannot back up their claims with explanations, but they can provide the shocking details of crashes involving "death cars."
The logic behind the "assault weapons" ban is hardly more forceful then the case against "death cars." The legislation's success says more about the point of disapproval for the Second Amendment than it does about the strong point of arguments for the ban.
The "assault weapons" ban forbids making or importing ammunition clips holding more then 10 rounds and semi-automatic firearms that accept such clips and have two or more of these features folding stock, pistol grip, bayonet mount, threaded barrel for a flash suppressor, grenade launch mount or even a barrel shroud. The law bans 19 firearms by name, but it covers a total of 184 current models as well as any new guns that fit the description. Even though the scary looking, military style features, the guns are no more lethal than hundreds of firearms that remain legal. They fire at the same rate as any other semi-automatic gun another words, no faster then a revolver. Their ammunition is of extreme caliber is less formidable then the cartridges fired by many hunting rifles.
The second amendment mandates that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, to assure a well-regulated militia composed of the citizenry a check and balance on federal power that is necessary to the security of a free state. Gun ban supporters claim that the Second Amendment protects the right of the National Guard to keep and bear arms though as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution clearly state only individuals can possess rights; governments and their agencies possess powers.
Gun ban supporters claims "assault weapons" are military firearms and that civilians should be limited to sporting firearms a claim with several flaws. First, rifles used today by the Armed Forces are fully automatic (machineguns) "assault weapons" are semi-automatic. Second, the difference between military and sporting firearms is a fake. Throughout American history most firearms, firearms designs, ammunition calibers and firearm features used by the Armed ...