• Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Demonizing a particular gun is dumb and completely misses the issue.

    If it wasn’t the AR-15 it would be the next most affordable, versatile, durable and reliable model of firearm.

      • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This is true, but these people are too stupid to accept facts and feel better picking on the dangerous black rifle.

        The fully semi automatic clip fed AR-15 that fires 9mm bullets that will blow a lung out is the real problem.

        No… Just no.

        Guns ARE a problem, as is mental health and the mindset of people.

        But per capita Sweden has more houses with assault rifles (literally military provided rifles to national service citizens) but no mass shootings there?

        I’m actually in favour of better gun control, but I can’t think of a truly practical way to achieve it.

        The US pro gun people are in denial about the issue, and the US anti gun people are equally in denial about the true issues and facts, so much so that their cause is suffering for it.

        I’m concerned about guns… But I’m not stupid.

        • curiousPJ@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          But per capita Sweden has more houses with assault rifles (literally military provided rifles to national service citizens) but no mass shootings there?

          What does a person in Sweden have to do to possess a gun? Additionally, what is their policy on ammunition?

          • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Sweden had mandatory conscription from 1901 through to the cold war. About 85% of men were conscripted.

            The situation had changed more recently to a national service system.

            All those who do combat or combat related service are issued an AK 4 (Swedish production of the H&K G3) rifle, or the more modern AK 5 based on the Belgian FN FNC.

            Both of these are far superior ‘killing machines’ than a semi auto AR-15. The newer AR5 will even run the same magazines as the AR15,

            On completion of service the option is given to keep the rifle.

            The government provides ammunition and access to training facilities so as people can remain proficient with their rifle.

            More recently the keeping of ammunition at home has been banned but there is no doubt already millions of rounds in the wild. This law has preparations to be lifted rapidly if required for an emerging security crisis.

            Their new national service system now provides options for logistics and medical for those that don’t want to pickup a firearm. Pretty good idea I think.

            Clearly a different mentality and different state of national mental health in Sweden.

      • BaroqueInMind@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        It’s almost as if they simply want to disarm you so they can do whatever they want with jack-booted armed cops as their muscle.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m not understanding- by banning the AR-15 only, they will be doing nothing effective but also they’re going to disarm everyone? I’m not sure why the first one is necessary if they’re going to do the second.

          That said, I’m 46 and I’ve heard “they’re coming for your guns” my whole life. I’m wondering when they’re going to do it because they’re sure taking their time.

          • thenightisdark@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I said when your age you haven’t tried to buy a gun or ammo recently have you? I hadn’t in a while back when I was in my twenties.

            I mean my personal anecdote is : I bought a gun and ammunition back in the early 2000s. As I’m no gun nut I hadn’t messed with it much until somewhat recently.

            I called up my police department and my police department said that there’s three conflicting laws and how to transport my gun to the shooting range. I think you just haven’t kept up at the times. I mean no insult saying that since I’m your age. 😁

          • trash80@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            1 year ago

            That said, I’m 46 and I’ve heard “they’re coming for your guns” my whole life. I’m wondering when they’re going to do it because they’re sure taking their time.

            Could it be possible that it hasn’t happened yet because people have been fighting against it?

                  • trash80@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    1 year ago

                    They’re just campaigning and advocating for it with no intention of following through on it?

                    Facts First: Biden’s gun control plan does not include confiscating legally owned weapons and an interpretation of a “viral video” is a mishearing of what was said. The former vice president has said in the past that a Biden administration would come for people’s “assault weapons.”

                    But in August 2019, during an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Biden was asked about people who think a Biden administration “means they’re going to come for my guns.” Biden replied, “Bingo, you’re right if you have an assault weapon. The fact of the matter is they should be illegal. Period.”

                    When asked about this exchange, a Biden official told CNN, “Joe Biden defeated the NRA to ban assault weapons before, and he was reminding viewers that as president he will do it again.”

                    https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/21/politics/fact-check-joe-biden-gun-control/index.html

    • PeepinGoodArgs@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      If it wasn’t the AR-15 it would be the next most affordable, versatile, durable and reliable model of firearm.

      And if we banned guns, it would be the next most affordable, versatile, durable and reliable model of knife

      • TechyDad@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        The problem with “if they don’t have guns, they’ll just use knives” is that knives aren’t as effective at mass killing from a distance.

        Suppose you have two similar mass killing attempts. In one, the person has an AR-15. In the other, they have a knife.

        The AR-15 killer can kill many people from across rooms. Depending on how much ammunition they have, they can reload quickly and kill many more. People trying to run away from the killer would be quickly killed.

        Meanwhile, the knife killer would need to physically stab each victim. This means that they would need to be within arm’s length of their victims. If the person kept away from the killer, they would be safe (relatively speaking). People running away from the killer wouldn’t be killed.

        Perhaps the knife wielder could throw the knife at the fleeing victim, but this would need good aim (vs spraying an area with bullets using the AR-15) and would require the knife to end up pointy side in. If it hit them on the handle side, it would hurt, but wouldn’t be fatal. Where they get stabbed would also matter. Then, there is the problem (for the killer) of having tossed away their only weapon. (Though they could have multiple knives.)

        Could a knife wielding killer kill a lot of people? Yes, but it would be far less than an AR-15! wielding person.

        Of course, the one thing this comparison does show is that more needs to be done besides gun control. We need to be better at identifying people likely to commit acts of violence and get them help before they snap. Any solution needs to address the gun problem AND the mental health problems that this country faces.

        • SkybreakerEngineer@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That, and every other time guns were removed from the equation, people didn’t pick up knives instead – they just didn’t kill.

        • ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          1 year ago

          Frankly mass knifings do exist, canada recently had that one where like 13 people got stabbed, then there was another one in a private school in like korea iirc, and the infamous 30+ stabbed in the chinese subway station, but yeah typically to stab more people they spread it out over a number of days/weeks/months/years instead of doing it in one event, you’re correct. Not sure how much better that is when you’re the one being stabbed, and being stabbed fucking sucks if you haven’t had the chance to try it, but true, at least you can give your friends/peers a chance to leave you for dead instead of them also being in danger. I’d rather someone be able to shoot the would-be murderer before I’m dead though regardless of if he has a gun, a knife, or a candlestick in the kitchen.

      • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Exactly, you can mow down a bunch of pedestrians with a truck… Europe knows this all too well.

        But people here just want to demonize I specific myself of firearm.

      • harmsy@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        And if a guy runs through a school hallway waving a knife around, he’ll get a concussion from a random student’s backpack bonking him in the head.

    • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This is just an example what firearms are made for: Killing. The AR15 is a special example, because there is no excuse “but I need this for my deer hunting!”.

      This thing is built and sold for one purpose: Killing people.

      • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s particularly good at that, I won’t deny, but so many other factors exist too. It’s affordability, it’s availability are also issues.

        There are better choices for killing… They just cost more and or have limited availability.

        The Kriss Vector or MP5 would be a great tool at short to intermediate range. A lot less cumbersome than an AR.

        • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Regardless that there are “better” choices for killing - This item was designed, produced, sold, and bought to kill people. Therefor, it should not exist in the first place. That there are “better” choices is all the worse.

          • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            It literally is not designed for that purpose.

            Sure it can do that, and I’ll agree it is quite an efficient tool for killing… But saying it was designed for that is plain hyperbole.

            The rifle in question in this thread is a civilian sporting rifle and lacks the the more rapid firing modes.

            You be like one of those people “Look, is in the name, ‘Assault Rifle model 15’”.

          • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            I’m with you on all but the “bought” part. Some people simply buy guns simply because shooting them can be fun and they like to shoot targets and keep them locked in a safe. Many people buy them to kill animals. They are especially well suited for dealing with the hog problems in rural areas.

            Many people do buy them for self defense reasons, and a few buy them for murderous reasons, so in those cases the “bought to kill people” part stands. Im not saying people should have unfettered access to them at all, I just think it’s important to be honest about their usage, and recognize the nuance to the topic.

      • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s clear you’ve still misunderstood me.

        Let’s not start with the AR-15… But yes, let’s back all guns. I totally agree.

        Banning 1 gun will do nothing because the next best option will take it’s place immediately.

        That’s my point.

        • HurlingDurling@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          I understood you perfectly the first time. No one would villify an inanimate object, however of all guns legally sold in the us market, the AR-15 is by far the most efficient in killing and maiming groups of people, so yes it needs to be the first. No one said it needs to be the only one or the last one, and those who might not really want any ban on guns.

          Hell, if we can use the destruction this rifle causes to ban ALL guns at once, then that would be a real miracle.

          • Virtual Insanity @lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            No you don’t get it. Banning 1 single type of weapon would be ineffective for a bunch of reasons that you’re not ready to understand.

    • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      A particular gun, yes, but there are features of the AR-15 that make it more effective. High muzzle velocity means more energy, so you tear apart organs instead of just punching a hole. Magazine-fed means you can shoot more of those high velocity rounds, and semi-automatic means your rate of fire is much higher.

      Banning a specific model of firearm is stupid, but there are attributes that we can regulate to prevent the most deadly weapons from being so readily available.

      Then again, if you’re making this argument you probably think that living in fear of being shot in the grocery store and turning schools into supermax prisons is a perfectly acceptable compromise and this discussion will go nowhere like the last hundred times it’s happened.