Saturday, December 15, 2007

So, there goes the M1A I wanted for Buy-A-Gun Day...

...at least if the Bradys had their way...
Channeling the Cranky Professor here, Paul Helmke can take his legitimate reasons, coat them in habanero sauce and jam them up his arse. Sideways.
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/should-the-public-be-able_b_76906.html)

...today assault weapons remain perfectly legal to buy in gun stores and gun shows across the country, in unlimited quantities. Perhaps even more shocking, the type of bullet many assault weapons fire (7.62mm full metal jacket) can penetrate four categories of police body armor. There is no legitimate reason the public should have this kind of access to military-style assault weapons.

Of course, what Paul fails to mention in his whiny little diatribe -- aside, of course, from the fact that one of the armed rampages he mentions was stopped by an armed citizen who was not behind a badge -- is the fact that there are other types of ammunition, used for hunting, that are just as capable of penetrating body armor as teh eeevil 7.62. So much for the gun-grabbers not wanting to take the deer rifles from the Fudds. This inconvenient truth is pointed out once again in the comments, with of course no response from this Helmke cretin or his supporters....
...The gun has nothing to do with the ability to pierce body armor. It's the type of bullet and the type of armor. Body armor has different classes or ratings. Most police body armor is rated for pistol calibers up to .44 Magnum and sometimes rifle ammo up to 7.62x39mm (AK and SKS ammo). If your vest is not rated for rifle ammo then almost any rifle caliber will go through it.
...
...While "assault" weapons have detachable magazines (as do some hunting rifles), they often shoot a less powerful cartridge than the average hunting rifle. (The AR-15 shoots .223 Remington and the AK-47 clones shoot 7.62X39, for example. Both of these are less powerful than the 30-06 or .270 cartridges that are popular for deer hunting in the US.)...
...
...Banning ammunition capable of penetrating certain classes of soft-body armor would mean a ban on ALL rifle ammunition.

If this is Mr. Helmkes' goal, I wish he would state it openly, and honestly, and without the hyperbole and misinformation. ...
...

Speaking of the comments, though, I must say I have been pleasantly surprised at the commentary in those particular sections of the various gun-grabbers' blog postings there. Seems like at least a few of the lefties understand the Second Amendment better than any other part of the Constitution...
The second amendment was framed in a time of great concern for states rights against a too powerful federal government. Gun ownership was another check against too much federal power, its got nothing to do with hunting whatsoever. I would rather take my chances with the occasional nut case than the full on homeland security police state that is being created out of just the kind of fear that you are touting here.

at least, that is, the ones who don't resort to denigrating gun owners as drunken rednecks who go off shooting willy-nilly at anything that moves....
...Tell me what would reduce deaths. Minimal, responsible ownership, or everyone armed to the teeth? Before you answer, think about if you want your drunk ass neighbor having his semi-automatic rifle just like you have yours.
And I really couldn't agree more with this comment either:
Some people can't be trusted not to cause harm so all people must have their actions restricted. That would be exactly the argument made to justify the Drug War.
Freedom is messy, and sometimes can be down right dangerous. The alternative, however, is far worse. I don't know how to keep everyone safe in the modern, over crowded world. Some risks just seem to go along with being alive.

A-yep. And yeah, if Helmke and his evil minions really do advocate the banning of all centerfire rifle ammunition, why can't they just come out and say it without all the hyperbole? And one more time, what about all the centerfire rifles and ammunition for them which are in civilian hands now, Paul? Is the gun fairy just gonna make 'em all go away? How long do we have to wait for an answer from you to that question, you deceitful, dissembling son of a bitch?