Gun control facts

Would someone (Shawn Vestal) explain to me what an “assault gun” is? (“Ferguson not letting up on assault-style weapon ban,” March 26)

You can’t, because it’s a made-up term used to frighten people. To a true believer in gun control, feelings don’t care about your facts. I’ve heard: “When you pull the trigger it keeps shooting.” Nope, that’s a machine gun, illegal since 1934. Bump stocks, used in Las Vegas, are illegal in most states. “It shoots more powerful bullets.” Nope, every military weapon has a civilian version that shoots the same bullet.

“It looks military.” Yup, the AR-15 is civilian version of the military’s M-16, which became M-4. But if black scares you, it is available in pink. Is a semi-automatic rifle, the Puckle gun, invented in 1719, an “assault gun”” Why not, same idea just older?

Look at gun-control success in London, no firearms anywhere, and the murder rate went up, higher than NYC for a while. Weapon used: “assault” knifes. Or Japan, no gun culture at all. However, murder rates are up. Weapon used” 10 round, semi-automatic “assault” crossbows. Crossbow control anyone?

Anyone for a hot summer night in gun control extreme Chicago? Should be safe. Gun controllers will never tell you that in 2019, out of 13,900 murders in the U.S., only 364 were with all rifles, only half the number of murdered with hand and feet. The single most important element in a shooting incident is the person behind the trigger. Gun control money, yes, mental health, not so much.

Steven Stuart

Spokane