10 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2018 Special series from 9A When the demonstrator stated that nobody needs “semi-automatic machine guns,” they conflated two types of guns, semi-automatic and machine. A machine gun is a firearm that only fires in full-automatic mode, meaning it continuously fires with a single pull of the trigger, and stops only when the trigger is released. A semi-automatic gun is one which fires a single shot with every pull, but the bullets are automatically reloaded between shots. This is dif- ferent from single-shot guns, which requires the user to either cock the gun between shots, such as revolvers, or hand-feed ammunition between shots, like bolt-action rifles. The distinction is important for a number of reasons. Since the passage of the Firearm Owners Protection Act in 1986, the manufacturing and selling of machine guns became illegal, though ownership or selling these guns made before the ban are still allowed. Most of the machine guns still in existence are cost prohibitive though, with price tags in the tens of thousands of dollars. Pre-1986 machine guns are still transferable between individuals. Dealers are able to buy newly manu- factured machine guns, but are not allowed to sell them to the general public. When a gun reformer states they want machine guns banned, they are talking about policy that was decided decades earlier. More regularly, gun reformers refer to semi-automatic guns when they speak of gun control. However, most of the guns sold in America, from handguns to rifles, are semi- automatic. In 2013, more than four million pistols (semi-automatic) were sold in America, while less than one million revolvers (single shot) were sold, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Creating a blanket ban on all semi- automatic weapons would essentially ban 3/4 of all handguns and rifles in America. To differentiate, gun reformers often lean on the term “assault weapon” to describe weapons to con- lapsible or folding stock, which If people had to choose one specif- trol, but even that term is fraught allows the weapon to be shortened ic reason for gun ownership, protec- with problems. and perhaps concealed? Does the gun tion drops to 48 percent and hunting The term “assault weapon” has have a muzzle brake, which helps down to 32 percent, per a 2013 Pew been used in various capacities decrease recoil? report. throughout the decades. A January These types of arguments are con- But the guns people use for protec- 2013 New York Times article laid out sidered crucial to those in the gun tion differs. the problems surrounding the term. debate, particularly for guns rights A 2014 Baylor Religion Survey “Assault weapon” was first used to advocates. Because of the nebulous found that handguns were the pre- describe a military ferred weapon at weapon, the 37.5 percent. Long Sturmgewher, pro- “The most destructive, divisive response when dealing guns, like the AR-15, duced by the with Second Amendment advocates is the notion that drop to 27 percent, Germans in World we aren’t on your side of the issue because we ‘don’t with 58 percent War II. That weapon reporting long gun was capable of both care’ about the tragedy and loss of life.” use as recreational — Author Meredith Dake-O’Connor only, and 9 percent semiautomatic and fully automatic fire. in an article for The Federalist as collector’s items. By 1984, as manu- In this light, AR- facturers began to 15s are typically sell firearms modeled after new mili- nature of the term, different states used for hunting and target practice, tary rifles, advertisers like Guns & have come up with different laws something that most of the March for Ammo promoted a book called based upon their own interpretation Our Lives demonstrators listed as “Assault Firearms,” which it said of the phrase. For example, suitable reasons to own a gun. was “full of the hottest hardware California bans magazines that hold It should also be noted that the available today.” more than 10 bullets. “AR” in AR-15 does not stand for But since then, the term has Many gun rights advocates con- “assault rifle,” which is an oft-stated become mostly a political phrase. tend that by simply saying “assault claim. Instead, it stands for ArmaLite Generally, gun reform advocates weapons” should be banned; gun Rifle 15. It was originally manufac- refer to “assault weapons” as reformers are ignoring the complexi- tured for military use as an automat- firearms like those used in recent ty of the issue. ic weapon, but in 1959 the trademark mass shooting like the Pulse The March for Our Lives demon- was sold to Colt’s Manufacturing Nightclub in Florida and the Las strator suggested that long guns like Company. In 1964, Colt began sell- Vegas shooting earlier this year. The AR-15s are not made to shoot accu- ing the rifle in a semi-automatic focus is on semi-automatic rifles rately, inferring that the only reason form. Then in 1977, the patent ran with detachable magazines and “mil- to own a long gun would be to indis- out and the gun proliferated the mar- itary” features like pistol grips, flash criminately shoot at multiple targets. ket, fast becoming one of the most suppressors and collapsible or fold- The statement is false, as most mod- popular guns in America. ing stocks, as the NY Times article els have a Minute of Angle (MOA) of It is important to point out that the stated. one or two. gun has been sold publicly for 54 But gun rights advocates argue MOA refers to the capability a years, but is only now being used in that the term should only apply to firearm has to consistently deliver a mass shootings, which have occurred weapons that have fully automatic grouping of shots at a particular dis- in America since before the capabilities, as defined in the WWII tance. A one-MOA gun can be accu- Constitution was signed. To single era. Because fully automatic rate within 1 inch when shooting the AR-15 out as the main reason for weapons were essentially banned in from 100 yards away. At 200 yards, deadly mass shootings would be a 1986, the discussion on further ban- it’s 2 inches, 300 yards, 3 inches, etc. misnomer, as it has existed for ning assault weapons is moot. Many long guns like the AR-15 have decades as an uncontroversial gun They also contend that there is MOA ratings that make the accuracy for hunting and target shooting. very little difference between any even better. Handguns make up the vast major- sporting firearm and assault The targeting accuracy of a long ity of gun violence in the United weapons, which is true. gun like the AR-15 is important to States. In 2016, 7,105 handguns were The general consensus for those understand how they are typically tied to homicides, compared to 374 who use the term is that an “assault used in the general population. with rifles and 262 with shotguns. weapon” is a semiautomatic weapon A 2017 survey by the Pew When the March for Our Lives that has detachable magazines, Research Center studied why people demonstrators were asked if they allowing them to fire 10 to 100 own guns. Asking what the “major” believed handguns should be banned, rounds with a single magazine. But reason was for gun ownership, 67 most stated no. this definition covers a wide variety percent said for protection, 38 per- “They’re okay,” one demonstrator of guns, including handguns. cent for hunting, 30 percent for sport said. “They’re okay in the hands of After that, it becomes a question of shooting, 13 percent for collecting people that know how to use them or “cosmetics.” Does a gun have a col- and eight percent for work. keep them secure.” When a gun reformer infers that guns like the AR-15 are only used to kill mass amounts of people, it can have the effect of completely disre- garding the culture of those who own guns, painting gun owners as uncar- ing. This in turn makes it difficult for both sides of the issue to debate guns in good faith. In an October 2017 article in The Federalist written by Meredith Dake- O’Connor, a gun rights advocate spoke about the pain of the miscon- ceptions regarding how they are viewed in the debate: “The most destructive, divisive response when dealing with Second Amendment advocates is the notion that we aren’t on your side of the issue because we ‘don’t care’ about the tragedy and loss of life. Two years ago, at Christmas I had a fami- ly member, exasperated that I wasn’t agreeing about gun control, snarl, ‘It appears that if your [step] daughter was killed because of gun violence you wouldn’t even care!’ … The obvious implication is that we are unmoved by the loss of life.” Dake-O’Connor wrote that the debate often “dehumanizes” Second Amendment advocates, even those who empathize with the pain over the loss of life. “As hard as it may be to imagine, a person can watch this, ache, hurt and be profoundly affected by these events and not change his or her position on the Second Amendment,” she wrote. If both sides view each other as monsters, will a constructive discus- sion on the issue ever be had? And if the discussion cannot be had, will meaningful and lasting solutions to issues of mass shootings ever be accomplished? In different times, it’s possible that this debate could be better served without the specter of mass shoot- ings. As it stands, however, mass shootings are where the debate cur- rently is. The question is whether there are misconceptions about mass shoot- ings as well. In part two of this series, the Siuslaw News will examine another component of the ongoing debate on guns: mental health. Screening Presented by: Siuslaw News & KCST & KCFM Coast Radio Thursday, April 26, 2018 Two Showings @ City Lights Cinema 12:30pm • 6:00pm FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Tickets are FREE* Admission tickets are required and available starting March 26 th at: • Siuslaw News 148 Maple St. • City Lights Cinema 1920 HWY 101 Representatives will be available for a Q&A after each showing. *Only 230 tickets available, fi rst come, fi rst served, Limit 2 per person. ANTHONY BOURDAIN WASTED! The Story of Food Waste