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What you're basically saying is there's a spectrum, but people just disagree over how to demarcate the spectrum. I agree, and so does the US government. Right n
by meowface 8y ago
What you're basically saying is there's a spectrum, but people just disagree over how to demarcate the spectrum. I agree, and so does the US government. Right now, automatic rifles and anything more powerful than them are illegal to privately own. That's just where a large part of the US draws the line right now: semi-automatic and below are okay, anything above is not okay. Maybe that line will move in the future, but people are already thinking in this way, they just disagree with you over what things are on which part of the spectrum.
- peterwwillis 8y agoBut shouldn't the "spectrum" be decided by what actually happens to people, and not just public opinion? Wrt automatics vs non, handguns are (iirc?) the deadliest weapons in the US. So yeah, the spectrum may change, I'm just saying I think it should be based on real world risks and not just individual perception.
- technothrasher 8y agoFYI, fully automatic firearms are not actually illegal to privately own in the US. They are just heavily regulated. Guns that weren't registered by a 1986 cut off date are banned for private ownership, but even that is reasonably easy to work around with the appropriate Federal Firearms License. Although I don't own any fully auto guns myself, I know plenty of people who do legally own them.
- jki275 8y agoI wouldn't argue it's very easy to get a SOT. It's not the most difficult thing in the world, but it's definitely non-trivial.