Assault Weapons are for Killing People
Let’s start with the conclusion; the people willing to kill people are the kind who own assault weapons.
Full disclosure. I was raised in the North. I’m a gun owner. I have three rifles of different sizes, a shotgun and a target pistol. I have hunted for meat, and I have killed animals that needed killing for safety reasons. Several generations of my family hunt. Some of my friends hunt on a regular basis. So when I talk about guns, keep that in mind. I am not against gun ownership. I am against egotistical stupidity that brings all gun owners into bad repute. I have nothing against people owning guns for sport and in limited situations for security, but there is a limit, and certain people in Canada are far beyond it. Do any of these quotes sound familiar?
“An Assault Rifle Isn’t Meant to Kill People.”
Face it, folks, image is everything. The mere fact that certain people buy assault rifles means they should be outlawed. A quick search reveals Internet sites filled with pictures of stubble-jawed models in garb straight out of Grand Theft Auto brandishing army-style weapons in studly poses.
In case you don’t remember the “Marlborough man,” let’s apply the history of tobacco advertising, which appealed so strongly to people like insecure teenagers who were the best sales targets. Weapons sellers are playing the same games.
“Criminals Own Guns, and You’re Blaming Us”
And don’t give me the guff about “only criminals.” There is a continuum from the wishy-washiest peacenik to the most murderous criminal, and you Assault rifle owners, with your egotistical “good guys and bad guys” attitude are only one short, slippery step on the legal side of that line. In fact, since most of the people using assault rifles are criminals, a law banning them would be another good tool for police officers to use against them. If honest citizens have to take a tiny hit to our right to make stupid decisions, so be it.
“Don’t Bring a Gun Unless You Intend to Use It.”
This is much closer to the ethos of the gun lobby. Your contention that your AK-47 is “only for sport” is bullsizzle. Ask yourself. If you own that assault rifle, are you willing to use it against humans? If you answer that question with a whole bunch of “only ifs,” it’s too late. You have admitted that you would kill people, and you have chosen the best weapon with which to accomplish your goal. Congratulations.
If you are an “upstanding citizen” who touts the ownership of weapons that are designed to kill humans, remember that you are validating the nutter who really wants that weapon to use on humans. As such, it is impossible to draw the line between the two of you. You are both dangerous to society. You are not an upstanding citizen, you are abetting criminals.
If you think you need to own an AK-47 yourself, you’re damaged goods. You are a frightened, insecure person, and you have let your need for personal security blind you to the damage you are doing to society.
The Economics
The Canadian arms manufacturing industry brings several billion dollars into the economy every year, mostly producing military weapons for export. Any country that produces that much weaponry can hardly hold its head up in the civilized world. Despite our goody-goody international reputation, we are net exporters of death and violence. However, it is part of our economy and, just like oil production, we can’t shut it down instantly without causing a dent in our GDP. But sooner or later, we must cut down on the arms industry, for both inside Canada and export. Otherwise we will end up like the United States, where business interests control everything, to the detriment of the population.
The Politics
The damage is done when government allows commercial enterprises to prey on the susceptible because of pressure from those enterprises to make money for their shareholders, and the old “we’re saving jobs” myth.
When 75% of the population wants a law, then sooner or later that law needs to be passed. It’s up to government to make the introduction of that law as painless as possible for the misguided minority, but pass the law they must. That’s democracy.
Not that I have much hope. Even when they had a majority, the Liberals could be rated ‘extremely flexible’ in dealing with industry lobbyists. Now that they’re in a more precarious position, I can’t see them rocking the boat too seriously. Despite that (back to the statistics) only 34% of Canadian voters opted for a party that supports assault rifles.
The Social Pressure
Politics makes for uncomfortable bedfellows. Responsible gun owners are pressured to support these would-be Rambos because of the fear that some day the government is going to take all guns away. Maybe you should look at the scenario from the point of view of the rest of the populace. The reason we want assault weapons taken away is because of the extremists you are supporting. Throw them on the historical scrapheap where they belong, and people are going to be a whole lot more comfortable with you owning a hunting rifle or target pistol.
Bottom Line:
If you need an AK-47 to deal with life in Canada, you are a pathetic coward allowing your personal ego-boost to intrude on the safety of all Canadians. A good guideline for your behaviour would be to act as if the nutter that will create the next mass shooting is listening to your propaganda and loving it.