The American Spectator

home
ADVERTISEMENT
The Nation's Pulse
Print Email
Text Size

The Nation's Pulse

Scary, Scary Guns

The entire conversation is cartoonish and farcical.

Guns don’t scare people. Scary guns scare people.

“Congress should restore a ban on military-style assault weapons,” the president said Wednesday afternoon, “and a 10-round limit for magazines.” People fear exotic firearms, so it’s easier for a politician to frighten the public into supporting prohibitions upon the ominous appearing.

But the guns Americans assault other Americans with aren’t “military-style assault weapons.” It turns out that the most frightening firearms — the ones with giant butt stocks, menacing muzzles, and elongated clips — also prove the most difficult ones with which to commit undetectable crimes.

So, as shocking as it may seem to people who’ve replaced thinking with emoting, criminals rarely roam the streets with weapons the length of four-year-old children. Bad people generally prefer something more discreet. Real-life villains don’t come straight from central casting. And the weapons they use almost never come from Die Hard’s prop department.

An annual report released by California attorney general Kamala Harris called “Firearms Used in the Commission of Crimes” shows that the guns that scare us and the guns that kill us aren’t one in the same. The most recent report details that handguns constitute 90 percent of firearms used in California crimes. What California calls “fully-automatic weapons” comprise less than one percent of firearms used in California crimes, with all guns classified as “assault weapons” under California law constituting just five percent of firearms used in crime.

The most popular firearm among Golden State criminals isn’t an M16 or an elephant gun but a 9mm pistol. Of the murder cases examined by the attorney general’s office, zero involved fully automatic weapons. Almost all of them involved handguns. Somebody tell the state’s senior senator.

In Obama’s Illinois, FBI statistics show 377 gun murders for 2011. Of the 370 gun murders for which a type of weapon has been identified, 364 were handguns, 5 were shotguns, and just one was a rifle. Even assuming that the single rifle used in that Illinois murder were one of those military-style weapons the president seeks to ban, then assault rifles would constitute less than a quarter of a percent of all Illinois murders. By way of comparison, Illinois murderers used fists and other body parts to kill seventeen people in 2011.

Banning so-called assault weapons once again won’t make us safer. But this debate is about feelings, not reality.

Why else would the president of the United States surround himself with children, and quote from their letters, in launching a major policy initiative? It’s surely not for the expertise they lend. The pictures conveyed, like the misleading language used, would be better suited for a dystopian-novel demagogue than the leader of a living republic.

This closely follows the 1994 assault weapons ban that fixated on cosmetic features, prohibiting magazine-loaded rifles that exhibited, among other items, bayonet mounts, flash suppressors, and pistol grips. It’s all about the scary.

Since the debate itself isn’t merely superficial but has the added quality of being about superficial concerns off on the periphery, might a sensible compromise be reached sure to bring happiness to gun owners and gun grabbers?

Gun manufacturers should agree to ditch the metallic grays and blacks for day-glow, pastel, and full-spectrum Crayola. An AR-15 that more closely resembles a Skittles package just might win Dianne Feinstein’s imprimatur. Those angular, phallic designs must go, too. Try something more curvy, huggable, and nonthreatening. The cold steel is certainly a turnoff. Why not incorporate soft, warm fabric?

If you think these suggestions silly, you’re not paying attention. The entire conversation is cartoonish and farcical.

Gun control has little to do with crime control, as the fixation on “assault” weapons rarely used in actual assaults attests. It’s about making people who can’t tell a Kalashnikov from Mikhail Baryshnikov feel better.

So, gun nuts, just get it over with and wrap the stock in shag carpet and paint the barrel turquoise. A sparkly, polka-dotted gun is better than no gun at all.

About the Author

Daniel J. Flynn, the author of The War on Football: Saving America’s Game, blogs at www.flynnfiles.com.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (122) |

spike59| 1.18.13 @ 6:17AM

coming soon: the "Hello Kitty" Uzi!

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 10:38AM

I want all sorts of guns: to line the entire GOP up against walls and blow them all away--

Kill Them All, Let God Sort 'Em Out.

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 10:49AM

.... after all, you Rightwingers enjoy violence. Just yesterday an AS writer lauded Tarantino for sticking up for the right of Hollywood to make violent films.

And who of you didn't appreciate the film Patton and the General saying,"tear their living guts out to grease the treads our tanks..."

You like films about Hamburger Hill in Nam, where Ho Chi Minh's boys got their Just Desserts
-- a good dose of napalm in the rice paddies knocked some sense into those gooks.

Stkman| 1.18.13 @ 10:55AM

Jack,
I've got no problem with letting God sort it out, but lets keep it even shall we. Line up both liberals and conservatives. As a conservative I have no wealth here on Earth. My treasure is in Heaven.
You liberals on the other hand have no morals, its anything goes with you guys. Liberals have traded eternal life for a life of sin here on Earth.
So lets all line up Jack and let God sort it out.

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 11:14AM

"As a conservative I have no wealth here on Earth. My treasure is in Heaven."

You have no wealth on Earth?? Why, you must be lazy-- you are only poor because you want to be.

Appleby| 1.18.13 @ 11:16AM

So when did being "poor because you want to be" become a crime? Some of us simply have our priorities straight -- and as long as it's not costing you anything, why should you care?

Stephie| 1.18.13 @ 11:55AM

Damn Alan, you sound like a capitalist!

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 1:35PM

"So when did being "poor because you want to be" become a crime?"

Appleby, you live in Canada- perhaps it is different there; which seques to Stephie:
Steph, try not being capitalist in America and see what happens.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 6:49PM

You get elected president.

ArmyAviator| 1.19.13 @ 10:51AM

How many of the recent mass killers were Conservatives? Talk about loving VIOLENCE? You Liberals are Violence Pimps! It's Liberals who make the TV shows and Movies, not Conservatives. So how is it that the killers are not Conservatives, or NRA members?

Why is it that the progressive liberals, who steal guns, then go and kill movie goers and children in school, have never been NRA members?"

Ft Hood - Registered Democrat- Muslim.

Columbine – Too young to vote – both families were registered democrats and progressive liberals.

VA Tech – Wrote hate mail to Pres Bush and to his staff. Registered Democrat, dedicated Liberal Socialist.

Colorado Theater – Registered Democrat, staff worker on the Obama campaign, occupy wall
street participant, dedicated Liberal Socialist "progressive liberal."

Connecticut School Shooter – Registered Democrat, espoused virtues of Liberal Socialism, hated Christians.

Common thread is that all of these shooters were progressive liberal democrats.”

Interesting…isn’t it?

AZBill| 1.18.13 @ 11:56AM

DearAlanthejerkliberalbrooks,
I've read your babbling many times but this is your most telling work...you should seriously consider changing or maybe eliminating some medication...you are one real twisted little cow pie..

spike59| 1.18.13 @ 12:14PM

...but who's going to show you which end the bullets come out of?

Anthony| 1.18.13 @ 1:03PM

Careful moron, under Obozo's executive orders, since you appear to be off your meds if you tell this to your doctor, or in your case vet, he/she will be forced to have your guns seized!!

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 2:20PM

Bah, you Rightwingers enjoy violence, you appreciate Clint Eastwood going after the bad guy and saying "make my day, Punk."

You enjoy Patton saying,
"all real Americans like the sting of battle."

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.18.13 @ 2:22PM

...if you Rightists wont admit you are bloodthirsty, then you are not only violent, you are also liars.

Albertus Magnus| 1.18.13 @ 3:08PM

This is a bald faced lie. It is also a slander.

You are an ass. We want to AVOID violence, and we want to AVOID being victims of crime. The people YOU vote for release criminals from prisons and make sure other criminals never get to prison. The people YOU vote for make sure violently insane people are not committed to mental hospitals. The people YOU vote for disarm innocent victims. The truth is YOU foment violence. YOU enable crime. YOU threaten the safety of other people with your stupid, destructive, ego-satisfying vote, each and every election. The blood of innocent people is on YOUR hands. All we want is to be left alone and to NOT be victims of the criminals YOU see fit to turn loose into our neighborhoods.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 6:51PM

Great logic there. Have you stopped beating your wife?

Anthony| 1.18.13 @ 3:40PM

Oh Alan, How can we compete with Obozo and Holder who allowed for 100s of Mexicans to die and two American agents, Terry and Zapata, to die from Fast & Furious? Obozo truly made Terry and Zapata's day didn't he? Truly we rightwingers are doves compared to Obozo and Holder.
And no righwinger can compete with Slick Willie
Clinton's one mans crusade for violence to women. The man was just insatiable.
And Alan, some of us right wingers may love Clint's comment, but at least that punk survived to see adulthood, as opposed to the other 40 Million dead children from abortions.

SCPOret| 1.19.13 @ 9:11AM

Alan- you should do a little research.
Fort Hood - registered Democrat
Columbine - too young to vote but parents registered democrats
Va Tech - registered democrat
Conn - registered democrat
Seems like the problem is on the liberal side of the house.

irish19| 1.18.13 @ 10:47AM

Actually, there is a "Hello Kitty" Kalashnikov. Google that or "Kalashnikitty"

Rhoetus| 1.18.13 @ 8:58PM

Beat me to it irish19. :-o

irish19| 1.19.13 @ 1:04AM

One does try.

AlanKneeJerkLiberalBrooks | 1.19.13 @ 4:55PM

Allright, alright. This will be my last comment at AS, not because of anything being written here, but because it is becoming more apparent by the month that you will run another empty-suit in 2016-- so this entire decade can be written off as a loss.

Robbins Mitchell| 1.18.13 @ 6:20AM

So it's all about appearances is it?...well then why don't we lock up all "gang bank ghetto "style" blacks?....since Barokeydoke and his homies all seem to fit that description

Frank Drackman| 1.18.13 @ 6:45AM

If it only saves ONE life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

spike59| 1.18.13 @ 9:59AM

and think of "the chid-rins"

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 10:17AM

I thought it was "chillins." Kinda like "chitlins," but different...

SC| 1.18.13 @ 10:44AM

RACIST SCHMUCK...!!!

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 11:12AM

If you were being sarcastic, then that's pretty funny. If not, then get bent, putz. What's "racist" about what I wrote? Are YOU from the South? I am. And I've heard plenty of white folks say "chillins." And I know plenty of white folks who eat "chitlins" too.

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 11:29AM

Outch! Ghost, excellent!!!

SC| 1.18.13 @ 11:53AM

Scumbag Cicero:

You wouldn't know "sarcastic" if it plugged ya up the whazoo..But NO-- I was deadly serious.

I would bet you a thousand bucks that you would never go into slang "jive'n shuffle" speech if we were talking about a WHITE right-winger person from the South..YOU...and your fellow -traveller white pointy -hoods know EXACTLY what your (not so coded) shit-talk is all about, eh?--considering the daily racist rants on this site.

spike59| 1.18.13 @ 12:14PM

considering the daily racist rants on this site.
================================
you mean, like the ones from dullards assuming all white conservatives are bigots??????

SC| 1.18.13 @ 12:18PM

No, Spike..

Like the ones--ESPECIALLY FROM TLP- which never miss any crude opportunity to make not-so-subtile offensive comments about the race of the President, and his family--and get cheering admiration from most of you

,,and he is not, by any means , the only one here casting such filth--just one of the slimiest.

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 12:22PM

Yeah, I'm a Klan member. With the last name of Frankel. Who's Jewish. Get over yourself, you self-loathing piece of garbage. Spare us your self-righteous indignation. You & your ilk are the FIRST to call conservative blacks "uncle Toms", "house ni**ers" & "sellouts". Your chosen ideology has done more to destroy the black culture than anything else in this world. Just take a look at the inner cities to see the "wonderful" effects the Great Society has wrought on black folks.

I realize that, like all regresssives, you suffer from selective memory disorder, but I would point you to the comments made by Fairy Screed, Bubba "A Segregationist Was My Political Mentor" Clinton & Bumbling Joe Biden about your "president."

Imbecile.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 12:31PM

Since neither The President or his family, nor The Vice-President are from The South--why would you use a southern dialogue to mock them?

Your being Jewish does not prevent you from being as odious as a Klan-member--I am Jewish as well--and some of the worst offenders of common decency, I hate to admit, are my fellow Jews--not the only ones. of course-but the most shocking, considering our own history....

SC| 1.18.13 @ 12:33PM

..that should have read "dialect"//not "dialogue"

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 12:44PM

Yeah, Jews of your ilk suck pretty bad. After all, JINOs like you are the biggest crappers on Israel, the biggest fans of making "peace" with those sworn to our destruction (HAMAS & the Hezbos) & the biggest proponents of the ideologies that have done more to kill our people than almost anything else.

After all, what kind of Jew supports a "president" who sat in the "church" of a "pastor" who's one of the most virulent anti Semites in recent history? Yep, a Jew In Name Only like YOU. You people disgust me.

"Since neither The President or his family, nor The Vice-President are from The South--why would you use a southern dialogue to mock them?"

Uh, because I'm FROM the South, dumbshit.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 2:41PM

Since you don't know me from Adam..HOW DARE YOU make those attacks on me? (Although, as I can see here..that is ALL you folks seem able to spew.

I won't waste my breathe to inform you of my connections to my Shul; my parents living in Israel since surviving The Holocaust, or anything else that "disgusts" you

YOU however , are BENEATH contempt in you filthy mouth and cretinous assumptions...

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 4:50PM

You gonna cry now, JINO?

SC| 1.18.13 @ 5:19PM

Nope--but it seems as if the insane rage-fueled spittle from your lips might choke you...

All the wing-nutz on the site seem to be able to do is call people who have different view-point insulting childish names.. and repeat the same tired neanderthal-ish lines..over and over and over and over--without any bit of originality from one another, in a zombie-like fashion

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 7:22PM

Boo-freaking-hoo. Turn about's fair play, boy.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 6:56PM

SC , How dare you attack ME as a racist clansman without knowing ME. Hypocrite.

spike59| 1.21.13 @ 5:59AM

Stan, that's what you have to expect from Progtards; they project their own worst tendencies onto those who oppose them

Cpm| 1.18.13 @ 5:38PM

Chirren.

Buck Ofama| 1.18.13 @ 12:40PM

@spike59

CRUMB SNATCHERS... NOMUH SAYN...,,, SUP WI DAT ???????? WARE D WYTE WIMUN? DEZ NIGGAH HOZ B TO FAT AN BITCHY NOMUHSAYN??

Buck Ofama| 1.18.13 @ 12:38PM

Works for me.

Appleby| 1.18.13 @ 7:03AM

Lock up all men 18-30 years old save those who are in the Military. Think of all the lives it would save!

holmegm| 1.18.13 @ 11:14AM

Hey, if it saves even *one* life, it's worth it. Lock 'em up!

Doctor_X| 1.18.13 @ 7:23AM

You want to see a scary gun? then go to YouTube and look for videos of the .454 Judge and see what it can do to a watermellon with a .454 round and a .410 self-defense round! This is a six-shot revolver.

For home protection I'd take "The Judge" over an AR-15 any day.

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 8:43AM

Doctor, with all due respect, my law firm of Baer, Brown, Wilson & Springfield told me a .45 ACP is the way to go. But hay, diversity works for me!

irish19| 1.19.13 @ 11:50AM

Nice firm. Wish I could afford to keep them on retainer.

sockmonkey| 1.18.13 @ 8:03AM

I wonder if, when decreeing tighter controls President Obama ever considered the alternate possibilities. Imagine that the new restrictions were already in effect and that Adam Lanza was unable to obtain any firearms. He still would be mentally ill and angry, so what would he do? Would he just drive his car into a group of kids leaving school? Would he create an Oklahoma City style bomb and level the whole school, killiyg hundreds? Don't misinterpret. I'm not saying, in any way, that it is good that he only killed 26. His crime was reprehensible and would be considered to be incredibly sad whether he killed 1 or 1000. My point is did the president ever consider the unintended consequences? What if, due to tighter gun laws that women in Georgia was unable to defend herself and her children from the home intruder and she and her children were murdered. President Obama said that even if it saves 1 life it is worth it. What if it costs a life? Is it worth it then? Is the life of one saved by tighter gun control laws worth any more than one lost because of them?

Russel| 1.18.13 @ 10:43AM

Right . Look at the Chinese dude who managed to stab all those kids with aknife . No one can quite come out and say it -- we're arming ourselves in prep for the coming conflict with our own government . Nappy said so , she called me and you a bigger terrorist threat than Islam . And she's arming her forces as we speak , WITH MILITARY GRADE WEAPONS .

irish19| 1.18.13 @ 10:49AM

And that is the question we should be asking the proggies. If more restrictions on legal firearm owners cost just one life, are they worth it?

Nancy in NC| 1.18.13 @ 8:12AM

Let's face it, it's really not about guns, it's about control. The sheeple have given up so much already to have a false sense of security, it's no surprise so many think guns are the problem and eliminating them is the solution.

Too many have bought into the notion the US is the most violent country in the world. What a joke. What's worse many people in other countries believe it as well. Talk to people who have visited and are surprised we don't walk around with guns 24/7. After all, that's what our movies and TV shows protray.

The US would look like Afghanistan if the current flock were our pioneers. These namby pamby winps couldn't discover anything except the local WalMart.

I'm beginning to believe ozero is correct...we are no longer exceptional. Too many have chosen the softer, easier way over freedom.

SUBVET| 1.18.13 @ 10:19AM

Nancy...........socializm is like rust it eroads over time.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 10:46AM

AND..EXACTLY which Western Nation is more violence-prone than the "good" 'ol U.S.A..?

irish19| 1.18.13 @ 10:53AM

On a per capita basis, England is close if not worse.
I think Russia may also be worse.
Both have much stricter anti gun regs than the U.S. In England, self defense is more likely to land you in jail than the perp.
Switzerland, however, where nearly everyone keeps a military grade rifle (semi only unless your active service) at home, is far less violence prone.

snipelee25| 1.18.13 @ 12:44PM

Having traveled extensively to many foreign destinations, I can report with certainty that parts of England are worse than just about anywhere in the USA. Also parts of southern France, Norway, Germany, Spain, Holland, Denmark, et al. And all - including the USA - share a common denominator.

Santiago| 1.21.13 @ 12:21PM

I believe Chile is pretty close to the same level of per capita homicides as the US, but with less of said homicides involving firearms. Registered firearms are legal here (no automatics and no concealed carry though).

Stkman| 1.18.13 @ 11:00AM

You don't have to look far SC, try Mexico, Columbia, Nicarauga just for starters.

Appleby| 1.18.13 @ 11:19AM

The only city in North America that has had three mass school shootings in the past 20 years is MONTREAL, which is in French Canada. Which has all kinds of restrictions on gun ownership including at the time a Long Gun Registry (handguns are illegal, which doesn't make any difference but you can't officially register something that doesn't officially exist).

Appleby| 1.18.13 @ 11:20AM

Oh, and they arrested three kids in French Canada yesterday for planning to shoot up and bomb their high schools.

SCPOret| 1.19.13 @ 9:23AM

Why does it have to be a western nation? If gun control works, it works everywhere.
Last I looked there were about 50 nations with 100% gun bans that had much worse murder/violence rates then the USA.
When I looked at the list on a per capita basis the Brits were worse than the US.

Matthew Quigley| 1.18.13 @ 8:30AM

They don't care what kinds of firearms are used in crimes. What they want is to disarm us, and military type weapons are the most likely to be used to resist them, plus, an AR or an AK scares the living snot out of the wimps in NY or the serfs in Chicago or the peasants in CA, so, go after those FIRST. Next will be your bolt-action hunting rifle because military snipers use modified versions of those pieces in the field, thus, a Model 700 is now a "sniping weapon" (or some other political construct) and Lord knows, we CAN'T have those dangerous weapons in the hands of anyone who isn't trustworthy...

It's not about guns, it's about CONTROL! Get that through your damned skulls!

Riff Raff| 1.18.13 @ 10:19AM

Correct you are! As long as we respond to nonsense like flash hiders, pistol grips, magazine capacity and colors and cartoons, we lose. We must focus directly on the real issue: Government wants to disarm all private citizens and have an absolute monoply on the power to kill. This is a working definition of tyranny. Think of all this things we like to do with our lives: work our careers, fish, take the boat out on weekends, take vacations to scenic locales in other States, take a long weekend drive with the top down, and millions of other private recreations accroding to our personal tastes. ALL THIS WILL BE LOST IF GOVERNMENT STEALS OUR RIGHT AND ABILITY TO DEFEND OURSELVES! I do not want to live in Nazi Germany, or Communist China, or Socialist Russia, hunkered down behind brick walls, living in fear of criminals (conveniently released by government) and in fear of the government. I want to live free, free from government tyranny, free to live MY life, not the government's. This is what is at stake. Focus on this and no longer repond to the Democrats' lies and obfuscations.

Russel| 1.18.13 @ 10:45AM

I should have posted below you , not above

snipelee25| 1.18.13 @ 12:47PM

"Control" will start with registration. I fear that our timid Republican whores will "compromise" and accept forced national registration. Once the database is in-place, restrictions can commence. Of course, criminals will NOT be represented in the database.

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 8:40AM

Yesterday I was reading one of my gun boards & someone posted that they were in a gun shop, in walks Gov. Perry. When he was noticed, he received a 'standing ovation' by all of those in the shop. However I cannot visualize my governor, Chris Christie near anything other than a food table or a platform so he can spout his wonderful thoughts. I STILL have his poster where he states, ban assault weapons.

If Texas was warm 99% of the time, this Yankee would relocate there in a New York nano second, however Fla. seems to hold more warm days & it looks like the place to be for us in a couple three years.

At this time just try to find a AR15 for sale from Colt, PWS, or Bushmaster. Have not looked at LaRue (from Texas) or Wilson Combat but the backlog in out many months! Don't even think about mags from Magpuil. The bast part, Barry sure did help the employment picture with the 'run' on AR15's, parts from Brownells, and ammo. I hope Winchester & other makers of ammo are running three shifts seven days a week.

I still say the AR15 platform is easy to use for both me & the wife. With open sights or ACOG TA11 or 33/ AimPoint (for us older people ) and it is almost fool proof. As for pink, not on your life, can I say black is beautiful?

Frank Drackman| 1.18.13 @ 8:54AM

It pains me to say this...
But as someone whos shot thousands of rounds with both, the Kalishnikoff platform is superior, for all except sniping, where a dedicated bolt action rifle is better anyway.
The AK has fewer, and more robust parts, fieldstripping is much easier, and its basically an improved Nazi design, with Russian durability.
The 7.62 x 39 round is at least the equal to the 5.56, and if the bad guy doesnt have the good manners to stand out in the open, much better for shooting through car doors, walls, foilage, and don't tell anyone, but the steel core 7.62 is supposedly "Armor Piercing".
At least thats what they said 20 years ago, when I bought all mine.
The M-16 platform isn't bad, but its more like a finicky Ferarri, more likely to leave you in the lurch when the zombies are bustin through the walls...

Frank "Comrad General" Drackman

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 9:03AM

Frank, with all due respect, you may be right. At this stage of life I know to listen to others. After the next round (not trying to be funny) of purchases I may have to add a few AK's to the toy box, both in a long & short length. Have a good weekend sir.

Frank Drackman| 1.18.13 @ 9:47AM

What are you Maxwell, an Idiot, watta ya mean I may be right!?!?!?!?!? Oh, sorry.
I do like the ARs handle(although the FAL's flip up handle is cooler, IMHO) and there's nothin commie about the looks of the original Black Rifle...
And what the hell was Perry's problem anyway?? In State Tuition for Ill-Legals?? Shi*Fire, I can't even send my Spawn to Alabama without payin through my Hook Nose...
I did like his "Sorry" response(reminded me of Belushi in "Animal House" after smashing the Hipsters guitar)when he couldnt remember which cabinet post he would eliminate...

Frank "254mm" Drackman

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 10:09AM

FN-FAL, another good toy not allowed here in Jersey. That along with suppressors & CCW. A friend of mine who lives in Free Penn. has a 20 inch FAL, must weigh a ton!

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 10:29AM

Also check out the Galil Golani. Its the civilian version of the Israeli made Galil assualt rifle & its an OUTSTANDING weapon.

I'm not the biggest fan of AK's or SKS's, but that's just me. I heard a guy at the gun store explain it like this:

The AK & SKS are like the chick you meet at the bar. They're rugged, can get dirty & are rough around the edges, whereas the AR is more like the prom queen. She always needs to be clean, but she'll also get the job done.

In the end, as long as the damned thing goes "bang" when you pull the trigger, that's really all that matters. Personally, I own a DPMS AR-15 & LOVE it. And it came with (insert gasp here) TWO 30 round magazines. All I needed to do was get a sight for it (EoTech), zero it in & I was ready to go. And if "scary lookin" guns are what's being "targeted" (hee-hee), then I'm royally screwed since my rifle has a collapsible stock, the large magazine & a "flash suppressor." Thankfully, we have a Republican governor here in PA (even though he's a RINO), so I'm not expecting any gun grabbing legislation to come down the pike from Harrisburg.

irish19| 1.18.13 @ 10:58AM

I got the DPMS Hi-Pro a number of years ago. It's got a heavy barrel so there's almost no recoil at all.
I will take the SKS over the AK because it's more pleasant to shoot.
I like the FN, but am trying to sell mine right now.
Faves are the M1A and the Garand.

BShep| 1.18.13 @ 10:55AM

Hopefully, the shooters in NY will flood the market with their AR15s and Magazines in the coming months and bring the prices down.

Frank Drackman| 1.18.13 @ 11:14AM

umm wouldn't bet on that...

Anthony| 1.18.13 @ 8:55AM

We truly have become an "Idiocracy". Many adults in our culture, especially leftists, have lost all sense of proportion, rationality, and especially common sense.
Children who are in possession of water guns or, who hold up their fingers in a mock imitation of a gun, are suspended from school by these so called adults under the moronic iron fisted principle of "zero tolerance".
Common sense and reason are thrown out of the equation by these so called educators. Hence, six year olds are suspended from school for reasons they can't begin to comprehend.
Our culture has been and continues to decline. Under the Muslim Marxist, America has entered a new Dark Ages.
One only hopes it won't take the Rs 500 years to get up the nerve to challenge and reverse this trend of insanity.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 1.18.13 @ 9:51AM

Mr. Flynn should be more circumspect in using the Skittles reference here. Everyone should recall how inflammatory their inclusion in the debate about the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin incident was. After all, this is about feelings, you know.

Warrior| 1.18.13 @ 4:31PM

Are Razzles also dog-whistle code candies? I also find dark and white chocolate to be offensive (milk chocolate is also code). However, I found mocha nut fudge coffee to be code for excrement and I refuse to eat a lemon italian ice. Chocolate cherries are very hard to find. I also find it offensive when companies try to sell cookies packed with fudge.

What was the subject again?

Albert Constantine Jr.| 1.19.13 @ 6:52PM

Don't forget, Arizona Iced Tea not only is a Trayvon reference, but can also bring offense to undocumented immigrants.

Riff Raff| 1.18.13 @ 10:05AM

We need to take control of the debate. Stop reacting to Democrat talking points and treating their proposals and comments as serious legitimate debate. They are not. As long as we respond to Democrat issues like gun appearance, we avoid the real problem. As long as Democrats set the tone and content of the conversation, we lose and look like spoiled children wanting to keep our toys. Tme to face facts: Gun control has absolutely nothing to do with crime or violence. This is people control, pure and simple, and we absolutely must seize control of the debate and focus of this fundamental truth.

Riff Raff| 1.18.13 @ 10:05AM

First, it is time to abandon this notion that Obama and the Democrats have any serious intention whatsoever of "preventing" attacks like Sandy Hook. These people relish in the deaths of innocent children because it is good for politics. The data on gun control is in. Gun control kills innocent people. This is no longer deniable. What Obama and the Democrats want is disarmament of innocent victims, the complete disarmament of civilians. Politicians do not fear criminals, because they are surrounded by armed body guards. So, if politicians do not fear criminals, who DO they fear? They fear an armed citizenry ready and able to stop the criminal usurpations of government, as government violates the Law and bankrupts the nation. Gun control does not even address the issue of crime. This is pure politics, and Obama is using the deaths of children NOT to make people safe, but to advance himself and government politically and to satiate his gargantuan ego. To do this requires sacrifices, the sacrifices of innocents who are disarmed by government then murdered by the criminals and lunatics that government refuses to incarcerate.

Von Mises Jr| 1.18.13 @ 11:44AM

If you consider that Dingy Harry already ran from the issue knowing that with several Red State Democrat Senators up for election in 2014, he cannot afford another 1994 when BJ Clinton took on gun control and lost both the House and Senate. "Marbles" Boehner dismissed it saying he would "look at it" if dingy Harry sent him a Bill. So anything major is going nowhere.
So why this charade and why now: January 15th lots of working Americans opened their pay stubs and found that they were bent over and violated by our lying President and Senate. More layoffs are coming as businesses shout from the rooftops that they cannot afford the new taxes and YOU. And the debt ceiling debate will allegedly cause a 10% or more drops in the markets any week now and in the end, "Marbles" will lick the Democrat Socialist boots and hand over our money through inflation and more bad Bills. Hey was anyone paying attention that the tax debate over taxmageddon supposedly raises $60B per year and the Sandy Porkulus Bill just pissed away $50B in one fell swoop?

Riff Raff| 1.18.13 @ 1:15PM

I hope you are correct, sir. But I am wary nonetheless. Our exteeeemed President has decided to use "executive orders" to increase restrictions and gather gun buyer information. This is clearly a prelude to even more restrictions. Will federal agents actually enforce such unconstitutional executive orders? Will State authorites stop the feds at the border? Will States enact their own restrictions? New York already has. How do citizens of New York fight back? Elections are awhile out. Suing in federal court is dicey. The Supreme Court did rule in favor of the 2nd Amendment. But will the Court throw out New York's new bill? It could take years to find out and frankly, after the Obamacare fiasco, I have my doubts about John Roberts. He just might reverse himself given the opportunity.

As for taxmageddon, well, "The People Has Spoken!" They re-elected our dolt president to 4 more years of trillion dollar vote buying sprees and Hawai'ian golf vacations. The real President is Bill Ayers (Obama is just a puppet, and a rather stupid one at that) and he will use every illegal power imaginable to turn the USA into a socialist state, and that absolutely requires that the People be disarmed.

Von Mises Jr| 1.18.13 @ 3:23PM

Events will determine history as I have said for weeks. It is exactly what Rush said just a couple hours ago.
Dumb ass liberals voted for revenge and they got a 2% increase in their taxes. More ObamaCare taxes and catastrophes are coming. And we keep hearing about terrorism in Libya, Algeria, and unrest in Egypt, Syria and Sudan as well as Iran issues. If it comes here after Barry and "Bite Me" told all the liberal dopes that the war on terror was won, even they might figure it out.
But be sure the low-information voter who is smart but too busy with life or just not being told the truth by MSM is going to put two and two together when the next big thing happens.
Now I will also say an extra prayer on Sunday that I am correct.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 10:51AM

The offensive argument defending the use of any type of gun..let alone assault and military-style weapons , in the hands of the common citizenry is pure craziness--and the weird and obscene defense of such is sickening.

irish19| 1.18.13 @ 11:02AM

No it isn't. Your argument is that of an elitist and a statist.
As George Mason said, "To disarm the people is the most effectual way to enslave them."
Are you in favor of enslaving the people of this country, Sir or Madam?

SC| 1.18.13 @ 4:40PM

Conservatives on this site are always yakking and kvetching about how those on "the left" use meaningless phrases over and over--and then repeat the totally meaningless Levin/Hannity/FauxNews/etc mantra "Elitist/Statist"--whic means absolutely nothing/zilch/nada/bupkiss/

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 7:10PM

Way to avoid the question. Run off stupid atacks, get called on it, then run behind your canned "You right wingers ."

Stkman| 1.18.13 @ 11:11AM

Thats your opinion SC. I'll take Washington and Jefferson's opinion over yours. The fact of the matter is that private citizens own more military type assult weapons than the military does, yet overall we are all pretty damn safe.
I have more fear of a liberal or a communist in a position of power with a pen than I do of my neighbor possesing a weapon. M y beleif is, and I think the founders felt this way too, is that citizens of the United States should be allowed to buy and own any weapon that our military is allowed to have(excluding nuclear). Our forefathers wanted to see that the citizenry always had the advantage over its government. They knew that one day the government would become the enemy. It appears that day has come.

Maxwell| 1.18.13 @ 11:20AM

SC, I don't have any assault weapons, I do however have personal defense firearms which I would use to protect my family & myself should the need arise.

Now, lets address 'military-style weapons' shall we? Military style by your definition would also cover my .45 ACP & my 9mm Beretta pistol. Would Sargent Rex also be considered by you (Sargent Rex by the way was recently put down this past December) military style too. If that was the case my GSD Shana who LOVED to guard the house would also be obscene.

Lastly SC, how about this, you give me your address and I will send you the sign for your lawn that states, Oh, please Mr. Bad guy, I don't have any guns to protect myself or my family so please don't hurt me when you rob our home.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 11:45AM

Maxwell:

One COULD just as easily get hit by a car/bus/train/ by accident ( or-even thrown under the wheels of such) as being confronted by a thug welding a gun at my doorstep.
But, people don't wear crush-proof armor , in the event of one of those possibilities be-falling them, do they?

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 12:00PM

Yeah, you just shouldn't shoot the asshole who's trying to break into your home. After all, who cares if he tries to rape your wife & kill you & your kids (G*D, I hope you haven't procreated)? I mean, the criminal has rights too, right?

Perfect example:

A couple of weeks ago, my wife was asleep & I was fixin to go to bed myself. I was in the den watching TV at about 11;45 when I heard my door make the squeaking sound that it only makes if someone's turning the door handle. I got up & looked out the window to see some douchebag trying to open my door. I went to the bedroom & woke my wife up & told her to call 911. While she was doing that, I opened the door with my AR-15 in hand. Safety on, no round chambered. And I asked the guy, "can I f**king help you?" To which he replied, "this is my house." Now, it was painfully obvious that this guy was WAAAY messed up on something. And I held him at gunpoint til the cops showed up. All's well that ended well. But how was I supposed to know that it was just some drunk? It could have JUST as easily been a dope fiend or a burglar. And if he HAD come in my house, he would've been deader than a ribeye steak.

The gist is that you NEVER KNOW. And THAT is why people own guns.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 7:14PM

People like SC would use their superior mental abilities to logically reason with any high, drunk, or violent person and hence have no need for firearms.

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 11:47AM

SC:

Yeah, we should just ban all the guns. What an insipid & childish idiot you are. Hey, after we ban all the guns, we should also ban all the knives, forks, baseball bats, tire irons, rat poison & every other dangerous thing that could possibly kill someone.

Oh, & cars too! How could I forget about cars?

Have you ever had a though that didn't die of loneliness?

AmyDB | 1.18.13 @ 12:48PM

So I'd have to give up my boar spear, my swords, my axes & hatchets, my entrenching tool, my kids' baseball bats, my tire irons, my hammers & screw drivers.
That means the "honey do list" is out the window. That's not such a bad idea after reflection.
SC if you are not an adult with a sense of self preservation then go play with the other kiddies over on Huff Po.

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 1:04PM

OOH-RAH, Devil Dog!!!

dominic1955| 1.18.13 @ 12:04PM

Why don't you finish pissing yourself and sucking your thumb in a corner before trying to add to the discussion, OK? You do prove Mr. Flynn's point, that this whole "discussion" is comical. Thank you for playing the jester.

You are emoting, not discussing let alone making a point. Baby loose his binkie? "Offensive", "pure craziness", "weird", "obscene"-none of these emotionalist flash words foster any sort of debate or exchange of ideas.

SC| 1.18.13 @ 12:26PM

Yeah--- just as calling me an "insipid childish idiot " "pissing myself" "sucking my thumb" " hoping I'm haven't procreated" ACTUALLY "fosters any sort of of debate or exchange of ideas"--Right??

Perhaps it does.. in a playground among 8 year olds--but not in the adult world....(especially as
I did not actually accuse ANYONE of being crazy/weird/obscene (this time...)--Just their way of thinking ( or not thinking....)

Riff Raff| 1.18.13 @ 1:39PM

You don't seem to understand the situation. WE the People have a RIGHT to be armed. Period. The purpose of this is so that Government does not have a monopoly on the power to kill. Historically, Government has abused such a monopoly, murdering millions solely for political reasons. We will not give up our right to be armed and if Government demands that we be disarmed, we will refuse. This is absolute. There is no debate.

By the way, there is no distinction between accusing someone of being crazy/weird/obscene and accusing "their way of thinking" of being so.

dominic1955| 1.18.13 @ 1:39PM

Its a waste of time to not respond in kind. Why waste our time making distinctions, quoting numbers and facts, etc. when that just goes in one ear and out the other with people like you? You've already let your emotions run wild that guns are scary and kill people. Whatever. Actually, I am quite alright with people living their own personal illusions. The problem comes about when you want to translate your silly notions into despotism.

A quick glance back at your commentary under this post shows me a bunch of emoting, i.e. the "rascist" schtick being another refuge for people who would rather huff their offense than actually think anything through.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 7:08PM

Tell that to the victims of the Mubai massacre where citizens are all disarmed, firearms are near impossible to own by the public, and it took a day to gather a police force with anything remotely capable of meeting such force.

You don't want guns? Fine. Start making your streetview map of all the non gun houses in your neighborhood to show your supreme moral clarity to the world.

spike59| 1.21.13 @ 6:02AM

Can you even define 'assault weapon', genius? I'm pretty sure you can't...but give it a whirl

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 12:04PM

The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms like laws, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside... Horrid mischief would ensue were one half the world deprived of the use of them..."...Thomas Paine

It doesn't get anymore simple than that, folks!

Buck Ofama| 1.18.13 @ 12:44PM

>“Congress should restore a ban on military-style assault weapons,” the president said Wednesday afternoon..."

What about all the assault weapons that were provided- under the aegis of White House authority- to mexicunt drug gangs?

Oops, that didn't really happen? Oh.

Ghost of Cicero (NB) | 1.18.13 @ 1:03PM

NICELY DONE, my friend!!!

Anthony| 1.18.13 @ 5:51PM

Correct. Guns don't scare people, leftists scare people.
More people died from guns, as a result of Obozo and Holder in Fast & furious, than all of the murders in Chicago last year.
These two felons belong in prison.

Stan Redmond| 1.18.13 @ 7:17PM

Pish Posh. Even though F&F was a program dreamed up by the Obama administration we all know it's Bush's fault. Obama himself said so on Mexican TV so we know it's true.

Buck Ofama| 1.21.13 @ 10:18AM

@ Redmond
Ovomit didn't say that o mexicunt TV, but on Venezuala TV, as he was doing another bow and suck demonstration.

Kwan| 1.18.13 @ 1:05PM

It's pretty clear that Andrew "Greasy Thumb" Cuomo plans on running for President in 2016. That rant about confiscating guns no doubt was designed to garner the support of the radical left, and to get Soros to offer millions of dollars of support for his campaign to replace da Community Orgasmizer with himself.

cicero| 1.18.13 @ 3:57PM

Von Jr. - You are spot on. Thie gun issue is a diversion. They know that they will never get anything past the week kneed congress. But, while everone is rioting over gun control, nobody is watching the clock tick toward the next fiscal crisis. All at once it will be front and center, and the Pres and his boys will point to the Repubs and blaming them for the disaster that is right around the corner.

Let them bring the gun issue up for a vote. Better yet, let O try to impose it by exec order. Not a chance. Ryan, Boehner, and McConnell should be on the tube every day and night talking about the fiscal mess, and what we should be doing about it. Then the House should propose a budget, and a solution to the fiscal mess, send it to the Senate, and keep it in the public eye all the time.

Like Cato the Elder, the end of ever speech should be: Government debt must be destroyed!

Albertus Magnus| 1.18.13 @ 4:17PM

Debitum Imperium delenda est!

Russel| 1.18.13 @ 9:16PM

Agree , Von is good read . We have a smarty named Rahm and he's only a phone call away . He's a very savvy coach . Fake this way , duck and run . If you pick up a decent steak along the way , so much the better . And we have our defense > boobs who are positively clueless .

cicero| 1.18.13 @ 4:30PM

Thanks Albert, my Latin is 50 years rusty.

Albertus Magnus| 1.18.13 @ 5:06PM

That's OK. My Latin is almost non-existant. I have a dictionary and I know how to use it! :-)

hrgfue | 1.18.13 @ 10:18PM

2013 Happy New Year,NFL,NBA,Fashion kickoff for u

Cobalt| 1.19.13 @ 8:35AM

Talking about her pink toy bubble gun gets 5-year-old girl suspended from school.

http://www.pennlive.com/midsta.....cart_river

Cats1cowboy| 1.19.13 @ 11:07AM

Banning 6-year-old's fingers is next.

UpChuck.Liberals| 1.19.13 @ 10:59PM

Ok, repeat after me, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine,Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Magazine, Getting the message yet? Beyond that I liked the article.

Tumbleweed| 1.22.13 @ 5:10PM

Glad to see that others are starting to see whats going on with gun control. It has nothing to do with reducing crime and everything to do with government control of people!

HB| 1.30.13 @ 11:47AM

Someone should tell President Barrack Obama that it's the bullet that kills the person, not the gun.

More Articles by Daniel J. Flynn

More Articles From The Nation's Pulse

http://spectator.org/archives/2013/01/18/scary-scary-guns

ADVERTISEMENT

SPONSORED LINKS

FLASHBACK TO: 1995

Clip of the Day

Most Popular Articles

Foreign Policy as Farce

Jed Babbin | 6.17.13

The Biggest Fool of All

Doug Bandow | 6.17.13

Can Liturgical Music Be Saved?

Patrick O'Hannigan | 6.17.13

Revenge of the Fruitcakes

Peter Hitchens | 6.17.13

The Mole in Don Draper

James Bowman | 6.17.13

When Did Matty Tell Hatty?

Frank Schell | 6.17.13

ADVERTISEMENT