Mass Murder Is a Choice. The Gun Industry Made It

jeffw@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 582 points –
Mass Murder Is a Choice. The Gun Industry Made It
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When your product's only use is to commit mass murder and you advertise it as making you an invincible badass then yes.

Your point is irrelevant. "Only a tiny fraction of the land mines I placed outside a school killed any children."

That's the thing, that's NOT the only use for the platform. If it were, it wouldn't be the best selling rifle in the US.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/america-s-rifle-why-so-many-people-love-ar-15-n831171

The primary reason for choosing one is weight.

My grandfathers Remington 721 weighs 8.4 pounds (3.8kg), carries 4 rounds, and in .30-06 is arguably a stronger caliber than the .223 in an AR platform.

My Henry .45-70, the caliber rated for all big game in North America (and jokingly rated by Marlin for T-Rex), weighs 8.1 pounds (3.67kg) and carries 4+1 rounds.

Something like the Ruger AR556 weighs a relatively svelte 6.5 pounds (2.95kg) and comes stock with a 30 round capacity, making it easier to carry.

I know, I know, 1.9 pounds (0.86kg) doesn't SOUND like a lot, but it FEELS a lot heavier when you're marching around the woods with a rifle strap digging into your shoulder.

And being able to pick up something fast and use it in a home defense situation makes all the difference in the world.

And make no mistake about it, the Supreme Court has ruled over and over that the primary reason for the 2nd Amendment is self defense.

(2008)
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/554/570/

"Private citizens have the right under the Second Amendment to possess an ordinary type of weapon and use it for lawful, historically established situations such as self-defense in a home, even when there is no relationship to a local militia."

(2010)
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/561/742/

"The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment extends the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms to the states, at least for traditional, lawful purposes such as self-defense."

(2016)
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/577/14-10078/

“the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding,”

(2022)
https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/597/20-843/

the "constitutional right to bear arms in public for self-defense is not a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other Bill of Rights guarantees.” The exercise of other constitutional rights does not require individuals to demonstrate to government officers some special need.

Sadly, no one will read this, those that do don't give a shit. Thanks for leaving all this info anyway.

The primary reason for choosing one is weight.

It is not true that cutting food is the primary use of a funco brand model A kitchen knife

The primary reason for choosing one is weight

A huge comment, but I fail to find what you consider other uses beside what you commented on.

You don't require any other use besides the desire for self defense. That's the position of the Supreme Court.

The supreme court says whatever the fuck they want. It's not some sacred institution that should be respected.

You can go tell them that, and see how far it gets you.

The Supreme Court is the arbiter of what the constitution means and they set the landscape of the current law of the land.

Their opinions can change (abortion), but it takes generations to make that change.

No it doesn't. It just takes putting your political toadies in the seats. They just say whatever the fuck they want to say. It's not an institution that means anything. Not any further than 'they get to say whatever the fuck they want' that is. Have you read their decisions? They're barely even trying to pretend anymore. Why are you?

It's the 3rd equal part of government as defined by the US Constitution, so yes, it IS an institution just as much as the Legislative and Executive branches.

You can't ignore a constitutionally mandated part of our government just because you don't agree with them.

Now, it CAN change. We saw it change on abortion rights, all it takes is a concerted effort to appoint judges who feel the way you do over a 50 year period of time.

I don't think you're being very present in our conversation. You're not following very well.

When did I say it wasn't an institution? When did I say it wasn't a branch of government?

all it takes is a concerted effort to appoint judges who feel the way you do over a 50 year period of time.

Oh there are much easier and faster ways to deal with them. Like for instance just ignoring them.

When did I say it wasn't an institution?

2 Comments above:

"It's not some sacred institution that should be respected."

1Comment above:
"It's not an institution that means anything."

When did I say it wasn't a branch of government?

That's implied when you say "just ignore them."

You do NOT have the option of ignoring a branch of government defined by the Constitution.

Anymore than you can choose to ignore the Executive or Legislative branches.

sacred, should be respected

that means anything

That’s implied when you say “just ignore them.”

No it isn't

You do NOT have the option of ignoring a branch of government defined by the Constitution.

Yes you do. It's been done before.

Anymore than you can choose to ignore the Executive or Legislative branches.

Yes fuck those branches as well but this is off topic

Wow, so you essentially have absolutely no idea how our system of government works.

Good luck with "just ignore it" if you ever end up in court, I guarantee that will not go well for you.

You should crack a history book before you start spouting off about how other people don't know things. When someone tells you something has been done in the past, it's kinda dumb to just spout off "that's not how that works!" with such a smug, sophomoric attitude.

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