I live in a hunting community, ten miles from a town of about 70. Almost every male and many females own guns. Most of the hunting rifles are semi automatic. I don't hunt but I know people who use it for their only meat source. Guns can be a very useful tool. A semi automatic weapon can make a huge difference in your success at hunting.
As for body armor, why would a civilian need it unless expecting to be a gunfight. I spent many years in a large city in a poor neighborhood and never felt the need.
Dec 31 2012: The Afghans beat the Russians and have held their ground against the US with mostly small arms. I think that a determined force could challenge the US.
Dec 31 2012: Automatic weapons are for the the most part illegal except for military or police use. The average hunting rifle is an semi-automatic. A semi-automatic firearm was used at Newtown. Because the rifle looked like an M-16 people call it an assault rifle. This emotional moniker will only drive a edge in any attempt at legislation. The discussion should be about how to help troubled people before they resort to violence. We didn't outlaw diesel and fertilizer and they are a far more deadly combination. Perhaps outlawing body armor and large clips would have some affect. With over 50% of US households having guns I think any legislation would stall. Especially if you want to outlaw all semi-automatics. Perhaps you should delineate your definition of assault weapons.
Dec 31 2012: I feel we are very manipulated. 10,000 deaths is a lot and we should try to lower these deaths. however death by firearms are not in the top 15 causes of death. Why aren't we upset that we are dying from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. Diet is implicated in 10 of the top 15 reasons for death in the US. The government actively supports and gives aid to the large food producers and junk food industry to promote a poisonous diet that kills millions (including children). (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/us/07fat.html?pagewanted=all%3Fsrc%3Dtp&smid=fb-share&_r=0) Our founding fathers were afraid of the government more than anything thing else and they gave us the ability to fight back. But fighting the government is a losing proposition without media and PR. We should work on our problems that affect the majority but we are sorely uninformed about those issues. The sensationalizing of this issues diverts our energy and leads to more of the same by the sad and depressed. When more than 50% of the nation's households have firearms it is unlikely that there will be significant change.
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A comment on Conversation: The time is NOW for people to stand up and say 'No More Assault Weapons" and not wait for the government to legislate the change.
I live in a hunting community, ten miles from a town of about 70. Almost every male and many females own guns. Most of the hunting rifles are semi automatic. I don't hunt but I know people who use it for their only meat source. Guns can be a very useful tool. A semi automatic weapon can make a huge difference in your success at hunting.
As for body armor, why would a civilian need it unless expecting to be a gunfight. I spent many years in a large city in a poor neighborhood and never felt the need.
A reply on Conversation: The time is NOW for people to stand up and say 'No More Assault Weapons" and not wait for the government to legislate the change.
A comment on Conversation: The time is NOW for people to stand up and say 'No More Assault Weapons" and not wait for the government to legislate the change.
A comment on Conversation: Has the time come for the U.S Second Amendment to be repealed or amended?