Can we just stop...

[Mitch]

Can you not see the big picture and the gist of my post?

Yes, and as I said I disagree with it emphatically. Basically you are insisting we allow our enemies to set the semantic ground rules so that subsequent discussion should be on their terms. Phooey.

"Assault rifle" is no more offensive to me, as a confirmed firearms enthusiast, than "battle rifle." I have many of both types and will cheerfully discuss them with anyone who is curious about them, regardless of political leanings. On my terms, not theirs.

"Assault weapon" is, today, something entirely different. It's a legal term. There are no "assault weapons," for example, in Arizona. None. It dismays me that so many gun people cannot grasp the difference.

And if you ever catch me using the abortion "modern sporting rifle" to refer to an AR-15 rifle, it's time for me to be euthanized.

[BluNorthern]

I'm not talking about what's offensive to you or me in general firearm discussion. I'm talking about words that anti's use to get the sheep to pee their pants.

They have already set the semantic rules on their favor, and it's working so well that even legislators and the media have embraced it.

Maybe I was obscure somehow...but I feel you've missed my point completely...done.

Yes, and as I said I disagree with it emphatically. Basically you are insisting we allow our enemies to set the semantic ground rules so that subsequent discussion should be on their terms. Phooey.

"Assault rifle" is no more offensive to me, as a confirmed firearms enthusiast, than "battle rifle." I have many of both types and will cheerfully discuss them with anyone who is curious about them, regardless of political leanings. On my terms, not theirs.

"Assault weapon" is, today, something entirely different. It's a legal term. There are no "assault weapons," for example, in Arizona. None. It dismays me that so many gun people cannot grasp the difference.

And if you ever catch me using the abortion "modern sporting rifle" to refer to an AR-15 rifle, it's time for me to be euthanized.

[bootstrap]

"Assault weapon" is, today, something entirely different. It's a legal term. There are no "assault weapons," for example, in Arizona. None. It dismays me that so many gun people cannot grasp the difference..

You see the distinction but do not disagree with the state labeling your property with a criminal verb at the same time being inconsistent and infringing on the Federal definition?

[The Gleam]

I guess what I'm getting at is that when I see an anti gun rant, a paragraph long, with untruths and the term 'assault weapon, assault weapon, assault weapon....6 times in 4 sentences...well, I know damn well how the game is being played.

I'm not talking about what's offensive to you or me in general firearm discussion. I'm talking about words that anti's use to get the sheep to pee their pants.

They have already set the semantic rules on their favor, and it's working so well that even legislators and the media have embraced it.

Maybe I was obscure somehow...but I feel you've missed my point completely...done.

With your first post above, I realize now your first post was merely using the term "assault rifle' in lieu of "Assault Weapon", which nobody here should use either. With your second post above, I see you get it, but it's much more divisive that you may even realize.

Anti-2nd Amendment legislators over-used that term with purpose, as ridiculous as it is. While one must give nod to early renditions of the "The Gun Digest Book of Assault Weapons" from the 1980s - even using the term "Assault-Type Weapons" on the cover too - it's the media that ran with it for making more out of that term than it actually was.

What I THOUGHT you were getting at was what I've seen; the Leftist, story-fabricating, unethical and biased media as of late (the same that said Hillary was a shoo-in, was leading polls by 64%, was a supporter of the 2nd Amendment, etc) - are now using the term "Assault Rifle" near exclusively as opposed to "Assault Weapon".

At first it was always "Assault Weapon" and as ludicrous as that phrase is by definition, it always stood as a specimen reference to differentiate how it was difference from an "Assault Rifle" - but they then began to interchange it with 'Assault Rifle" the past 4 years since Sandy Hook, where now it's as if they had a clandestine meeting to solely incite shock value by ONLY using the phrase "Assault Rifle."

Why is this so important? As we know, there are specific definitions of the two whereby in most cases, "Assault Rifles" are used exclusively by military or Special Law Enforcement (SWAT), and Assault Weapons are civilian-based semi-automatic ONLY guns with certain inanimate "features" which are aesthetically challenging to those ignorant about firearms.

When discussion of military presence arises in the media, it would be correct for soldiers and commanders talking to the press to use the term "Assault Rifle".

So the media will use that sound-byte of jargon whenever they can and build that around a patchwork of their own use of the term "Assault Rifle" when talking about the public have "access" to such guns and when a common Mini-14 with a folding Butler Creek stock and pistol grip hit the screen, all the Archie Bunkers watching at home only see a fully-automatic AK47 when conveyed as being an "Assault Rifle".

And they assume "that's something only the military needs".

Do you see where this is going? - It already went.

Because as we have seen most adapted this past year, it has been the term "military style rifle" which equally imbibes it is something ONLY for the military, thereby again, it must be fully automatic or select-fire.

Thus, Assault Weapons are Assault Rifles, and each are "military style rifles" when the military is shown exhibiting true Assault Rifles and in that mind-set, so yes, they are "military style".

By machination, Assault Weapon became Assault Rifle which became "Military Style" to imply that our pedestrian semi-automatic rifles have no business being in the hands of the public, that they are "military" applicable only, have no use "on our streets" and are not necessary for the public to have. (Who needs such a rifle anyway??? - is usually the follow-up aside. )

How many times have we heard some twit in the press or some Anti-2nd Amendment legislator say "these military style rifles have no business being in the hands of civilians" when discussing our BB'ed and/or featureless semi-automatic rifles, let alone their configuration as intended.

Flat out, it is indoctrination to get the public sold on the idea these common rifles, basic semi-automatic rifles that have no particular magic attributes, are meant ONLY for the military by way of transference of meaning from one idea to the next, pairing each as equal to the point that their next step could very realistically be simply calling them "combat rifles", "battle rifles" or "weapons of mass destruction".

Oh, wait - they HAVE called common semi-automatic AR15s that very thing, "weapons of mass destruction" - numerous times, from several sources, both the yellow-journalist media and tyrant career politicians.

See how that works? These words are not insignificant and make no mistake that the history-commandeering Marxists of media are not random or impulsive in their use of massaging these terms one for another; it's intentional, purely strategic, and designed to win the hearts and minds of the apathetic public.

Which is WHY proposed legislation like Prop 63 passed by a wide majority VOTE from the misled, misinformed, herded public.

They were duped into banning "military assault rifle weapons of mass destruction" because "Assault Weapon" didn't cut it any more.

[Mitch]

You see the distinction but do not disagree with the state labeling your property with a criminal verb at the same time being inconsistent and infringing on the Federal definition?

What Federal definition? Federal definition of what?

The state decides what an "assault weapon" is. It's defined in the Penal Code. It's their term to do with whatever they want.

They also have their own definitions for "reckless driving" and "intoxicated."

[dyson]

Said this about the term bullet button, look where that got CA. Maglock would of been a better term

[Jimi Jah]

Assault weapon means they are afraid of us. I'm OK with that.

[LBDamned]

Assault weapon means they are afraid of us. I'm OK with that.

Except they are using that fear to stifle you... I'm sure you're not okay with that.

The concept of getting rid of the fear - is a good one.