Ralph Peters, Often Seen As Fox News Military Pundit, Calls For Ban On AR-15 And Other "Assault Weapons"
.....I believe, on moral, practical and constitutional grounds, that no private citizen should own an automatic weapon or a semi-automatic weapon that can easily be modified for automatic effects.
These are military weapons. Their purpose is to kill human beings. They’re not used for hunting (unless you want to destroy the animal’s meat). They’re lousy for target shooting. But they’re excellent tools for mass murder.
The latest school shooter could not have done what he did with a sports rifle or shotgun. The Las Vegas shooter could not have done what he did with hunting arms. No end of school massacres and other slaughters have tallied horrific body counts because of military-grade weapons in the hands of mass murderers.
The old saw runs that “Guns don’t kill people, people do.” But people with rapid-fire weapons kill a lot more folks a whole lot faster.
These are cop-killer weapons, too.
The standard argument deployed in reply to demands that military-grade weapons be banned or mildly restricted from public sale cites the Second Amendment to our Constitution. Well, here’s what the Second Amendment actually says:
“A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
That “well regulated militia” part always gets left out. It’s called the “National Guard” and “the Reserves.” Did any of the recent shooters belong to a “well regulated militia”? As a matter of fact, I have not been able to identify a senior NRA executive who’s served in our military or in law enforcement — that’s patriotism for ya.
As an Army officer, I pledged my life to the Constitution of the United States. I live by that pledge even now. But when the Second Amendment was drafted, the Redcoats really were coming. Our standing army numbered in the hundreds.
Does any serious-minded, morally centered reader believe that George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson or any of our other geniuses of freedom intended that a disturbed young man or a disgruntled employee or just a vicious drunk should be guaranteed the right to a personal arsenal of weapons designed for mass murder?
How can members of our Congress or state legislators put their re-election campaigns above the lives of children? How can they do that? We’ve lost far more American kids to mass shootings than we have to terrorism of any kind. How can members of Congress live with themselves?
How many kids or law-abiding adults have to be gunned down before we apply common sense and simple decency?
The demagogues who grow wealthy by convincing responsible gun owners that some shadowy government agency can’t wait to seize their deer rifles will have a great deal to answer for on Judgment Day.
As for putting weapons in schools, that’s a punk idea. More innocents would die.
When the shooting starts, even the best-trained, most disciplined soldiers and cops — US Army Rangers or NYPD SWAT members — don’t put every round on target. The notion that a guard or teacher who goes to the range once a quarter would keep kids safe is profoundly divorced from reality. “Friendly fire” would simply add to the danger.
Again, I support gun ownership. Always have, always will. But if anyone feels irresistibly compelled to fire automatic weapons or their surrogates, I have a deal for them: Join the US Army or the Marines as a combat infantryman. You’ll even get paid to pull triggers.
Ralph Peters is a retired Army officer and former enlisted man.
https://nypost.com/2018/02/22/automatic-weapons-dont-belong-in-the-hands-of-everyone/
Ralph Peters | Fox News
Fox News Strategic Analyst Ralph Peters is a retired U.S. Army officer and former enlisted man. He is the author of prize-winning fiction and non-fiction books on the ...
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This guy has a reputation as a hard right, Obama hating conservative. And even he has seen the light.
What light are you referring to? So we pass a law banning the manufacture, import, or sale of assault style weapons....then what? Tighten up background checks....then what? Abolish bump stocks....then what? This would make a lot of people feel good about themselves....that they have "done something" about the gun problem.
But what would it actually accomplish? What about all the guns currently in circulation? Many law abiding citizens have these types of weapons...would they meekly turn them in to the "gubment"? Would the government search lists and databases and begin confiscating those guns? What about all the guns in the hands of all criminals, from street thugs to organized gangs to terrorists? These low-lifes certainly would not turn in their arsenals.
And how in hell could private sales and exchanges be monitored and background checks be done....since it's all "private" Here again, criminals would retain their advantage. It appears that the gun control nuts have a very skewed view of the world and reality excapes their comprehension.
Actually you have a few misconceptions about the 5.56 AR platform.
They are quite accurate out to around 500 yards.
The 5.56 or .223 ammunition is perfectly suited for deer.
With a conversion kit they shoot .22 long rifle ammo for inexpensive plinking and small game hunting.
I couldn't ask for a better, more versatile, ranch rifle.
When Ralph Peters becomes a Supreme Court Justice, I'll listen to him. Until then, he's just another Former Officer, like just about every officer I had the pleasure of serving with: Chronic case of Cranial Rectal insertion.
I ask you that same thing John. How many have to die before you see the real problem, and stop blaming the gun?
Not every school shooting, or even attack has happened with an assault rifle. If you get your way, and they are banned, and another bullied or just batshit crazy kid goes to school with 4 handguns and kills 20 people, what then John? What are you going to blame then, while ignoring the real issue?
The AR15 sure is popular among rampagers, or haven't you noticed?
Demographics Muslims prefer the homemade bombs that can kill over one hundred in a matter of seconds. Fashions come and go.
Not even close Lenny.
Walmart shooting in suburban Denver Thornton, CO 11/1/17 semiautomatic handgun
Edgewood businees park shooting Edgewood, MD 10/18/17 handgun
San Francisco UPS shooting San Francisco, CA 6/14/17 two handguns
Pennsylvania supermarket shooting Tunkhannock, PA 6/7/17 shotguns
Florida awning manufacturer shooting Orlando, Florida 6/5/2017 semiautomatic handgun
Rural Ohio nursing home shooting Kirkersville, Ohio 5/12/2017 handgun, shotgun
Fresno downtown shooting Fresno, California 4/18/2017 handgun
Fort Lauderdale airport shooting Fort Lauderdale, Florida 1/6/2017 "semiautomatic handgun
"
Cascade Mall shooting Burlington, WA 9/23/2016 Rifle
Kalamazoo shooting spree Kalamazoo County, Michigan 2/20/2016 Semiautomatic handgun
Planned Parenthood clinic Colorado Springs, Colorado 11/27/2015 Long gun
Colorado Springs shooting rampage Colorado Springs, Colorado 10/31/2015 Two handguns and a rifle
Umpqua Community College shooting Roseburg, Oregon 10/1/2015 Five pistols, one rifle, five magazines of ammunition
Charleston Church Shooting Charleston, South Carolina 6/17/2015 Handgun
Trestle Trail bridge shooting Menasha, Wisconsin 6/11/2015 "Two handguns
"
Marysville-Pilchuck High School shooting Marysville, Washington 10/24/2014 Handgun
Isla Vista mass murder Santa Barbara, California 5/23/2014 Three semi-automatic handguns and two hunting knives
Fort Hood shooting 2 Fort Hood, Texas 4/3/2014 "handgun
"
Alturas tribal shooting Alturas, California 2/20/2014 Two handguns and a butcher knife
Washington Navy Yard shooting Washington, D.C. 9/16/2013 Sawed-off shotgun, 2 boxes of shells; also a .45-caliber handgun taken from a security guard he shot at the scene.
Hialeah apartment shooting Hialeah, Florida 7/26/2013 9mm semi-automatic handgun
Pinewood Village Apartment shooting Federal Way, Washington 4/21/2013 Semiautomatic handgun, shotgun
Mohawk Valley shootings Herkimer County, New York 3/13/2013 Shotgun
Accent Signage Systems shooting Minneapolis, Minnesota 9/27/2012 One semiautomatic handgun
Sikh temple shooting Oak Creek, Wisconsin 8/5/2012 One semiautomatic handgun
Seattle cafe shooting Seattle, Washington 5/20/2012 Two semiautomatic handguns
Oikos University killings Oakland, California 4/2/2012 One semiautomatic handgun
Su Jung Health Sauna shooting Norcross, Georgia 2/22/2012 One semiautomatic handgun
That was fun, now let's compare body counts in rampages. I wonder what the average body count is, in a mass shooting, for AR15 events, vs the average for those where the AR15 is not used.
What good would it do when there is more than one way to skin a cat. In the first Saint Valentine’s Day massacre tommy guns were used. The gun grabbers banned tommy guns and in this Saint Valentine’s massacre the perpetrator found a different tool that was just as effective. If the AR is banned another tool will be used. It’s kind of like the TSA bullcrap you can go charter a private 727 and avoid security entirely. Where there’s a will there’s a way.
IMO the AR-15 should actually be labeled a "hunting rifle".
Why? Because based on much of the recent news, its main use seems to be for hunting. (Not hunting animals of , but rather hunting school children. And based on news reports, its been quite successful in that regard).
OSM cannot control himself and he should be removed from this seed. After his comments are given the proper coc violations of course.
No, he's making an intelligent and informed argument, and it appears you can't respond in kind, so you want to censor him.
No, he makes a comment that could be valid and then follows it with an insult. John, OSM is free to make any point he likes without insults.
Is it colder in the Winter-- or in the mountains?
That is my position as well.