Let's Ban the "A" word

[L2R]

You know, I am sick and tired of feeling demonized by the media. They coined it and all of us commonly use it.

I have decided to take the words 'assault weapon' out of my vocabulary and I am commited, as of today, to challenge anyone I hear use it to stop them, educate them politely and call it what it is. They are semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. Using the A word is helping their cause, not ours.


I saw where an individual wrote here that he was tired of hiding his beliefs inside his waistband and he was going to start to open carry.

I don't know this guy or girl but I think they is onto something. Over the years we have learned to lower our voices at work and keep our beliefs and values quiet so as not to offend friends or risk losing our jobs.

It is time to stop being quiet and allowing the media and others demonize gun ownership while we sit and quietly speak only to those to agree with us.

Today is the day to come out of closet, or safe might be a better choice of words and let those around us who know us, see that normal people are pro gun.

I do wish we could get passed talking about just the 2nd ammendment. Too many people stop listening when they hear 'the 2nd ammendment' because that doesn't affect them. We need to say that the Bill of Rights is being attacked. Those who swore to uphold the Constitution are nibbling at it a small piece at a time.

I can see some priviliged, isolated politicans have skewed views. They are so far removed from the common citizen, I really do get that. But how is it that the general public doesn't see it that way?

[PBW60]

AMEN!

[2ndsojourn]

"I can see some priviliged, isolated politicans have skewed views. They are so far removed from the common citizen, I really do get that. But how is it that the general public doesn't see it that way?"

Most of it is common sense. The problem with that is most people don't have any.

[Aguila Blanca]

The problem is that, for several generations, our schools have not taught our kids how to think, but rather to just passively accept what they are spoon fed. So they read newspapers (maybe) and watch television, they hear the talking heads proclaiming that "assault weapons" are evil (and exactly the same as military assault rifles) ... so they swallow the lies, hook line and sinker.

The difficulty we face is that we have to overcome the presumption of veracity that attaches to "the media." There's a subconscious belief that, if you see it on the telly, it must be true. We know that's not the case, but most people don't know that, and are reluctant to even entertain the notion.

Many years ago I worked for a guy (who ironically turned out to be a crook) who used to say, "Everything you read in the news is true ... unless you have first-hand knowledge of the facts."

[geetarman]

"Everything you read in the news is true ... unless you have first-hand knowledge of the facts."

So true. I worked for a newspaper while in college. After a while, one began to see a certain slant to the way news was reported. A lot depended on the leanings of the owners.

[Rmart30]

I agree also. I never use the AW word and think we all should try very hard to call it something else.

I either call them a rifle , or firearm. I do like modern sporting rifle and a new one I just started hearing , personal defense rifle.

Personal defense rifle just sounds so much better than AW.

[MrDontPlay]

Well said. I'm only 26 but from listening to older people it seems that gun ownership and marksmanship used to be something people in America were all proud of, now it seems it's something we have to hide from people who might be sacred. This fear of guns has happened over several decades so it will take a while to reverse it, but I plan on doing my part.

[Aguila Blanca]

Originally Posted by MrDontPlay

I'm only 26 but from listening to older people it seems that gun ownership and marksmanship used to be something people in America were all proud of, now it seems it's something we have to hide from people who might be sacred.

Naw, it wasn't anything we were proud of. It was so normal and accepted that there was no reason whatsoever to be proud of it. No more so than owning a vacuum cleaner or a toaster.

I'm officially a senior citizen, and have been for "awhile." My grandfather taught me (and my siblings and cousins) to shoot on an old .22 carbine he had had since he was a boy. For a few years in the 1950s I attended a day camp during the summers. This camp was founded and operated by two teachers from a respected private school in the area. The roster of camp activities included both archery and riflery ... for both boys and girls. I don't recall any of the kids, even the girls, refusing to participate, and I don't recall ever hearing that any parent ever objected to their kid(s) being taught how to shoot.

It was just ... normal.

[bird_dog]

It's the left in this country that constantly re-names things. I don't buy that we should go down that road. I'm not an AR expert, but I'm guessing that "AR" is derived from "assault rifle"? If you have the right to own it, who gives a damn what you call it. The people who know what it is, know what it is. The people who don't, most likely never will.

Let them call it anything they want. It's the least of gun owners' worries these days.

[spanishjames]

I don't think AR is derived from Assault Rifle.

[lcpiper]

Ar doesn't stand for Assault Rifle, AR stands for the company that designed and made the AR-15, Armalite Corporation.


I could probably retrain myself not to say Assault Weapon, not that tough really. But I do not agree that we should muddy the water further by calling them personal defense rifles.

You best bet is to have a handy copy of that letter from the Green berets handy because I have not heard it spoken better then that.

[cannonfire]

People are hysterical about "assault weapons". My mother, who is pro gun etc called me up one day and says she doesn't think anybody should have "assault weapons". I simply asked her what an assault weapon is and she couldn't explain it. So then I told her to go look in my rifle bag (my guns are at her house in GA while I finish up school in NJ). I said you see that rifle that hasn't harmed anybody? That is what the media is talking about, you have one in your own house, so how evil is it? All she said was "Oh".

And another argument for people who say these "assault weapons" are "weapons of mass destruction", just ask them if they think we found WMDs in Iraq. Because if they think these semi-auto rifles are WMD, then sure enough the full auto brother is one and the Iraqi Army was filled with them. Then I usually go into some sarcastic rant about how they must have supported the Iraq War (which usually if they are anti gun, they opposed the war) and how we found tens if not hundreds of thousands of WMDs in Iraq.

They usually have the dumbfounded look on their face after that

[hardworker]

I disagree with the notion that most people are mindless tv-viewers. Most people are generally intelligent, it's when you get a bunch of them together that the herd mentality takes over. That's the case for most anything, not just guns.

Being a gun owner doesn't make us any smarter than anyone else. That attitude is the reason they don't like us. Pretending we're more enlightened than them just makes up look like elitists.

Trying to rename the AR to "personal defense rifle" is the same behavior we're condemning the anti's for when they label the AR "assault weapon". Doing so makes up hypocrites, as it makes us look like we're trying to trivialize the issue out of existence.

The fact of the matter is that as more Americans migrate to the cities, they have less use for a gun. Hunting and target shooting are major productions to someone living in a city. Since they have no opportunity to see any positive use of a gun, their opinions are shaped by the negative uses they see of them.

Telling them they need one for self defense is like telling someone they need to exercise more, sure it's good advice, but we all know how that works out most of the time.

If you want to help enlighten people, take them shooting. Show them safety first and emphasize it. No political spin, just whittle away at the negative association they have with firearms.

[StukaJU87]

The fact of the matter is that as more Americans migrate to the cities, they have less use for a gun. Hunting and target shooting are major productions to someone living in a city. Since they have no opportunity to see any positive use of a gun, their opinions are shaped by the negative uses they see of them.

That sums up the whole issue. That and the rest of your post was very well written and accurate. You have made the whole issue crystal clear and brought up some really good points.

[JKHolman]

L2R,
I have never referred to any of my semi-automatic rifles as an assault rifle. Whenever anyone else did, I would use the opportunity to patiently educate them as to the proper requirements of an assault rifle.
Then again, I never refer to homosexuals as gay (my eight-year-old daughter is gay). Yep, they highjacked that word and nearly everyone (especially parents of a homosexual offspring) just trooped up and went along with it.
Let me get back to the subject. While English is an evolving language, we should be more deliberate in how we speak. The avatars of our language are our school teachers. A fellow here at work was in a parent/teacher conference and when the teacher said, " I aint got ..." Well, he pretty much knew it was time to change schools.
L2R, while you are it, let us stop baldly referring to all sidearms as handguns. It is a catchall for the Press, and we need to stop going along with it. There are revolvers and there are semi-auto pistols; although I refer to the latter simply as pistols. When I say revolvers (some say wheelguns, which is quaint yet accurate), the meaning is unmistakeable.
L2R, your thread is a much needed one and I tip my hat to you.

-JKHolman

[4EVERM-14]

Shooting instructors are encouraged to avoid the term "Weapon". I inform people that we own and use firearms. Rifles, handguns and shotguns. Semi-automatic, lever,bolt action or whatever. My club even penalizes students one dollar [for the donut fund] every time they use the "W" word. Avoiding the inflammatory terms that the media tosses about when speaking to non gun owners can leave a more professional, responsible impression.

[tyme]

Originally Posted by hardworker

Trying to rename the AR to "personal defense rifle" is the same behavior we're condemning the anti's for when they label the AR "assault weapon". Doing so makes up hypocrites, as it makes us look like we're trying to trivialize the issue out of existence.

So "personal defense" is too vague, like "assault" or "weapon"? I like how you think.

Can we call them rifles, or semi-auto rifles if there's a need to distinguish from bolt/lever guns? I hope that's objective enough.

[Falcon5NZ]

How about the NZ term for that kind of firearm, "Military Style Semi Automatic" (MSSA)
It's technically correct and points it that whilst it looks like a FA assault rifle it is a semi auto look-alike and hopefully would stop the "FA assault rifle" confusion that the antis are so keen to muddy the waters with.

[SPEMack618]

I prefer to call it what it is, a rifle. Or in the case of most AR-15s, a carbine.

[sirdiealot]

honestly when me and the kids are going to go out shooting i just tell the kids hey lets get the guns out on dads bed that we are gonna take...they put the guns on my bed that they wanna take usually its the 715tactical 22lr. the cricket 22lr, my sig sauer ar15, and i usually throw in my old marlin gill gun..cause that was my dads and oh the memories it brings back everytime i pull that trigger. its not a assualt rifle until i asault someone with it. and then again if i asualt someone with the cricket does that then become a asualt rifle? if i hit someone with a bat that was doing nothing to me is that a assualt bat. things that make you go hmmmm

[hardworker]

Yes. I am in favor of calling them rifles, or semi autos if need be. Call a spade a spade

[shortwave]

I fall into the crowd of those that have never referred to any rifle as an assault rifle. Have never referred to any pistol as an assault pistol either...or a knife as an assault weapon. There have been many over the years killed/stuck with an ice pick and I've never referred to one of them as an 'assault pick'.

Rifle will suffice.

Pistol will do.

Knife will stay the same.

Ice pick won't change.

Hey...I wander if an arsonist refer's to match's as 'assault match's'?

[Rainbow Demon]

The present AW confusion is another weapon of mass distraction. If a politician starts wondering about dead Americans in Libya or the economy its "Hey look something shiny" or "squirrel, squirrel". It ties up mental resources that are in short supply in Washington DC.

[olmontanaboy]

Very good point L2R I never like it either.

[dajowi]

I just call them rifles.