The Assault Sheep

While looking over NBC News website, I saw an article that grabbed my eye on one of the most controversial topics at hand in todays media, Gun Control.  

The article (2013) titled “Gun control: Simple supply and demand could impact restrictions” really grabbed my eye because it seemed to lay out such a simple resolution to an undoubtedly complicated hot topic. When I clicked to read more I was cross linked to an ABC news article, not surprising since most of this countries  media shares its slop to ensure that their unilateral message is seen by all, I found a news piece that had almost nothing to do with actual news, but rather a feel good piece showing talking about “what an assault weapon is or isn’t based on your point of view.”

The article from ABC  (2013) goes on to quote the owner of the shop as saying “Assault-style would be anything that is cosmetically similar to a military-style rifle, which is your telescopic stock, your pistol grip, your flash suppressor.”  The reporter openly states “I find this very intimidating [when looking at the rifle built on the AR platform].”  I think here-in lies the problem. People see something that looks different and automatically label it as bad or scary.

Another website called “The Truth About Assault Weapons” which is built for both Smartphones and browsers alike, offers factual information about these misunderstood weapons, including the difference between the M4 military service weapon and the AR platform that followed. It even gives factual information regarding the origin of the name, laws associated with Gun Control, and even factual evidence from the 2004 Department of Justice report following the first weapons ban which stated:

“Should it be renewed, the ban's effects on gun violence are likely to be small at best and perhaps too small for reliable measurement. [Assault weapons] were rarely used in gun crimes even before the ban.”

Additional facts include that “, so-called assault weapons have been used in 385 murders since the AWB expired in 2004, or about 48 murders per year. But there were 8,583 total murders with guns in the United States in 2011, meaning so-called assault weapons were used 0.6% of the time.”

No one is calling out that both the Viginia Tech Massacre, Aurora Theatre, and Newton shooters also used the best-selling handgun and shotguns of all time, including  .40 Caliber pistols. A caliber built specifically for killing purposes by the FBI for use for female officers due to its low recoil but substantial killing power.

Our president comes out saying he is in favor of shotguns with pictures of him shooting skeet in an effort to seem like a common man, and Joe  Biden saying “Buy a shotgun to protect yourself not an AR,” when the shotgun is arguable the most destructive gun, according to a New York Times (2012)article in any arsenal.

When it comes to magazines, which the original ABC Article states will ultimately be the focus of the Washington Gun debate, most facts regarding high capacity are moot. James Holmes “high capacity 100 round drum magazine” jammed, and he swapped to his .40 caliber pistol. The Virginia Tech shooter used 19 10 round magazines (the proposed limit) during his rampage, and the Columbine shooting (which occurred during the first Assault Weapons Ban) used 13 magazines firing 96 shots (less than 10 a piece) during their school shooting. In regards to high capacity magazines the DoJ study cited earlier  stated:

[I]t is not clear how often the outcomes of gun attacks depend on the ability of offenders to fire more than ten shots (the current magazine capacity limit) without reloading.

So what’s the point of my “gun crazed conservative ramblings” you ask? The fact of the matter is the majority of the public eats up the incorrect slander proposed by the media and sensationalized by our elected leaders rather than learning the facts and making an educated decision.    I encourage you to read is a blog (2013) about of applying the proposed gun regulations to cars, as it shows how interesting and absurd the proposed laws are if applied to other things in our world.

While I acknowledge being the black sheep, ‘victim’ of my own views and education, you view me as a “black, assault style tactical sheep” instead of simply something that looks or has different views.