Wed May 25, 2022, 08:05 AM

I watched the news this AM. I gotta ask

Why are they NOT calling this an ASSAULT rifle? Is this the NEW thing? They continue saying a long rifle. I sick of their attempts to cover up things. Did someone communicate with law enforcement to NOT use the word ASSAULT rifle? Pisses me off!

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
I watched the news this AM. I gotta ask (Original post)	bluestarone	May 2022	OP
Because the NRA and its supporters have "semanticed" the issue to death--even here	hlthe2b	May 2022	#1
A high capacity magazine fed semiautomatic rifle	exboyfil	May 2022	#2
They are describing the wounds. I think that is more important It's so gruesome	mucifer	May 2022	#3
That doesn't preclude them from calling it an assault weapon	867-5309.	May 2022	#4
Long gun v assault rifle? It doesn't matter, both kill people.	brush	May 2022	#5
It's because technically the AR-15 is not classified as an assault rifle,	crickets	May 2022	#6
Do they know for sure what kind of gun it was?	iemanja	May 2022	#7
Using the term "assault rifle" allows the discussion to be derailed by arguing the definition.	Midnight Writer	May 2022	#8

Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 08:08 AM

hlthe2b (95,496 posts)

1. Because the NRA and its supporters have "semanticed" the issue to death--even here

If there is a loophole in the label/description of the various types of semi-automatic or high-volume-clip long guns, they will go nuts over it.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 08:09 AM

exboyfil (17,509 posts)

2. A high capacity magazine fed semiautomatic rifle

Yes an assault rifle.

The only important difference between that and the weapon used by militaries around the world is no feature for automatic fire.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 08:28 AM

mucifer (22,088 posts)

3. They are describing the wounds. I think that is more important It's so gruesome

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Response to mucifer (Reply #3)

Wed May 25, 2022, 08:33 AM

867-5309. (1,189 posts)

4. That doesn't preclude them from calling it an assault weapon

Walk and chew gum, media.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 10:07 AM

brush (46,128 posts)

5. Long gun v assault rifle? It doesn't matter, both kill people.

At a quick glance from a distance it's actually a term which differentiates a rifle or shotgun from a hand gun/short gun. And the term also warns of the potential for there to be a high-capacity magazine attached.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 10:31 AM

crickets (24,078 posts)

6. It's because technically the AR-15 is not classified as an assault rifle,

and that is because it is 'only' semi-automatic. This is solely due to the trigger mechanism. The AR-15 is not automatic; that means it requires that you pull the trigger each time you want to fire. Well, that is unless you get a bump stock.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ar15s-are-basically-assau_b_10469112

WaPo, 2018:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2018/02/15/4-basic-questions-about-the-ar-15/
no paywall: https://archive.ph/fU3fq

It's all semantics. The gun is just as deadly or easily modified to be so, but gun folks are very touchy about making the distinction. The 'AR' stands for ArmaLite, the name of the company that manufactures it, and one of the reasons it's so popular is because it's the closest civilian version of the M-16 used by the US Army. Lovely.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 10:33 AM

iemanja (52,336 posts)

7. Do they know for sure what kind of gun it was?

Last night, the media didn't seem sure. Though authorities have had time to look at it since.

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Response to bluestarone (Original post)

Wed May 25, 2022, 01:06 PM

Midnight Writer (18,311 posts)

8. Using the term "assault rifle" allows the discussion to be derailed by arguing the definition.

I would prefer they use the term "AR", which is what the gun manufacturers themselves use. Everyone has a concept of what an AR is.

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