The gun control lobby successfully preys on ignorance of firearms and gun safety to pass their restrictive laws. The Clinton Gun Ban of 1994, which expired this year, was billed as a "assault weapons" ban. They basically defined "assault weapon" as one that is scary looking. Functionality didn't matter, but if it were painted black and modeled to look like one the military might use, it was banned.

To drum up support for their ban, gun grabbers and their willing accomplices in the media conveniently blur the line between automatic assault rifles that the military uses, and semi-automatic look-a-likes that are sold to the public. Although the functionality of the guns is completely different, they would have people believe that the rifles they are banning are the same rifles that our soldiers use in Iraq and Afghanistan. They claim that killing power like that is reserved for our benevolent government.

Case in point:

An officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety had come across a man he suspected was drunk inside his car on Mile 12 North on Oct. 30. As the trooper was detaining the driver. . .the man broke free and drove away. During the chase, [the man] started firing an automatic weapon out his window. The trooper was injured when a bullet fragment ricocheted and hit his face. [...]

Law enforcement officers are worried that the Oct. 30 shooting is not an isolated incident, and that the potential for another large-scale shootout is high. Although [he] apparently got his gun illegally, law enforcement officials fear it will be easier to get them if they are legal. The expiration of the federal ban on assault weapons gives officers the feeling that criminals will have easier access to weapons, allowing them to outgun police officers.

Shame on the press for not saying exactly what type of rifle was used. Notice too, that they report the this was an "automatic" rifle, which was not even covered by the 1994 Clinton Gun Ban. I cannot believe that this is an accident. Also, they just gloss over the fact that the rifle was obtained illegally. They think that one more law for this asshole to break would have helped.

But there's more:

The six-year ban, which expired Sept. 13, made certain weapons, particularly those made to resemble military weapons, illegal to own.

They cannot even get the facts about the ban right. It was a 10 year ban stretching from 1994 to 2004.

"By lifting the ban you're telling everyone that it's OK to possess one," said Joe Garcia of STOP. "As it is, we're at a disadvantage with our issued weapons in contrast with these guys who can easily obtain assault weapons. A perfect example is what happened at Weslaco." [...]

Give me a break! The police have access to automatic rifles just like those used in the military, but somehow they we are supposed to believe that they are at a disadvantage because civilians have access to semi-auto rifles that merely look like theirs.

Garcia said that while he is a supporter of the Second Amendment that protects "the right of the people to keep and bear arms," he thinks there should be restrictions on what kind of weapons can be bought by civilians.

Talk about trying to have it both ways. It sounds to me like he only supports the right of the government to bear arms.

Zellers said STOP plans to actively lobby legislators to amend Texas laws to include stricter punishments for people who commit crimes using assault rifles.

Now he's blurring the line between "assault weapons" made to look mean and scary, and genuine automatic assault rifles. I told you it was no accident.

But wait, it gets more blatant.

"Right now what's strange about the law is that if you don't have a concealed handgun license, if you get caught carrying a handgun in your car, you can be arrested," Zellers said. "But you can have an assault rifle sitting in your car. That's perfectly legal as long as it's not automatic. It doesn't make sense."

That is strange. People should be allowed to carry a handgun in their car, permit or not. Also, there is no such thing as a non-automatic assault rifle. The very definition of assault rifle is a rifle that is an automatic.

Now, get this:

Zellers offered a suggestion for those who insist they should be able to own and carry assault rifles.

"If you have a hunting rifle or shotgun, that's fine. Those guns are made for hunting," Zellers said. "An assault rifle is made for the military. It's made for war. It's made for killing humans. There's no reason to carry a gun like that around.

"If you really want to carry around an assault rifle, go down to the army recruiting office, join, go to Iraq, relieve some of our soldiers who have been there for a year and then you can carry an assault rifle 24 hours a day."

Heinrich Himmler had a similar idea in 1936. "Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA. Ordinary citizens don't need guns, as their having guns doesn't serve the State."