General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Reason people buy AR-15 type guns is similar to the reason why people buy Huge SUVs... [View all]fujiyama
(15,185 posts)Yes, there is a psychological factor of your safety being reinforced by owning the bigger gun or driving the bigger vehicle. We live in a very paranoid and distrustful society and it seems to have got worse over the years. Skepticism has given way to wholesale paranoia and fear.
The reality is that for some, SUVs serve a purpose (especially small and mid-range). But even a Ford Excursion or Expedition or a Chevy Suburban serves some utilitarian purpose - of fitting more people, hauling more stuff, or towing more weight.
Semi-Automatic guns and Assault weapons are exactly that. They're weapons. Guns are meant to kill, hurt, or destroy - whether it's for warfare, hunting, or sports - it's meant to send a projectile at a target. They're inherently and intrinsically destructive tools. That's what they're made to do. They're made with that particular purpose.
No civilian really needs an AR-15 and very few need a Ford Excursion, but the former has no real practical value for hunting or home defense. The latter is a monstrosity but can be used in public in a safe manner. Yes, an AR-15 can also be used safely (at say, a firing range or in a remote area), but ultimately they are either weapons of warfare or close enough to it. The real question is whether we as a society should behave as if individuals are always on a war-footing. It strikes me as an odd way for a society to function.