Reply #23

In the discussion thread: Sen. Al Franken Raises Doubts About Support For Assault Weapons Ban [View all]

Thu Jan 17, 2013, 10:30 AM

23. Is there some benign purpose for assault weapons that I am not aware of?

Seems to me the only purpose of assault weapons is to kill other human beings or am I missing something? Is there some animal species so deadly and dangerous roaming our country that the only way to take it down is with an assault weapon? I'm serious about this. Why would any civilian need this kind of weapon?

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170 replies	Author	Time	Post
Sen. Al Franken Raises Doubts About Support For Assault Weapons Ban [View all]	DonViejo	Jan 2013	OP
WWPWD?	SHRED	Jan 2013	#1
Somewhat serious answer?	karynnj	Jan 2013	#3
time for Minnesotans to get on the phone I guess ...	rtassi	Jan 2013	#4
Indeed.	Undaunted	Jan 2013	#66
Sounds like many of them already have do so	Freddie Stubbs	Jan 2013	#78
yes	2pooped2pop	Jan 2013	#103
He's not Paul Wellstone	WI_DEM	Jan 2013	#8
I think because Paul was a friend, mentor and inspiration to Al.	progressoid	Jan 2013	#36
Wellstone would do what Franken is doing: listening to constituents	johnfunk	Jan 2013	#11
I wish posters would quote the original source	OKNancy	Jan 2013	#2
I agree	davidpdx	Jan 2013	#6
I usually do post the link to the original story, Nancy...	DonViejo	Jan 2013	#7
I know... you are a valued poster	OKNancy	Jan 2013	#17
There are about a dozen Democratic Senators that may oppose the AWB	hack89	Jan 2013	#5
Don't support AWB? No money from me next time, Al. Get it from your CONSERVATIVE supporters.	MotherPetrie	Jan 2013	#9
Battle Stations! TOLL FREE!	calimary	Jan 2013	#10
Actually, "our" politicians	dotymed	Jan 2013	#12
Good point -- actually doing the job HIS VOTERS sent him there to do. An anomaly, sadly.	gateley	Jan 2013	#35
+1000 nt	Mojorabbit	Jan 2013	#82
Agreed. Good post.	WhoWoodaKnew	Jan 2013	#134
That's the problem. Many politicians aren't ready to stand up for what is right...	Drunken Irishman	Jan 2013	#162
Maybe he just thinks federal bans of any sort are a bad idea	Ter	Jan 2013	#13
ATF or FDA?	DreWId	Jan 2013	#74
IMO, yes	Ter	Jan 2013	#131
That really surprises me!	daschess1987	Jan 2013	#14
How DARE he be undecided	jberryhill	Jan 2013	#15
Well said. Thanks.	russspeakeasy	Jan 2013	#28
As far as I can see it isn't saying one way or another /nt	still_one	Jan 2013	#16
Im sorry, but I do not agree	James48	Jan 2013	#18
Well, maybe then	butterflygirl	Jan 2013	#45
I'm with ya, James.	appal_jack	Jan 2013	#52
The ban was just SO AWFUL when it was in effect!	AlbertCat	Jan 2013	#19
LOL. I bet it affects gun stores. Without "assault/tactical" weapons to pique yahoos' interests,	Hoyt	Jan 2013	#22
Perhaps he doesn't want to commit political suicide	hack89	Jan 2013	#24
Perhaps he doesn't want to commit political suicide	AlbertCat	Jan 2013	#25
This line of thinking is why we got DOMA and the Iraq War...	Drunken Irishman	Jan 2013	#161
The question is not awfulness.	krispos42	Jan 2013	#38
Now, every person that warned that Obama would be moving on gun control once he was elected for his	AlbertCat	Jan 2013	#50
I'm afraid it's not just the nut fringe minority	NickB79	Jan 2013	#137
So: We Should Tailor Our Policies Down To The Level Of Gun Activist-Spawned Paranoia?	Paladin	Jan 2013	#141
No, that's not what I'm suggesting	NickB79	Jan 2013	#142
Let Me Stop You, Right There.	Paladin	Jan 2013	#145
If they don't like/respect the law, lock them up for breaking it. Simple. nt	SylviaD	Jan 2013	#150
The for profit prison industry thanks you for your support	FrodosPet	Jan 2013	#160
So you don't believe in the rule of law? nt	SylviaD	Jan 2013	#164
I believe in the rule of law	FrodosPet	Jan 2013	#165
1000s of right wing gun nuts thank you for your opinions. nt	SylviaD	Jan 2013	#166
Well done. AWB ban only imposes cosmetic differences -- does not affect lethality.	immoderate	Jan 2013	#55
why does ANY congressman think assault weapons are fine? Are we in a civil war now?	wordpix	Jan 2013	#20
Midwestern Senators have to be careful on this.	JVS	Jan 2013	#21
Is there some benign purpose for assault weapons that I am not aware of?	LibDemAlways	Jan 2013	#23
It is merely a rifle	hack89	Jan 2013	#26
A Bushmaster AR-15 .223 Is A "Hunting Rifle".......	Paladin	Jan 2013	#29
Why not? Put a 5 round mag on it as required by law	hack89	Jan 2013	#31
Your side is the one that's hung up on cosmetics.	Paladin	Jan 2013	#37
Would you ban the Mini-14? nt	hack89	Jan 2013	#39
Aw, A Feeble Attempt At A Trick Question. How Sweet.	Paladin	Jan 2013	#47
Not a trick question. Merely shows the futility of banning weapons based on appearance.	hack89	Jan 2013	#56
I like the wooden stock	sir pball	Jan 2013	#48
I use my AR-15 for shooting coyotes	nick of time	Jan 2013	#33
That is incredibly dangerous...and expensive.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#63
I've had the same box of .223 for years now.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#65
Claims that the AR-15 is used for hunting is NRA propaganda.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#67
Call bullshit all you want.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#70
I already answered your question.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#73
Have you even read my posts?	nick of time	Jan 2013	#76
He very well could be a troll, but nothing he is saying so far is wrong.	Socal31	Jan 2013	#136
The .223 Rem. round is ideal	NickB79	Jan 2013	#139
A .22LR is a piss-poor choice for shooting coyotes	NickB79	Jan 2013	#138
I have never been concerned about an actual AWB passing	hack89	Jan 2013	#34
What's So Surprising About This?	Paladin	Jan 2013	#41
I have been hearing that for years - not concerned	hack89	Jan 2013	#42
Yeah, Keep That Optimistic Attitude, By All Means.	Paladin	Jan 2013	#46
You sound like those folks railing against Roe v Wade.	hack89	Jan 2013	#58
Tell You What: Let's Talk About What I DON'T Sound Like.	Paladin	Jan 2013	#95
Yet I bet you and I see eye to eye on many progressive issues	hack89	Jan 2013	#98
There you had a nice, respectful post going, something potentially constructive.....	Paladin	Jan 2013	#105
You really work hard at being offended, don't you?	hack89	Jan 2013	#106
gee, you say that to all the girls	BainsBane	Jan 2013	#154
I unfortunately have been known to sink to the level of my opponents	hack89	Jan 2013	#155
but what would you have to post about?	BainsBane	Jan 2013	#156
Does it matter?	hack89	Jan 2013	#157
It is not "merely a rifle."	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#64
There are many other rounds that are much more powerful then a 5.56mm	hack89	Jan 2013	#69
You don't put a 30-round magazine on a deer rifle.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#71
So implement a ban on large mags. nt	hack89	Jan 2013	#72
That too.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#75
So you want to ban all semi-automatic rifles?	hack89	Jan 2013	#77
What do you mean "not military style"? nt	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#83
There are many civilian semi-automatic weapons	hack89	Jan 2013	#85
100-year-old rifles are not the problem. nt	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#89
100 year old semi auto rifles work the same way as a modern semi auto rifle.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#92
They don't shoot with the same energy nor can you pop a 30-round mag in them.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#94
Not quite a 100 years old.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#99
That's talking about machine guns.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#100
Whatever.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#102
Link(s)? nt	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#108
Here.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#110
Seeing that it's fed by a "detachable box magazine," it should be illegal, IMO. nt	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#112
I won't disagree with you there.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#113
Did you happen to go to the pdf manual for that rifle?	Prog_gun_owner	Jan 2013	#146
I see you joined DU to troll this post.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#148
"They don't shoot with the same energy"	EX500rider	Jan 2013	#104
"BS"? Seriously? Well, here's your link. Can't believe you didn't already know about this....	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#107
Did I say it wasn't doable?	EX500rider	Jan 2013	#116
All assault rifles should be illegal for civilians to possess.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#118
That part is regulated as a machine gun	NickB79	Jan 2013	#140
My step dad took a nail file to a 1940's German Luger Pistol.	Prog_gun_owner	Jan 2013	#147
Research the Remington Model 8 semi-auto rifle	NickB79	Jan 2013	#144
This post was hidden by jury decision.	Prog_gun_owner	Jan 2013	#149
I am talking about the technology being 100 years old.	hack89	Jan 2013	#96
You are better off target shooting with 22lr and hunting with 30-06	Ash_F	Jan 2013	#120
I disagree	hack89	Jan 2013	#121
OK, then use .222 with the bolt action rifles with which they are common	Ash_F	Jan 2013	#122
It is perfect for target shooting and hunting	hack89	Jan 2013	#123
Well for one thing, .223 doesn't have the killing power to bring down game(Deer and bigger) humanley	Ash_F	Jan 2013	#124
It is a varmint round - not everyone hunts larger game.	hack89	Jan 2013	#125
It's popular because of military fetishism	Ash_F	Jan 2013	#126
Every rifle is basically a military rifle at heart	hack89	Jan 2013	#127
it is also popular	Duckhunter935	Jan 2013	#130
Self defense is about killing people	krispos42	Jan 2013	#43
?????	bongbong	Jan 2013	#53
You should always keep the possibility of lethal force present in your mind	NickB79	Jan 2013	#143
Not a gun advocate (wish we could live like UK or Japan) but nevertheless feel that you make good	grantcart	Jan 2013	#158
I feel the following.	krispos42	Jan 2013	#159
That's the thing about the Constitution - rights aren't about needs. Why does any individual need	24601	Jan 2013	#152
Perhaps he wants to see the specifics of the bill before making a decision	Marrah_G	Jan 2013	#27
What you said.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#32
Sounds like Al is considering a run for higher office.	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#30
Sounds like he simply values his job	sir pball	Jan 2013	#51
Either way. As Rachel Maddow would say, "He is triangulating his position."	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#57
Or simply trying to keep his current one. He is up for reelection next year.	Freddie Stubbs	Jan 2013	#79
That's his choice but disappointing.	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#84
These new restriction are going to die the House anyway, so why	Freddie Stubbs	Jan 2013	#87
I think it's called leadership.	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#88
If enough Democrats in the Senate do this, there will be new 'leadership' in the Senate in 2015	Freddie Stubbs	Jan 2013	#90
This is a bit circular, isn't it?	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#91
But what if his constituents are against what he believes in.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#93
Are they? Was Al Franken elected because he is known to be a capitulating centrist?	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#97
But that doesn't answer.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#101
He is under no such obligation.	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#109
He's under no such obligation to vote how his constituents want him to vote?	nick of time	Jan 2013	#111
Leaders lead. They don't take polls to make decisions.	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#114
You're seriously saying that elected leaders have no obligation	nick of time	Jan 2013	#115
Not all the time. How many times have I said this?	Buzz Clik	Jan 2013	#117
Ok.	nick of time	Jan 2013	#119
Sounds like everyone should contact Sen. Franken. nt	Pale Blue Dot	Jan 2013	#40
The message I'm getting from the pro assault weapons posters here is that	LibDemAlways	Jan 2013	#44
+1	forestpath	Jan 2013	#54
An AWB ban does not make children safer in the classroom.	immoderate	Jan 2013	#59
This is why an AWB is tricky business	Puzzledtraveller	Jan 2013	#86
Supporters of that ban need to be better educated on the topic	madville	Jan 2013	#128
I have a handgun. I bought a 20 and a 30 round mag before the first AWB	immoderate	Jan 2013	#129
That's the most depressing thing I've heard so far today.	SunSeeker	Jan 2013	#49
The part of the effort that bothers me is the regulation around mental health	Android3.14	Jan 2013	#60
Yes, it is very creepy.	amandabeech	Jan 2013	#163
Sen Franken has a lot of nerve	Lurks Often	Jan 2013	#61
Franken Clarifies: I Support A Reinstatement Of Assault Weapons Ban	jeff47	Jan 2013	#62
Mr. SOPA moron himself. nt	Comrade_McKenzie	Jan 2013	#68
Not quite. His spokesperson didn't	mzmolly	Jan 2013	#80
Vague term, better to regulate actual things...	Deep13	Jan 2013	#81
i thought he was more enlightened than that	samsingh	Jan 2013	#132
SamSingh...	DonViejo	Jan 2013	#133
oh - thank you - he is more enlightened!	samsingh	Jan 2013	#135
My support for Al Franken is at an end, and I will phone/email my MN friends. nt	SylviaD	Jan 2013	#151
I'll make sure to call Franken on Tuesday	BainsBane	Jan 2013	#153
Et tu, senator Franken?	Politicub	Jan 2013	#167
see post 132 above...	DonViejo	Jan 2013	#168
Has Franken lost his mind?! nt	SylviaD	Jan 2013	#169
It is a badly conceived law that won't accomplish a reduction in gun violence	aikoaiko	Mar 13	#170

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