Assault Weapons

In the wake of the Shandy Hook massacre, the topic of gun control has taken center stage throughout the United States.  The major question everyone is asking is should we ban the ownership of assault weapons and semi-automatic handguns like the AR-15 and .40-caliber Glock?  These are automatic and semi-automatic guns that can either fire multiple rounds with one pull of the trigger or as quickly as you can pull the trigger.  I am a hunter and a gun owner myself.  However, I just cannot understand why anyone would want or need an assault rifle or even a pistol other than to just have one.  These guns are very expensive and you can't hunt with one.  It just does not make any sense to me.  Here are a few facts surrounding mass murders and assault weapons.       

Since 1982, there have been 62 mass murders covering 30 states. 

Of the 142 guns possessed by the killers, more than three quarters were obtained legally. The arsenal included dozens of assault weapons and semiautomatic handguns. 

Half of the cases involved school or workplace shootings (12 and 19, respectively); the other 31 cases took place in locations including shopping malls, restaurants, government buildings, and military bases. Forty four of the killers were white males.

Only one of them was a woman in Goleta, Calif., in 2006.

The average age of the killers was 35, though the youngest among them was a mere 11 years old with the majority being mentally ill and displaying signs of it.

I know people will say that they need these weapons to protect themselves.  To this I say, "Bull Hon-key"!  If you are securing your weapon correctly, you should have either a trigger or muzzle lock on the handgun or your rifle should be locked in a gun safe or cabinet.  If an intruder enters your home, you would have to find your key, unlock the gun or cabinet and load it before the criminal finds you.  I think you would lose here.  If you are not securing your weapon correctly, then shame on you and it should be taken away.  By not securing a weapon correctly, you leave a chance for a child to get a hold of it and we all know what happens there.  I will also hear that we have the constitutional right to bear arms.  Common, this does not pertain anymore.  The founding fathers gave us this right only because the continental army was not able to provide weapons and some of the fighters were militia.  People also back then needed guns to hunt for their food as well.  The bottom line here is most of the mass killings in the U.S. are committed with assault weapons.  These guns should only be in the hands of trained people like the police or the military...PERIOD.