Debate: Why own a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle like the one used in Newtown, Conn.?
The victims of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy were all shot with a Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle - a rifle that is legal to own in Pennsylvania.
Debate: Why own a .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle like the one used in Newtown, Conn.?
This post has been updated.
The victims of the Newtown, Conn., tragedy were all shot with a Bushmaster .223-caliber semiautomatic rifle — a rifle that is legal to own in Pennsylvania.
The gun is a civilian version of the military’s M-16 and often seen at marksmanship competitions. It’s similar to the weapon used in the 2002 sniper killings in the Washington, D.C., area and in a recent shopping mall shooting in Oregon.
Versions of the AR-15 were outlawed in the United States under the 1994 assault weapons ban. That law expired in 2004, and Congress, in a nod to the political clout of the gun-rights lobby, did not renew it.
But, whether it’s legal or not, does anyone really need to own such a high-powered gun?
Bob Kostaras, owner of Classic Pistol in Southampton, Bucks County, and Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFirePA, debate that question:
Kostaras: “We have an indoor target range. We have people here all day shooting them. People enjoy it. They’re not prepping for end of the world, they just enjoy shooting them. For some, it’s a social thing, it’s a sport. Any weapon, a baseball bat, a car with a drunk driver behind the wheel, is much more dangerous and much more liable to kill somebody. Unfortunately, this person was mentally unstable and had access to the firearm that should have been kept out of his reach.”
Goodman: “Maybe this isn’t something that everybody should just be able to have access to.... Since there is access to them, that adds to the stream of guns that can then become illegal guns. Types of weapons that are available is a problem, but I believe it’s only part of the problem, because certainly we’ve seen much devastation with handguns or other kinds of rifles that people might have for the more legitimate hunting purposes or personal-protection purposes. I don’t think it’s just a matter of types of weaponry available.… Because citizenry has access to that type of weapon and it can be sold easily, it makes it more dangerous for when those guns fall into the wrong hands.”
Kostaras: "You don’t find your normal, responsible people getting in trouble for owning guns. They’re not dangerous in the right hands. They are in the wrong hands, but so is a car.... Criminals don't go to the gun store and buy the gun. They're not following the laws you and I follow, so they're not bound by them.... This is a terrible tragedy.”
Goodman: "The trouble with the original [assault-weapons] ban from 1994 to 2004 was the way the weaponry was defined, so it was easy to make modifications to certain things, then have weapons that may have complied with the letter of the law, but not exactly the spirit. I think we need to look at what it is we’re actually trying to prevent.... It’s about making sure that law-abiding gun owners are responsible for securing their weapons.”
- How Much is That in Real Money ?
You Must be "The" Philly H.S. Grad. !— oldsog67 
Cactusclarke:
You should know one unusual case does not make a rule that knives will kill more than guns.
"Glasgow, Scotland's second city is in fact the murder capital of Europe, with about 70 killings each year. Much of the violence is caused by gangs vying to control the city's drugs trade...
Scotland's homicide rate is 2.33 deaths for every 100,000 people each year, compared with 0.7 in England and Wales. In Spain it is 1.02, and in Italy 0.96. Germany has western Europe's lowest murder rate: 0.68 per 100,000 people." [US 3.9]
Find a second city all of Western World that has murder rate anywhere close to the US cities? Even Scotland murder rate is less than that of the US.
As for gun-related murders:
"The United States has by far the highest per capita rate of all developed countries. According to data compiled by the United Nations, the United States has four times as many gun-related homicides per capita as do Turkey and Switzerland, which are tied for third. The U.S. gun murder rate is about 20 times the average for all other countries [in the developed world]." Washintong Post, Dec 14.— EIK- Guns are not the problem, the decline of our moral fiber is the problem. Look a gun is just the means at which people kill somebody, but we need to fix the reason why people kill. We took prayer out of schools, politicians break us up in little groups to fight with each other. Parenting is bad here and there is no community anymore. Everybody jumps up about the shootings in Connecticut but Chicago has over 2500 shooting this year and nobody cares. The .223 doesn't shoot any faster than the glock it's just bigger. People wake up and fix the kids and the guns won't matter.— skills
- If I could go to a safe, regulated munitions facility and explode grenades and dynamite sticks "for fun" as a "hobby", that would be very cool. A social thing, you know, for sport. Does that mean I should have unfettered access to those weapons? That my rights are being violated by not having my own explosives?
Well, I can't do those things. I'll just have to live with that.— lonixcap - there is no debate I own severak you want them come and take them.
I will NEVER disarm ban guns and nothing will change, your drug dealers and criminals will still sneak them in, they ignore all the everyday shootings and focus on the mass tragedy to push their euro wanna be agenda. Come and take them. Seccession from the Union. Dont tread on me— Iknowyourider - Article II Section III of the United States Constitution gives the President of the United States the power to convene Congress on extraordinary occasions; it provides as follows:
"He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them[.]"
The President should convene a special session of Congress to introduce gun control legislation: an assault weapons ban; a multi-clip ban; and, tightened background checks including requiring two verifying signatures.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/convene-extraordinary-session-both-houses-congress-submittal-gun-control-legislation/MKlPqqSh
Please register at & sign the petition. Thank you.— spearmuzik - The "Anti-Christ" President Got Re-Elected because of Total Trust in Government Morons Like You , and Will He Want "MORE" Supreme Power When You , and Your Kind Of "Socialists" Give Him Power Over "Congress" to Coin Money at His Leisure as well ?
Go To China , and Check Out THEIR "First Amendment"
Which Reads "The Rule is Who HAS The GUNS , Makes The First Amendment" !
Good Luck Comrade !
We The People Are Responsible for OUR Actions , and once That is "Claro" , it May Sink in To You Libs .— oldsog67 - I don't own a gun. I'm not a member of the NRA. However, I firmly stand w/ the gun owners of America. People kill people... not guns. Last week in China, a man stabbed over 20 children... did China ban knives? In Africa, over a MILLION people were killed w/ machetes... a big knife. Would banning machetes have saved those people... I strongly doubt it. Until our society fixes reinstills respect for ALL LIFE and strengthens the family unit will this stuff begin to subside.— JGD84
- I own an assault rifle. I too am absolutely horrified at what occurred in CT. I've asked myself a few times this weekend if I should give up the weapon. But then I go back and ask why did I purchase it to begin with? The answer is self-protection. I owned hunting shotguns for years. In the summer of 2009 my house and well over 20 around me were broken into. The following year a burglar was chased by the police through my backyard while my kids were playing outside. I've worked in government in high level positions. What I came to learn is that reliance on government is misplaced. With all due respect to the police (who I have enormous respect for), it is more than likely that they will show up after the crime has occurred than in time to save the victim. At the end of the day all we have is ourselves to protect our families and homes. I purchased a weapon designed to protect me from those potentially wanting to do me harm. That being said, responsible gun owners have a duty to keep their weapons in secure locations and not allow them to fall into the hands of the wrong people. The CT shooting is a horrific example of a gun owner making extremely bad decisions about affording access to firearms. What was the mother thinking?— Time to Leave
- question for "time to leave"-if you had your assault rifle with you while police were chasing a burglar though your back yard while your kids were outside playing, would you use it? And how did you know he was a burglar? Now try and give an honest answer to this next question- if that mom didn't purchase those guns, do you think all those kids would have been shot?— Old German
- no one cares until little white kids are shot dead. A man was shot dead in Tioga tonight and no one other than his family is mourning for him.— Tyrone Biggums
- after reading all these comments, including responses to my original comment. Some numbers for the UK were just given to show the difference in other countries. As someone stated most of the murders in Scotland are drug related, as are most of them in this area, if you read the paper every day, it's like how many were killed last night. I would have to agree that the problem is our society as a whole..No respect for any kind of human life. No treatments for the mentally ill. And the drug trade ..and too many criminals back on the street way too soon.
— Lil Bobby - You Really Think That YOU Are Going To TRY To Infringe on My Rights , if I Were A XXX Movie Producer , The First Thing I'd Cry is "That's My Constitutional Right , but ask a News "Journalist" on Their Rights Under the First , and Get Ready For A Well Armed Fight, And They May , even Though They Hate Guns , .Pick One up , And Shoot You !
Do You Think Those 10 Bills of "God Given Rights Were By Accident ?
They Took 12 Years just for 10 to Pass , What one Protects THEM ALL ?
That's Right , The 2ND , and Try to Mess With it , and "Hitler" is Back , along With "Mao" , "Stalin" , And All The Rest !
Handle The Mental Cases Yourselves You Freak Sensational TV , And Movie People , Because YOU Caused This "Gameboy" Mortal Kombat" World For a Buck , or Two , and Let it loose on us.
Politicos are here TODAY , The Constitution is Here to STAY !— oldsog67 - eery parent should show their wacko kid how to shoot a weapon?— sgamble077
- wow..some of these rants are scary... Also was wondering when the race card would be played. The nation was totally devastated that these children were killed the way the were. No one said, well, wait..let's see what race they are first before we decide to care or not. It's not even worth further comment on that.— Lil Bobby
