Golden Hound
Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2008
- Messages
- 778
The whole gun debate has been utterly poisoned by the use of the term "assault weapon". An invented, fictitious, and totally loaded term, which, as soon as it is used - either deliberately, by antis, or inadvertently by people who have just heard it repeated over and over and don't understand what it actually means - adds a further layer of misinformation to any discussion about firearms in the public.
But, it occurred to me recently, what people mean when they say "assault weapon" is really just "MODERN RIFLE." What they mean is a rifle that is modern, that is built with modern conveniences and modern materials, for optimum effectiveness as a rifle. It's a modern rifle the same way that an iPhone is the standard modern mobile communications device and a Nikon D4 or Canon EOS is the standard digital SLR camera.
The word "modern" goes over well with everybody. Nobody wants to NOT be modern. Modern means progress. And, most importantly, it replaces this whole sinister "assault" business, which only makes uninformed people think of something sinister and evil.
I want to see a massive movement to change the terminology from "assault weapon" to "modern rifle" when referring to what is, in fact, a modern rifle with modern features such as pistol grips, detachable magazines with ideal capacities, and adjustable stocks, made out of "scary" black materials. Because that's what it is - a modern rifle.
For decades, special-interest groups have been changing the "accepted" terms for things when they feel like it, whether that relates to gender, sexuality, race, or whatever. It's time for us, as a group, to step up and do the same thing. MODERN RIFLES, people. Never miss an opportunity to call them by their right name.
But, it occurred to me recently, what people mean when they say "assault weapon" is really just "MODERN RIFLE." What they mean is a rifle that is modern, that is built with modern conveniences and modern materials, for optimum effectiveness as a rifle. It's a modern rifle the same way that an iPhone is the standard modern mobile communications device and a Nikon D4 or Canon EOS is the standard digital SLR camera.
The word "modern" goes over well with everybody. Nobody wants to NOT be modern. Modern means progress. And, most importantly, it replaces this whole sinister "assault" business, which only makes uninformed people think of something sinister and evil.
I want to see a massive movement to change the terminology from "assault weapon" to "modern rifle" when referring to what is, in fact, a modern rifle with modern features such as pistol grips, detachable magazines with ideal capacities, and adjustable stocks, made out of "scary" black materials. Because that's what it is - a modern rifle.
For decades, special-interest groups have been changing the "accepted" terms for things when they feel like it, whether that relates to gender, sexuality, race, or whatever. It's time for us, as a group, to step up and do the same thing. MODERN RIFLES, people. Never miss an opportunity to call them by their right name.
