I was recently accused by a gunner here on DU of

[AndyS]

shaming AR 15 owners.

I'm guilty. I am doing my best to shame the owners of these military grade weapons that are not good for hunting, target shooting, self defense or any other thing I can think of or imagine. Well, one thing as evidenced by the 319th mass shooting this year.

I'm following the example of MADD. Make those who are the problem aware that they are the problem.

[jmbar2]

1. Good for you

The wave of anger against guns is turning into a tsunami.

[SheltieLover]

2. Assault rifles do not belong on our streets.

I'm with you, Andy!

[lastlib]

52. "Industrial-strength child-killing machines"

We need to BAN them from civilian ownership!

[SheltieLover]

53. Absolutely!

[Postal Grunt]

65. Fat chance of that happening...

considering that there are at least 10 million and possibly as many as 20 million AR-15 type rifles in the hands of private citizens. Any law banning the retail sale of these rifles would only drive up the price on the private sales of such weapons. Banning private ownership would likely lead to long and expensive court cases with doubtful out comes. Unless there is a massive and long term change of hearts and minds among Americans, the curse of these weapons will remain with us for a long time.

[WinstonSmith4740]

79. So we should just do nothing?

I agree there has to be a long term change of heart, but I think it's beginning. People have had enough of this bullshit protection of a gun that has no other purpose than to kill as many people as possible, in as short amount of time as possible, in the hands of an untrained person.

But I do think the tide is beginning to turn. I look at it this way. I'm a boomer. When we were kids, we were taught to duck under our desks, put our heads down, and cover them with our hands. Even as 8 year olds, we knew that wasn't going to protect us from any kind of bomb, much less a nuke,. We grew up to be the most adamantly anti-war generation ever. These kids today are learning how to "protect" themselves from lunatic gunmen. Those Sandy Hook kids are approaching voting age. The Stoneman-Douglas kids are there already. They're done with "thoughts and prayers" and "it's too early to talk about" which of course morphs immediately into "that's the past, we must move on." I may never see it, but I have faith the next generation will solve this problem.

[hunter]

91. Social pressure works wonders. It worked for drunk driving, it worked for smoking.

The law will follow.

I've seen those changes in my lifetime, especially here in California.

Gun fetishes are disgusting.

[Grins]

71. Not just assault rifles... (Reagan quote)

" (There is) no reason why, on the street today, a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons...(they are a) ridiculous way to solve problems that have to be solved among people of good will." - Then Calif. Governor, Ronald Reagan, 1967. After he saw 'Negros' carrying them.

[SheltieLover]

72. I couldn't agree more!

[COL Mustard]

86. Well, you know Reagan would be

a leftist globalist Deep State child molester according to today's Republican party.

[Tetrachloride]

3. Keep it up. i believe i know 1 overloaded person.

but he sure is quiet on facebook.

[alittlelark]

4. Awesome !!

[50 Shades Of Blue]

5. Good for you!

[NewHendoLib]

6. I'll shame right along with you.

[Better Days Ahoy]

7. Agree!

Fuck that gun owner and his misplaced butthurt feelings. No citizen needs an AR-15. That's military and SWAT, who also share the same sentiment. Jesus H. Christ on a cracker. Yeah, cracker, that's the word.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Definitely right there with you, Andy! All people who own such weapons deserve it in spades. n/t

[hlthe2b]

9. I'll take that accusation. AR15 have no place in a civil society. They are weapons of war. PERIOD

[vercetti2021]

10. I'm a gun owner and I agree

Assault rifles have no place in our society.

[Rebl2]

18. No they

do not. All Senators and Congress people as well as those representatives in state houses that think assault rifles are okay to own have blood on their hands!

[Scrivener7]

11. Haha!!!! This reminds me of the episode on DU while back when some of the

Men's Rights Advocate crew (most of whom were complete trolls and who are gone now) tried to make an issue of "creep shaming."

They claimed that women who described creepy male behavior were "creep shaming."

"AR 15 shaming" seems to me to be the same thing.

If you don't want to be shamed, don't be a creep, and don't own a gun that has no earthly purpose other than to kill and maim dozens of people and ruin hundreds of lives in seconds. Grow the hell up.

[wryter2000]

57. How did I miss creep shaming?

I would have laughed my ass off at them.

[calimary]

73. Indeed. This could be "Creep-Shaming 2.0".

And VERY well-deserved.

But since I went to Catholic school, my mind goes straight to the size of the - um - “instrument”. I cannot help but conclude that all civilian males who simply must own one of these massacre machines must also have some pretty severe compensation issues.

[COL Mustard]

90. And they drive F-150s or larger

The F-150 has a legitimate purpose if you're in farming or construction or something like that, but most people don't need them either.

[iemanja]

12. LOL

Owning an AR-15 is shameful. It's the weapon of mass murderers.

[cloudboy07]

17. My army buddy & me - call it " Anti- republican's -15x " !

[alittlelark]

13. I shame them when I see them and have NO IDEA why DU tolerates their effluent.

[DBoon]

14. If you are that insecure about your manliness, get one of these instead

[AverageOldGuy]

25. The closest I ever came to a Porsche . . .

. . . was a seriously hot-rodded Karmann-Ghia.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

42. I once got to drive a Sunbeam Tiger with a Porsche engine. nt

[ChazInAz]

59. That must have been...entertaining.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

64. Yep. Very different than the '48 Ford Panel truck I had at the time. nt

[bronxiteforever]

15. K&R. I am with you all the way.

[Progressive dog]

16. As we have seen repeatedly

those guns do the job they were designed for well. If you need something designed to kill people as a toy, there is something wrong with you. That's my opinion.
Shame away.

[LoisB]

26. Perfect. Thank you.

[KS Toronado]

61. "If you need something designed to kill people as a toy,"

These words of wisdom deserve it's own OP.

[marieo1]

19. Good for you

I applaud you..............no one needs this type of gun. What are they for? Just to kill someone. I hope and pray they are all outlawed.

[ananda]

20. actually, though I'm not sure shame is strong enough...

I'm with you.

[Deuxcents]

21. Add me to the list.

There is no place in society for assault weapons n the ammo for it.

[Evolve Dammit]

22. Fuck em and take em. Total ban and confiscation like machine guns in the 1930's. Boo Hoo. n/t

Give em their money back if they have receipts.

[Brogrizzly]

23. +1

Situational awareness and tactical mindfulness will always outway whatever firepower you happen to have with you.

The only reason to allow these kind of weapons and all like them into civilian hands is Gun Fetishism, end of story. It’s and I hate to blunt, akin to rape, control. Stomp on their feelings all day long.

[AverageOldGuy]

24. No way to shame AR-15 owners . .

. . . they are a shameless lot . . . playing soldier.

I carried the AR-15's granddaddy, the M-16, for two tours in Vietnam along with a 50-pound rucksack, about 15 pounds of grenades, ammo, C4, water, and other things that go BOOM. And a Kabar.

There is no need for anyone outside military and law enforcement to own such a weapon. Ditto for the AK-47.

My arsenal is serious firearms -- Weatherby and Remington rifles, Beretta shotguns, Colt and Smith & Wesson pistols. And my old Kabar that I stuffed in by duffel bag and brought back from Vietnam (the US Customs guys who met us at SEA-TAC just waved us through, they weren't about to give a planeload of returning GI's any shit -- "Welcome home, got anything to declare?" "No." Shake hands. "Next.&quot .

[gay texan]

74. My Dad says the same thing

He carried and used one in Vietnam as well. He will flat out tell you that they were made for killing people. Full stop.

He also told me that they were notoriously unreliable. He was there in 67/68

[AverageOldGuy]

95. Right you are.

I was in Vietnam 67-68 then 69-70.

In 67-68 we had the early versions of the M-16. They required regular cleaning for a number of reasons -- humidity; powder fouling of the action; general crap getting into the action from carrying the rifle through brush, dunking it in water, etc; and general shit getting into the action.

When I went back in 69-70 Colt had fixed many of the problems, but, most of us were still carrying the old weapons. I turned in my old one for a new on about 3 months into my second tour, they had solved a lot of the problems of fouling from being fired all the time, but still required a lot of cleaning, mainly because of the small tolerances to which the weapon was manufactured. The AK-47, which was the standard weapon for the NVA and VC, was made of stamped steel with the forged and machined parts made to lesser tolerances -- the AK was much more rugged and forgiving than the M-16.

I retired long before the current M-4/M4A1 came into general use but from what I hear, it's a reliable weapon.

We had to clean that damn M-16 every time we stopped.

[gay texan]

96. That's precisely what dad said

"It got clean before I did"

[Rhiannon12866]

27. No one needs a weapon of war unless they are fighting in a war zone. Period.

And I used to shoot competitively in my teens, was a member of two rifle teams. But I do not have a gun now, I don't need one. And there are no more rifle teams in the schools or camps I shot for - or against. Times have irrevocably changed. It's way too dangerous.

[LoisB]

28. Good, keep it up and thank you.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

29. If I wanted a gun for self defense...

...I would get a 12 gauge shotgun. You can't miss.

There is no good reason for owning an assault style rifle.

[paulkienitz]

32. The 12 gauge also scares people away just with the racking noise.

[DiamondShark]

77. Shotguns have been used in mass shootings and should be banned. n/t

[azureblue]

81. depends

A shotgun, as evidenced by its name, shoots "Shot". Not, unless you specifically buy a shotgun slug shell, a "bullet". You can load in scary sounding blanks that have the added fright factor of shooting sparks out the barrel. Or load it with rock salt, just to inflict pain. Or bird shot, which does damage to the skin but not much else. Then you can go up to more lethal loads. You can even, as an uncle of mine who lived out in the country did - load it with progressively worse shells - a blank, bird shot, then something lethal. In his words, "if they ain't got the message after you have fired twice, then they deserve what comes next.

A 16 gauge pump is great for home defense, just load it with 00 and point it in the general direction. The noise itself is enough to drive invaders out of your house.

[DiamondShark]

83. nope

You can't allow one firearm over another because it is your personal preference for home defense.

Any weapon that can be use for home defense can be used in a mass shooting.

[LiberalFighter]

30. I don't know of any assault weapon owner that has saved a life

Or prevented additional deaths.

I had a complaint filed against me for saying it is a good thing I don't own a gun. As if he was threatened by me. Then to find out today he owns a firearm and was making excuses for military style weapons equating some military pistol as the same. But for some reason he was threatened by my words when has his firearm.

[paulkienitz]

31. If you want an AR15, my question is how many of your neighbors you think are going to need killing.

What are you afraid of? A zombie plague? A Chinese invasion? A post-nuclear battle for survival? A race war? A driveby from a rival drug cartel? Under what scenario do you think you'll need to fight an advancing horde of other people? Why do you imagine that the citizens around you are someday going to end up needing to be gunned down?

If you just want to shoot automatic weapons because it's fun, why not just go to a range that offers a rental? We could set that up. Why do you want it in your house?

[COL Mustard]

34. Yes, that's what people who buy an AR-15 are afraid of.

It's "The Other", however you define it, that scares them.

[COL Mustard]

33. AR-15 as a home defense weapon is useless

You shoot one, especially if you're using M855/M855A1 military ammunition, and it's going through your wall, through your neighbor's wall, and maybe beyond. You want something for home defense? Get a .45. It'll put a bad guy down and he'll STAY down.

[The Mouth]

63. *THIS*

A shotgun or something with frangible bullets is the right tool for the job.

Self-defense is, in my opinion a right; and anyone attempting hostile egress anywhere deserves what happens to them, *BUT* no matter how justified in shooting you are, you are STILL responsible for where that bullet or bullets *GO* after you pull the trigger.

I had an idiot neighbor across the street who was threatening his cheating girlfriend with a 30:06. Even if he'd shot her or her lover, that round would easily go through two or three more walls; what an idiot.

[DiamondShark]

76. Handguns have been used in mass shootings and should be banned. n/t

[COL Mustard]

85. Handguns are lower power weapons with generally lower capacity

I hear what you're saying, but if I had a gun for self defense it'd be a handgun. The .45 I would get isn't going to overpenetrate my firewall and go into my neighbor's house, and assuming I can still shoot it (I qualified on it in the Army years ago), if I hit the person, he's not getting back up.

[DiamondShark]

87. As you point out deadly. Ban it.

.45 have been used in mass shootings. Here are a few. "Oikos University shooting" "2012 Seattle cafe shooting spree" "Atlantis Plastics shooting"

[gay texan]

97. A 410 shotgun is the perfect weapon

For home defense. All you have to do it just get close. It's what I use.

I have a clapped out WW2 bolt action for hogs, and a .22 for rattle snakes.

I have zero fucking need for an AR-15. I will never have a fucking need for one.

[Cha]

35. Heii Yeah!

🕯🕊💜🇺🇸🌻🌈

[cilla4progress]

36. With you!

Disturbing that someone here would disagree.

[Tumbulu]

37. These people need to be shamed

They used to lecture me on using the wrong terminology such as “machine guns”, etc.

So, we call them all military weapons and be done with it.

Good approach.

Keep it up!

[3catwoman3]

45. Lawrence O'Donnell tonight called...

…them mass murder weapons.”

Everyone knows what types of guns are being talked about, and those who try to obfuscate with the minutiae of terminology are just trying to distract from the main point. Screw ‘em.

[Tumbulu]

50. Absolutely!!!!!!!!

[Alpeduez21]

38. I think you should make the accusation your signature

Own that shit.

[Iggo]

39. I have words.

[Joinfortmill]

40. 👍

[FakeNoose]

41. I stand with Beto O'Rourke on this issue

There's no reason for ANY private American to own a military assault weapon.

[MLAA]

43. I'm with you AndyS.

[catrose]

44. nor are they good for shooting "varmints"

My farming family took care of varmints with no need af military grade weapons. If you need one to take care of a snake, maybe you shouldn't have any guns.

[COL Mustard]

89. Or maybe live in the suburbs

I've seen one snake in my neighborhood in 20 years. I know they're around, but they were here first, AND they have the added benefit of keeping rats away. I hate rats more than I hate Illinois Nazis.

[Ligyron]

46. That's great but still...

… as long as you can buy a semi-auto sporting rifle chambered for .223 you can kill just as many people just as quickly as a scary looking AR15.

[AndyS]

48. Yeah, so ban the manufacture, import, sale, transfer

or possession of all semi auto guns of all types.

There, I fixed it for ya'.

[Ligyron]

49. That would help.

Limiting magazines to 3 round clips would too.

I mean, if you can’t hit your targeted game animal with 3 rounds, you need to hit the range.

[Aristus]

47. AR-15 owners SHOULD be shamed.

If you need one, you’re a bad shot, a bad hunter, and a bad human being who stupidly thinks thirty people are going to break into your shitty worthless home some night.

[Saoirse9]

51. Those people saying they need an AR-15 for hunting

must believe the animals are going to shoot back at them.

[PatrickforB]

54. No one needs assault rifles. They just don't.

And, if we want to look at actual math, we can calculate a positive correlation between the number of mass shootings and the number of guns.

The problem is not, and never has been mental health. The problem is too many guns. The problem is the NRA and its more radical sister organization that fulfill two important roles in bringing down this republic: First, they have propagandized many on the right that they need guns to defend themselves against our government when THE REAL ENEMY IS THE OLIGARCHS, and second, they are all about increasing profits for gun manufacturers.

It is ALWAYS all about money, and a few billionaire parasites constantly scheming to rip off a little bit more from us. In IT the concept is 'persistant threat.' In democracy, the billionaire parasites, also known as oligarchs, are indeed a 'persistant threat' to everything we hold dear, for common decency, kindness, heath, and anything else that benefits us and our families.

[Hekate]

55. This is a great thread. Really, truly, great. Thank you.

[Lunabell]

56. I'm with you!

These are not toys. They're weapons of mass destruction and at the very least should be difficult if not impossible to own.

[MiHale]

58. Shame them outta their skins...

[AnotherMother4Peace]

60. An asshole put me down when I misnamed this weapon of war, telling me that

I didn't even know about guns. Well, I told him, I don't know about guns. I'm afraid of them. I do know that this assault gun is a weapon of war. It obliterates many people in seconds. It's the weapon of choice of radicalized 18 to 22 year old boys to kill children. It is not used for hunting - it's a weapon of war. And fuck that fucking shit that it's used for target practice - fuck that shit. No, I do not know about guns or their names - but I do know what is happening and what they have done. I previously would have backed down, thinking I don't know enough - but this time the asshole backed down.

[Ligyron]

62. Any semi automatic firearm can kill just as many people, just as fast as a so called assault rifle.

Unless you eliminate that feature, which will be virtually impossible, this accomplishes little to nothing.

Eliminating 30 round clips would give human targets more of a chance to dive for cover, but even this step will be next to impossible to enact.

[Wounded Bear]

66. You're doing God's work...

[AnrothElf]

67. Next time point out how reasonable your position is ...

... compared to others in the Democratic Party.

Some of us strongly believe the 2A should be repealed and replaced with the Australian model.

Mandatory 5-year buyback of all semi-auto firearms, and all handguns.

Followed by prying guns from cold dead hands.

Ruby Ridge the militias.

Waco the armed cultists.

[slightlv]

68. I'm the black sheep of my family.

Although I was raised in a family of gun collectors, and I am ex-Air Force myself, ex-NRA, and no stranger to weapons... I gave them up a LONG time ago. I want nothing to do with them and haven't for a long, long time. They are meant for one thing, and one thing only -- killing. Whether that be killing animals or people. And I don't want to personally kill an animal nor a person. Even in self defense, I don't know that I could kill a person. If you don't know if you could do it, you have no business owning a gun. A moment of hesitancy will be turned against you. Know yourself first.

Further, a weapon of war should never be owned by a citizen for any reason other than we're in an asymmetric war. Are we in a true, civil war where we're shooting and killing "the other side?" Who is the other side? Is there a clearly defined "other side?" If you can't answer these questions then we're not in a true war.

I want these war weapons taken away and melted down. Or given back to the military. I don't even want the police to have them! The worst thing in the world was when the military started giving the police the "extra" to the police, who started turning them towards us. Suddenly, every protestor in the states became a nail, and every war weapon they were given became a hammer. And our first amendment rights were the poorer for them.

Like I said, I'm now the black sheep in the family. I'm probably a black sheep around here. But I don't care. I would like to go to a movie with my grandson without having to check out who's around me, wondering if we're going to get shot in the theater. I'd love to make plans to go to a concert without worry about a mass shooting. I'd like to take in a gathering with my fellow townsfolk and not worry about some idiot with a long gun taking us all out.

I have more rights to do this than they have to own a weapon of war. And more rights to enjoy that evening than they have to fire that weapon of war into the crowd of us. Frankly, rather than seeing the Constitution stuck in the mud of the 1700 and 1800's as the "Origionalists" do, I see the Constitution as a Living Document... as as such, I would love to see the 2nd Amendment either amended, itself, or deleted as no longer needed, since we now have a standing army, navy, air force, marines and (god help us) space force to protect us. Militias are no longer needed. 22's and such for hunting could be grandfathered in if necessary. Some sporting guns for skeet, etc, could be grandfathered in. But there is no need for AR15's, etc. Weapons of war need to stay in war. If you want to shoot these weapons, enlist in the military. They're always looking for a few good men!

[Hekate]

88. THIS

[BlueJac]

69. Way to go!

[Ferrets are Cool]

70. I wish I could do worse than shame them.

Like make it unlawful to own one.

[sheshe2]

75. Recommend.

[gopiscrap]

78. THANK YOU!!!!

[proud patriot]

80. I support a national ban on these ar whatevers

time for all those who support them to be forced to see the bodies of the mutilated IMO .

[overleft]

82. Can we all help you shame them?

[SunSeeker]

84. They need to get another hobby. I'm done humoring them over their assault weapon fetish.

Their pretend-to-be-Rambo fetish is literally killing us by legitimizing weapons of war and flooding our streets with them.

[barbtries]

92. No civilian needs to own an AR-15. jeez

it's a weapon used to kill people. shame on anyone who thinks otherwise.

if you want it for target shooting, get a subscription at a shooting range and rent it the way you do for paintball. NO civilian needs an AR-15 or any other high powered rifle built to kill people.

[HAB911]

93. Shame on them!

[Goonch]

94. ;-{)🖖‍

[Squatchman]

98. I'm a Democrat and AR owner

AR 15s and AR 10s. Plus various other firearms.
Born and raised in the woods of Northern Michigan. I inherited a lot of guns from my grandfather.
I didn't buy my first AR until trump decided to run for reelection. His MAGAts are crazy. Shot them a bunch though.
For those of you that don't think they're excellent for self defense think again. He sucks but Rittenhouse showed how effective they are against attackers. Blew a dude's bicep apart with plain old M193 fmj. Not even a self defense round. It's what I use to punch holes in paper with.
Also they're very accurate. Boringly accurate with a red dot optic. And accurate out to 300 yards.
They're easy to handle and shoot. My wife has muscular dystrophy. Most guns hurt her to shoot. So my handguns and shotguns are out. Not her AR 15. It's light and they have hardly no recoil. She hates guns but sees what's up with the whackadoos. Yes she has her own. Set up specifically for her.
And the AR platform is a great hunting weapon. For all of the reasons above,light,accurate and reliable. Plus they're modular. Meaning they're like Legos. My AR 10 is chambered in .308. A vary good large game round. Deer hunting at distances over 100 yards. I also have an AR 15 with the .450 bushmaster upper. Big,hard hitting round for large game. Like bear and hogs.
I guess the point I'm trying to convey is if you can't beat them,join them. Fight fire with fire.
Someone comes to my door with bad intent I want to meet them with the most firepower available to me. These days they will probably be sporting the same.
I believe everyone should own an AR 15.
I vote strictly Democrat but I also believe that nobody is going to be there to help when you really need it. I'd rather be the predator than the prey.

[CTyankee]

99. Mind if I ask a question?

Is your post satire?