During the first televised police statements following this week’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, I heard the murderer’s weapon described as a “rifle.” I also heard it described as a “long gun.” As I suspected, the weapon turned out to be an assault-style rifle.
Most of us, including responsible media outlets and members of the law enforcement community, are careful to distinguish between single-shot rifles and rapid-fire multiple-shot assault weapons. Not all, though. I’m going to go out on a limb here and accuse those who confuse the two of knowingly participating in an NRA/gun industry campaign to normalize military-style weapons and make them seem less threatening.
When I’m king, adult citizens will be allowed to purchase and own single-shot hunting rifles and shotguns. Those seeking to own handguns will have to provide a self-defense justification; if approved they’ll be allowed to own one. I may or may not allow concealed carry, but for sure whatever I decide will be law in all 50 shires. I’ll send out the confiscation units to round up assault weapons and extra handguns (so start thinking about which pistol you want to keep).
But I’m a blogger, not a king. Good thing, too, because you’d really hate some of the other edicts I have in mind.
If you’re curious, here are the thoughts on gun control I shared the day after the Sandy Hook school mass murder in December, 2012.
p.s. If you’re hoping somebody in authority will finally do something, you’ve been watching too many West Wing reruns. Louis DeJoy, two years into a Democratic presidency, is still running the post office. If that doesn’t tell you what’s going on, nothing will.
Well, have you seen what it takes to replace a postmaster general? More than just the president himself, sadly.
Yes, but he’s had two years. He has a lot of powers he’s apparently reluctant to use. Anyway, when I talk about DeJoy, it’s in terms of a gauge of Biden’s intentions. Merrick Garland is another … he’s not acting alone in letting the clock run out on prosecuting Trump and other key figures in the attempted coup. If Biden wanted Garland to act, Garland would be acting.
Country and western citizens often need those guns you mentioned.
City dwellers need brave, trained police. Civilians never need assault rifles, semiautomatic or not. In my US Army in 1969 we trained to shoot semiauto to make each aimed shot count.
The M 16 is an American fetish of almost sexual passion covered by the 2nd amendment fig leaf. They literally and actually love their guns more than children.
The 2nd, if you notice, says ‘well regulated militia’, nothing whatsoever about individual citizens’ gun rights.
The always reactionary and these days real fascist friendly theocratic supreme court granted those all mighty individual gun ‘rights’ and forgot we ain’t had no militia for a hundred years.
No, Michigan woods racists dont count no matter what they call themselves.
A SC with twenty five justices could well rule just the opposite.
That today’s militia is the national guard and armed forces reserves.
So, yes, they are well regulated and get military weapons.
Not you bigot untrained overheated unsafe drunken gun brandishers, trigger fingers itching for lib blood we see on so many Trumpite tiki torch nazi rallies.
Until the inevitable little Killer Kyle drops some bodies and then is lionized by Trump, head of the treason wing of the GOP. But pry my blessed black rifle from my cold, dead hands, communist demoncrats.