For John, BLUF: The statistics on homicides suggests that the AR-15 is not the big scary killer that a claw hammer might be. Nothing to see here; just move along.
Someone local pointed me in the direction of this Table from the FBI. The table is titled "Expanded Homicide Data Table 8 / Murder Victims by Weapon, 2007–2011". In 2011 there were 12,664 homicides, down from all previous years included in the table. Handguns took out nearly half (6,220). On the other hand, rifles took out 323 humans. There was a category labeled firearms, type not stated, with 1,587. Knives were used in 1,694 cases and hands, feet, etc in 728. Blunt objects, like clubs and hammers accounted for 496.
I am not seeing the rifle threat in these numbers. Is it just that scary rifles are easy to identify or that we connect them in our minds with mass murders?
As for large capacity magazines, did you catch this news item,♠ which suggests bans are somewhat irrelevant, since you can "print" your own, as needed?
Regards — Cliff
♠ Slashdot.
The statistics are irrelevant. The Administrations zeal is derived not from the number of murders committed, or even from what sort of weapons were used. It is entirely based on using an unspeakable tragedy as a vehicle to achieve a high priority political goal...the disarming of America. High capacity weapons in the hands of the citizenry pose extreme difficulties in subduing and then subjugating the population. Unleashing squadrons of combat aircraft and drones on the American public would be viewed as a genocidal act by a tyrannical regime....not much better on the food chain than Syria. So, this suppression needs to be winnable easily and "justifiably." Get the high capacity weapons out of the people's hands leaving them only pistols...and limit those to the greatest extent possible...then the path is clear.
ReplyDeleteQuestion. Why would Big Sista stockpile millions of rounds of JHP ammunition of the 5.56 and 7.62 mm variety? Why would other Federal agencies be doing the same? This is not something that is routine in our nation's history. They are arming up for.......what? Why?