Putting the "Assault Rifle" Deaths Thingy in Perspective

[FindersKeepers]

When someone goes off (or on) their meds and shoots others, the media is quick to focus on a specific type of rifle and call for a ban. In the grand scheme of things -- what would a ban do to reduce violence in the US? Probably not much.

According to the FBI, more than five times as many people were killed in 2018 by knives, clubs and other cutting instruments than with rifles.

The metrics show that there were a total of 1,515 deaths by knives or other cutting instruments last year. Compare that against 297 people killed by rifles.

It’s a gap that widened significantly over 2017. In that year, the FBI said nearly four times as many people were stabbed to death as killed with rifles. During that year, the number of murders with rifles was around 400. It gets better. More than 100 more people were killed with hammers and clubs in 2018 than were killed by rifles.

There were 443 people killed with hammers, clubs, or other “blunt objects”. We need to point out that the data isn’t just semiautomatic rifles – it’s ALL rifles, including bolt action, pump or lever action rifles as well.

More here: https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/...ifles-in-2018/

[Peter1469]

I think the gun grabbers focus on "assault rifles" because they think that is a target they can get a majority to agree to ban. Their goal is a ban and confiscation of all guns.

[Standing Wolf]

What it usually comes down to, whenever the "other weapons" argument is presented, is the claim that guns are somehow inherently different from hammers, knives, even cars, in that they allegedly "have no other purpose than to kill people". We have all heard that one, I assume. What is being ignored, of course, is that only a statistically insignificant number of firearms will ever be used to kill or even shoot a human being. People buy and own guns for self- and home protection, for hunting, for target shooting, or just for purposes of owning a collection of them. The only individuals who buy and own guns for the express purpose of unlawfully shooting another human being are doing so in violation of the laws that exist now.

As for so-called "assault rifles", I saw the stats the other day, and it was something like nine of those types of rifles used in mass shootings in the last thirty years?

[Toober]

assault rifles are defined by the ATF/military as having the ability to select full auto or single fire...

progs chose to ignore the accepted definitions and insert their own...


"i reject your reality and replace it with my own"...

when all else fails, redefine/move the goal posts...

[Common Sense]

Dems are making a mistake when they focus on the so called assault rifle. Banning AR-15s would have no real impact on gun violence in America.

[Toober]

Dems are making a mistake when they focus on the so called assault rifle. Banning AR-15s would have no real impact on gun violence in America.

baby steps, one little thing here, another there...all towards the end goal...

as the 94 ban revealed no impact on gun violence, just an increase in sales of those items...and a marked increase in nra memberships...

a smart person would glean something from that...

[Rationalist]

baby steps, one little thing here, another there...all towards the end goal...

as the 94 ban revealed no impact on gun violence, just an increase in sales of those items...and a marked increase in nra memberships...

a smart person would glean something from that...

The ban also was a primary cause for the Republican Revolution. Dems lost more Congress seats in the election following the Assault Weapons Ban than just about any other election before.

[Toober]

The ban also was a primary cause for the Republican Revolution. Dems lost more Congress seats in the election following the Assault Weapons Ban than just about any other election before.

action=reaction...


that was just the start of the "correction"...

[Common Sense]

baby steps, one little thing here, another there...all towards the end goal...

as the 94 ban revealed no impact on gun violence, just an increase in sales of those items...and a marked increase in nra memberships...

a smart person would glean something from that...

There is no end goal of total gun confiscation. That's equally as hysterical as an assault weapons ban.

[Mister D]

There is no end goal of total gun confiscation. That's equally as hysterical as an assault weapons ban.

Is it? Are there not Democrats who believe our nation's gun laws should resemble those of Chicago, D. C. and NYC.?