General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What is an "assault rifle," he asked sarcastically. [View all]Captain Stern
(2,201 posts)However, as far as providing a usable definition of what an 'assault rifle' is, it does nothing.
Words are important, so it's important that they mean things. It's important that specific words mean the same things to everyone.
If I were to say I ate my dinner with a 'fork', we'd pretty much all know which utensil I was talking about. If I refer to a 'rifle' we all pretty much agree that means a long gun. If I someone says 'pistol' or 'handgun' we'd all pretty much agree that means a short gun.
But the terms 'assault weapon' or 'assault rifle' don't have commonly agreed upon definitions. That's why, in my opinion, it's ridiculous to spend a lot of time talking about banning them.....it pretty much guarantees that a lot of time will be wasted, with no result at all.
The focus should be more on a firearm's capabilities. If someone wants to ban all semi-automatic rifles, they should say that. If they want to ban all semi-automatic weapons, they should say that. If they want to limit magazine size, then they should say that. Those examples actually mean something specific that people can agree, or disagree, with.
When someone says we should ban 'assault rifles', most people have no idea what's specifically being talked about.