stanc Wrote:Been thinking about your comments, and have come to this conclusion: It doesn't matter one iota what pro-gun folks think about the term "assault weapon."
The inescapable fact is that the term has been in common usage for more than three decades, and it will not go away just because pro-gun people ridicule it.
It isn't the name so much, as it's definition. Most firearms have a term,"name" that has a clear definition with a rational description for classification,"nomenclature" for different firearms. Rifle, bolt action, breach loader, muzzle loader,semi auto, carbine, sub machine gun, assault rifle, heavy-light -machine gun, pistol, semi auto pistol, revolver, semi auto revolver, etc. Every term has a logical reason for a separate name to describe a physical difference or function for classification. But what exactly is an assault weapon? Semi auto's with evil looking cosmetics?? Who defines which cosmetics looks evil? The M1A is OK but the AR-10 is evil?? Do only anti gun hoplophobe's get to decide which firearms are evil looking?? Even the term hoplophobe is not a universally accepted term, but the definition is clear. What exactly is an assault weapon? The term apparently doesn't cover all semi auto's or shot gun's by function or form, so what is the clear definition that makes an assault weapon?? It reminds me of racial slurs people today find un acceptable. Racial slurs are not only discouraged but the use of such terms can have profound consequences if used in public, since the use of such words were only used to demonize and insult without any specific truth other than to degrade, demonize and hurt certain classes of people in a society. This is no different with the term assault weapon being used in the firearm world of classification. It may have started out as click bate for the ignorant firearm consumers, but it has taken on a whole new persona for the same effects of historical propaganda. prop·a·gan·da
ˌpräpəˈɡandə/
noun
noun: propaganda; noun: Propaganda
1.
derogatory information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular political cause or point of view.
If I'm wrong please enlighten me.