A federal judge recently ruled that AR-15's are not protected by the 2nd ammendment of the US constitution. Thoughts?

What does that even mean? Cruz used an AR-15 and he's an actual criminal. He killed 17 people with an AR-15.

@EllaDisenchanted

Abolutely correct

@EllaDisenchanted
It is a good starting point though.

@twiggy I'm talking the judge's statement itself, not an individual incident. What I mean is that people are using the AR15 as the boogeyman of gun ownership without knowing what it is. People who don't own guns have told me it's a machine gun, has multiple clips,that it's military grade...blah blah blah....all as reasons to ban it. Meanwhile, the most popular gun for gangbangers are highly modified tec9s that actually do far worse damage. But no one approaches that issue.

@SomeLikeItHot Not really.

@EllaDisenchanted
There are 5 to 10 million AR-15s.
Once those are taken it will open the eyes of many on who is exactly in charge. There is a new sheriff in town.

@SomeLikeItHot And one of those will be mine. Which has only been used for hunting, never has been mishandled and is for defense in the home. So because a handful of people, most of them not even legal owners, misuse a tool I"m to be punished.

Perhaps you should turn in your car and keys to your local sheriff considering how many thousands upon thousands die each year to drunks behind the wheel, distracted drivers on their phones, straight up psychos that use them to run people over......?

@EllaDisenchanted
I see you don't have a strong argument.
I have known the Amish as pacifists and refuse to carry guns to war. Why in the world would they keep them except for fear.

@SomeLikeItHot Amish hunt as well as anyone else. And I'm FORMERLY Amish,of course. I've had to protect myself because of things in my past. I've had to defend myself in my home twice already, one was with a gun. At heart pacifism is still inside me BUT my need to defend my life is stronger. I'm no longer Amish and no longer willing to allow myself to be hurt anymore. There are just some people out there that happily seek out those they think are defenseless and I no longer think it a principal of Godliness to let them.

@SomeLikeItHot Plus, that's war. War and hunting or providing protection (most mennonites and a handful of Amish are pro protection) are different.

@EllaDisenchanted [quote]highly modified tec9s that actually do far worse damage[/quote]
Be serious lol. No they do not.

But yes, Tec9s are popular with criminals for their concealability and high capacity magazines. I agree, they're also not necessary for self defense, etc.

@QuixoticSoul Yes they do. Most criminals that use them do so thinking they're as easy to control as a handgun. Most of that spray and pray driveby crap involve tec9s and 40 stray bullets are far more dangerous that two well aimed ones.

@EllaDisenchanted
A handgun should be simple enough.
I see that fear has frightened you but the Nation is suffering from impulsive purchases of semi automatic rifles by minors. The AR-15 has been a pox on the lives of school children and now finally the victims can speak for themselves. Learn how to use a hand gun instead of a military weapon.

@EllaDisenchanted Ah, so more [i]collateral[/i] damage is what you meant.

Eh, to me semi-auto and detachable magazines are the combination that needs to be highly restricted - so tec9s are also on the list.

@SomeLikeItHot I've been raped and that rapist was waiting for me in my livingroom days ago when I got home because of a judge's very bad decision. That's not fear pushed by media. That's experience and refusal to be a victim a second time. Your fear of a gun and the few people who would misuse them shouldn't mean I can't protect myself. Especially when the system made to protect people fails. The same system that would take away legal options for personal protection.

There is no reason to fear a gun. it's a tool like a hammer or car or stick. It's just more precise for more precise protection in one's home.

@EllaDisenchanted
I do hope you follow the law when it comes. You still have your second amendment right. We are just making the nation safer for the kids.

@QuixoticSoul I mean that modification of tec9 is far easier in most cases than ar15s as well as far more popular. Granted, ar15 modifications, and modifications in general, need FAR more regulation and some need outright banning.

@SomeLikeItHot I've always followed the laws with my guns just like I'd follow the laws if I drove a car. Now if the law says I can't own a gun then fine, render unto ceasar. But there will be a lot more knives, bats and random items of far more damage that I will legally have within my reach just in case i have to defend myself again.

If you want to make the nation safer for the kids then we should focus on mental health, tighten/creation antibullying laws that are common sense AND will be upheld by those in the power to do so, shore up the fostercare and adoption system to make it harder to abuse the systems and allow prosecution against judges in cases of gross negligence above judicial immunity.

I don't live in fear and have no fear that would drive me to huddle in a closet with my guns. I live my life but I'm honest that bad things to happen. Some have happened to me just like some have happened to others. But that's not a reason to fear life. Just to be trained and ready to defend when life goes sour IF it comes to that. That's not living or acting in fear, it's acting with responsibility.

@EllaDisenchanted
We have someone to go to when the bad memories haunt us.
Who knows if these murders will be enough to change the laws. It is refreshing to see that we have gone beyond the tyranny of the nra.

@SomeLikeItHot The NRA is only a lobby group and with all lobby groups it's the most extreme that like to scream the loudest. Look at planned parenthood and peta. Same thing there.

All I know is that the vast majority of legal gun owners are responsible and put safety first. If you visit you won't have to worry about finding guns stashed in cereal boxes or laying around. And if you're not out to hurt me or hubby you're not going to see them.

Hiding a problem behind a political movement or lobby doesn't fix a problem. It almost never has.

@EllaDisenchanted [quote]If you want to make the nation safer for the kids then we should focus on mental health, tighten/creation antibullying laws that are common sense AND will be upheld by those in the power to do so, shore up the fostercare and adoption system to make it harder to abuse the systems and allow prosecution against judges in cases of gross negligence above judicial immunity.[/quote]We should [i]also[/i] do that. But no, you don't need a semi-auto version of a military assault rifle to defend yourself. This isn't Afghanistan.

[quote]But there will be a lot more knives, bats and random items of far more damage that I will legally have within my reach just in case i have to defend myself again.[/quote]That's fine.

I get that you've been through a traumatic event. I don't see how a rifle in the closet would have helped when someone is waiting for you in the living room, but some of this is simple desire for control over your life and circumstances.

I actually think that's at the root of these discussions. Gun control does tend to make a country a safer place - when black market weapons prices go sky high, criminals stop being able to afford them. But while it might make everyone safer overall and lower violent deaths overall and mass shootings especially, it can mean that when something does happen, you have less recourse, and that sucks. It's a situation that is hard for the human brain to work with, because we're not inherently good at statistics and risk analysis.

Anyway, I'm not even especially for some sort of an outright ban - I'd be far more comfortable if we simply started licensing people, registering weapons individually, periodically inspecting them, etc etc. We have far more oversight over cars in this country than weapons, and that is just silly.

@EllaDisenchanted

2nd amendment people are the largest political party ... over 130mm adults ... they are the majority from coast to coast.

The fringe anti-gun people are annoying but a small minority ... mostly located in urban locations

@EllaDisenchanted
The chances of visiting are remote.
I am not a threat.
The nra had no words of comfort for the thousands of victims ever.
They represent gun owners and have taken money from the companies that manufactures guns and they have taken money from the russians. There is no operating conscience at the top of that militant organization.

@SomeLikeItHot Exactly. Even if you DID visit and want to join in on my boring granny hobbies this country is very low on actual,credible threats compared to population. Especially where I live.

NRA, unfortunately, is the only vocal group that is willing to fight against bad gun control laws. But as is usual fighting the beast ost often turns one in to a beast themself.

@EllaDisenchanted
Hopefully something good will come of this. I am sorry that you did experience the trauma of rape. If the laws change I hope you will find something adequate to replace it. Prayer helps you know 😊