hey guys and gals,
    I'm a student at Texas A&M University and today some nitwit wrote an article in the school newspaper stating that .50 caliber rifles need to be outlawed. I read the article and decided that I'm going to write back to him. Here's the link. [url]www.thebatt.com[/url] It's the article entitled "Fire Power". I've got an idea what I'm going to say and I see some facts that he got incorrect. Just thought I would probe ya'll's minds for some input for my letter. You have to be a student to submit a letter to the editor for the mail call, but you are welcome to e-mail them if you want. I want to keep it professional and not give "them" any more ammo against us gun lovers. Thanks.

Poor facts and very weak support for his argument. I am young (29) and maybe dumb and full of c@m, but to me the person who wrote this needs to do more research if he is trying to provoke a debate. I personally would not respond. But if you do, just from reading it you can tell he is a wanna be change the world type.

Just my $0.02

BTW I am a member now......:>)

write the little bitch directly skip the editor, better yet tell the editor to drop his pansy scared ass from the school paper. [email protected]

hey brat,
  Thanks for the reply, [rolleyes] but you didnt help me a bit. I'm sorry that you like t.u. better than A&M, but obviously, all Aggies arent that narrow minded. You see, I am one, and there are several others on this board. The battalion is the only thing about A&M that is liberal. I asked for helpful opinions about the subject, not your pointless opinion of my school. Maybe if you had been able to make it into the college of your choice, your grammar wouldn't be as terrible as it is.

we should outlaw colleges because they only produce stupid people

I hardly think that "backwoods frontiersmen" would be able to shell out the $3000-8,000 required to buy a .50.

Pellet guns are not regulated in the majority of states. All retail gun sales are.

The Brady Bill had nothing to do with "assault weapons". The Omnibus Crime Bill of 1994 did.

"Jason Bennyhoff is a senior

journalism major."

That article was not journalism, but anti-gun propaganda. It isn't surprising that he also advocates prior restraint laws.

Aggie-
I'm no literary giant but I do own one and will try to help. First this guy starts off his story by using derogatory terms discribing .50 cal shooters and relies on fear tactics for the rest. If his point of view had any merit, simply stating the facts should be enough. And what are the facts? No crimes has ever been committed with a fify. They cost at least $2k and most are closer to $5k when adding optics and such.
BTW-You would think journalists would be strong supporters of the Bill of Rights as thier profession is so dependant on it. Anyway, thanks for taking a stand and speaking out with the truth. Here's a pic of my Barret and me.
[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1527374&a=11560808&p=50723741[/img]

LOL, thanks Imbroglio, thats definately a strong point to argue.

here is the article for those to lazy to click a link and incase they take it down

A recent article in Rolling Stone reported an entire subculture of Americans dedicated to sniping and the use of ultra, high-powered, military firearms. In the story, backwoods frontiersmen posing as normal people, take out their adolescent aggression by discharging powerful firearms, evidently for “fun.”

They lie on hillsides, peppering steel targets with bullets from nearly a mile away. Among the weapons, they use are the Armalite AR-50 and the EDM Windrunner, both .50-caliber sniper rifles manufactured to kill people and pierce armored vehicles from thousands of yards away. And to do this, they did no more paperwork than an 18-year-old buying a pellet gun at a local sports store. The scary thing is that the story is true, and the weapons of near mass destruction these men use are legal.

A number of lawmakers, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Ca., and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Ca., are working to change that, however. These legislators are promoting a bill that would reclassify these behemoth rifles for military use only, making them nearly impossible for an average citizen to buy. Inevitably, this effort will produce a backlash from conservative gun lovers. Nonetheless, these guns must be banned for the safety of the public.

Gun advocates, including John Burtt, chairman of the Fifty Caliber Shooters Association, say there is no reason to criminalize the use of these weapons. Burtt states, correctly, that there is no record of a .50-caliber sniper rifle, such as the Windrunner, being used in a crime. However, there was a time when there was no record of an assault rifle being used in a crime.

Once upon a time, it was legal to buy and own a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) this turned out to be a mistake police departments the across the nation would live to lament. After the invention of the gun, gangsters realized its potential uses, and some of the most colorful characters of the era including Bonnie and Clyde, used them against police. Granted, large, sniper rifles weigh between 25 and 40 pounds, making them much heavier than a BAR, and they fire far slower. However, these facts make it less likely they will be used in an armed robbery and more likely they will be used by a lunatic at the top of a college bell tower.

Charles Whitman did not have a .50-caliber rifle to shoot during his infamous rampage in Austin. He could only shoot passersby with ease, not armored car drivers. But he also did not have an automatic weapon. Whitman used precise shooting with bolt-action, hunting rifles for the majority of his killing. One only can imagine the destruction he could have wreaked had he been using a rifle designed to shoot straight through a brick wall rather than simply fell a deer in the forest.

One would assume that the Brady Bill would have outlawed weapons such as these, but instead it applies only to assault weapons — what the bill defines in part as “weapons not operated by lever, bolt, slide or pump.” Hence, these large bolt-action rifles are exempt from the bill.

Considering the controversy that surrounded the Brady Bill, it is unlikely that this latest measure to restrict firearms will pass, especially with a Republican in the country’s highest office. America can only sit and wait, hoping that the .50-caliber’s unblemished crime record stays that way.

Jason Bennyhoff is a senior

journalism major.

u notice how he also mentions Charles whitman. and then goes on to say that 50 cals are deadly sniper rifles when all the guns whitman used were scoped deer rifles. plus like what was mentiond earler his source of what bill is what is really f*cked up

So, what's this guys point?  I think this guy is Homosexual ass monkey posing as a journalist who takes out his adolescent aggression by sticking shaved hamsters up his ass evidently for "fun."

He says the rifles are "manufactured to kill people." If (as he admits) there is no record of one being used in any type of crime, only government contract guns could be fairly described as "manufactured to kill people." You'd have to check with the companies mentioned to be sure, but I'm not aware of any Armalite AR-50's or EDM Windrunners being purchased for issue by the government. Certainly "backwoods frontiersmen" are not getting any government surplus .50's.

If the bill he mentions restricts the rifles to governmental use only, it would ironically affect all .50's EXCEPT those "manufactured to kill people."

I just went to Barnes and Nobles and read the Rolling Stone article. This moron just paraphrased the article and emphasized the scare tactics. At least the stone's article was semi balanced. well, for them it was semi balanced but still made the shooters sound pretty bad. I mean, I dont think there is one word in his article that isnt in the Rolling Stone article.

1) The size of the weapons makes them almost impossible to "sneak" around.
2) The weight of the weapon makes them difficult to move around, try climbing a clock tower with a 40 lb gun.
3) The expense makes them rare. Both to aquire the rifle and the ammo.
4) Bonnie and Clyde had BAR's? Thought they had Thompsons. Thompsons being much more portable and easy to hide. They also had a car, maybe we should ban vehicles that could be used to speed away from banks.  
5) 600,000 Americans were killed by black powder rifles in a 5 year span. Maybe we should ban them.
6) The answer, at least in the US, has been to punish bad behavior not ban items. Most places have more people killed in car crashes, then die as a result of homicide. Do we ban cars? Many people don't like jet-skis, too noisy, fast, or flashy is what people claim. Do we ban those? Motorcycles are seen by some as dangerous. Do we ban them.

Any gun can kill people. This guy and any other Bullshit artist needs to get a life some day most guns are going to be banned. every president all the way back to carter era has passed some sort of legislation of gun control. Id say go ahead and banned all of the guns get it out of there way and let the world fall apart. you and I know where it's leading too. people needs to get a F**** life but no the sky is falling the sky is falling it shure in the hell is a Kalifornia. Diane F*ckstiegn needs to get laid or something she's all facked up.

[b]4) Bonnie and Clyde had BAR's? Thought they had Thompsons. Thompsons being much more portable and easy to hide. They also had a car, maybe we should ban vehicles that could be used to speed away from banks. [/b]

Yes They Had a Bar; the barrel was cut down so was the stock. they had a browning Auto Shotgun
they cut it down and tied a pieace of rubber/leather ? and tied it to the stock this was called a whippit! they slung it under a trench coat or something and whip it out!

Well see, you do learn stuff here. I've seen a real BAR and the thing was huge. When they were made for the "war" the only building materials were steel and wood, it had lots of both, looked very heavy.

Of course Dillinger had a Thompson gun. He got a Thompson gun from a cop that he "got the drop on" in Appleton(?) (someplace in WI anyway). Using the logic of the anti-'s cops shouldn't have guns. Because someone could get a gun away from a cop.

ok, quick question. background checks are done in all firearm transactions right? this isnt just a texas thing, is it? so, this would mean that he is wrong in saying that "they did no more paperwork than an 18-year-old buying a pellet gun at a local sports store." do they check your background for a pellet gun at wal-mart or academy?

ROTFLMAO!

I was the "backwoods frontiersman posing as a norman person" with the EDM Windrunner mentioned in the article.

We weren't lying on hillsides, we were shooting off benches, except for the M2.

The steel targets weren't nearly a mile away, they were only 750yds away.

Everything original this kid said was wrong, everything else was pure plagiarism.

OK, fellas & gals,

I sent em this:

------------------------------------------------
Personally,

I'm glad I did not graduate from your school, because if the article "firepower" is the best that your journalism students can produce, then I really think that your school is a big waste of tax-payer money.

If you want to present a more balanced picture of firearms ownership, I would invite you to create a link to www.ar15.com, so that people can get both sides of this issue.  

This article uses fear tactics and unfounded allegations to somehow sway public opinion.  Let me say that I do NOT own any of these weapons, but I am still upset at the blatant name-calling on Jason Bennyhoff's behalf.  I was under the impression that this was supposed to be a news article, not a political tool to encourage more gun control.

For instance:

" One only can imagine the destruction he could have wreaked had he been using a rifle designed to shoot straight through a brick wall rather than simply fell a deer in the forest."

It is obvious that Bennyhoff is not knowledgeable about guns and chooses to make unfounded assumptions based on what other liberal-minded people in power tell him about, whether in the Rolling Stone or on TV news shows.  Let me inform mr. Bennyhoff that ANY hunting rifle used to shoot deer can most likely crack cinderblocks and brick walls.  I have seen it done with the .30/06 rifle, a classic deer cartridge, as well rifles of lesser power.  If this student wishes to post inaccurate or just plain irresponsible information in the form of a news article, it is the job of this web site's editor to ensure that his work is no longer posted here.  BTW, the BAR that he refers to is also chambered in .30/06 caliber.

I also found the line:

"In the story, backwoods frontiersmen posing as normal people, take out their adolescent aggression by discharging powerful firearms, evidently for “fun.”"

To be offensive and prejudicial.  "Backwoods frontiersmen" won't have the 3 to 10 thousand dollars that these guns are worth.  Also, "adolescent aggression" is something that I DONT see in many recreational shooters.  However, I DO see a great deal of stress on SAFTEY.  Besides, others in this society value this trait, and it can be seen in generally accepted formats, like.. COLLEGE FOOTBALL, or hockey.  

I don't think I will get anywhere with this e-mail, nor will you pass what I have stated to Mr. Bennyhoff, but I do hope you at LEAST try to bring in both sides of an issue, instead of using PUBLIC FUNDING to post anti-gun propaganda

Concerned Citizen
------------------------------------------------

Probably won't do any good

Urban

hey there,
i got done with my letter to the editor. i had to keep it under 300 words. it was originally much longer, but i had to go back and cut a bunch out. here it is. read over it and make sure im correct please.

Dear Jason,

I read your article entitled “Firepower” in Thursday’s Battalion, and I also read the Rolling Stone article. I thought the purpose of the opinion page was to express the opinion of the publishing student author, not the opinion of the source author. Your article was simply a paraphrase of the Rolling Stone article. You stated the anti-gun side of the debate and resorted to scare tactics and stereotyping. One of the few things I saw that differed from the original article is the statement, “In the story, backwoods frontiersmen posing as normal people, take out their adolescent aggression by discharging powerful firearms, evidently for ‘fun’.” I hardly believe backwoods frontiersmen could afford the price tag of this sport. Yes, sport, which is exactly what it is. The Armalite web page states, ” Our newest rifle is intended to provide an economical, accurate rifle for shooters interested in the challenges of long range shooting.” This does not comply with your statement, “...50-caliber sniper rifles manufactured to kill people and pierce armored vehicles from thousands of yards away.”  Another of your fallacies states, “And to do this (buy a .50 caliber rifle), they did no more paperwork than an 18-year-old buying a pellet gun at a local sports store.” All firearm purchases require a background check, excluding pellet guns. This prevents criminals from buying a firearm. To make this rifle a Class III weapon would only result in a $200 dollar price increase and a bit more paperwork. The same people would possess them ex post facto. As a journalist, I would think that you would respect the constitution. The amendment directly after your right to freedom of press gives all Americans the right to bear arms. I urge you to be a little more versed and original with your future articles.

Tell that dumb ass that you can shove a fifty where the sun don't shine.

My good friend and associate, the Honorable Dianne Feinstein, is lobbying as we speak to ban the further sale of these weapons of mass destruction. If she is successful, we will be one step closer to our goal of total disarmament of the people.

We are doing it for the children.

Thank you.

I sent this to the guy and The Battalion:

Dear Jason,

I read your article about .50" caliber rifles and I have a few comments.
It seems to me that you did not take the time to research the subject of your article in any greater extent than reading the RS article that you referred to (and yes, I read that article too.)

I don't know what the Texas gun laws require, but regarding the paperwork required for the purchase of one of these rifles: there are no federal background checks for pellet guns, but there is for 50 caliber rifles and all other cartridge-firing firearms.

There's also the small issue of price. In your article you referred to the infamous Charles Whitman. Would he have been able to afford the EDM Windrunner for $8,250.00, or maybe the Armalite AR-50 for $2,615 (retail)? Probably not. I'm guessing you are quite familiar with the financial strains of attending a university (I don't know if Whitman was enrolled at the university at the time of the shooting, this is just an assumption on my part) and you are in that case well aware of the fact that buying the aforementioned rifle is out of the question.

On the subject of Charles Whitman and your comment about how he did not have an automatic rifle nor a 50 caliber rifle, and how if he had had either the toll of human life would have been much higher. A lot of people who have never used an automatic firearm in its true setting (military and law enforcement) do not realize that it is MUCH easier to hit targets using a bolt action hunting rifle with a good scope than with an automatic rifle (be it full- or semi-automatic.) And even if you have a 50 caliber rifle you still have to find your targets. Sure, you can fire through cars and walls, but as Whitman had military training (USMC) he was more likely to try to shoot targets which he could hit than trying to shoot at places where he "thought" targets might be located.

Then there's your comment about "...backwoods frontiersmen posing as normal people,..." I won't disagree with the fact that there are a lot of people out there who own firearms, whom we shouldn't trust with anything more advanced than a rock (if that!) My question is if your comment is based on your own research or just from what you read in the Rolling Stone?

Most members of the FCSA (Fifty Caliber Shooters' Association) are businessmen/-women who can afford, and like, the challenge of trying to hit a small target at a 1000 yards. As you might now shooting sports are part of the Olympic Games, the FSCA is just taking the logical step - trying to hit a target as far away as they can (something most people involved in the shooting sports strive to do.) I'm sure they would settle for a lesser caliber firearm if it could do the job, but the laws of physics makes this increasingly hard. So hard in fact that it's safer to use a larger caliber bullet.

I can understand if you don't like firearms (guns are not for everyone) but I think that just because you read an article in Rolling Stone and you would like to add to the debate, it does not free you from the responsibility to do your own research before writing an article.
At the current time your article achieve the status of an article review (welcome to english 101!) or hearsay, but it falls short of being good journalism, something I'm afraid we're running awfully short on at any rate as it is.

BTW, I got a response, See my last post on this thread for my original E-mail.  This is what was sent back to me.

-----------------------------------------------
I find it amusing that you base your subjective views of Texas A&M on one persons opinions.  The school has nothing to do with how he is as an individual and I'd just like to point that out to you.  Everything else in your letter is good except those statements about the school being a "waste of tax-payer money".  That was a ridiculous remark all on the basis of one
weak article.

I will pass this on to Mr. Bennyhoff and allow him to read your thoughts about his article.  Thanks for writing in and sharing your opinions with The Battalion.

Sincerely,
Brandon Payton
Webmaster, The Campus Rag
V.P., Seventh Enterprise, Inc.
[ www.thecampusrag.com ]


------------------------------------------------

See, even their own webmaster admits that this was "one weak article."


Also, correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the webmaster and the students who post on a PUBLICLY ACCESSABLE website

I didn't want to make fun of the WHOLE school, but if the website reflects on the school's subjective and biased set of values, then I sure as hell wouldn't want to go there!

Score:

Libs like Bennyhoff                       0
Urban and friends (YALL)                  1
Webmaster(who appears to hate article)    1

[:D]

Keep those E-mails flyin' folks!

hey, good letters guys. im submitting mine by hand on monday morning. the more i think about this article, the more pissed off i get.

the article actually admits there is NO record of the .50 being used in a crime.

..sort makes the whole thing trivial, no?

This is just poorly written, non-factual piece of rubish.  The fact that this is from a Senior Journalism Student scares me more than anything, though.

Think... next year some of this crap might actually appear in an alredy red jouranlism world.

I think we should ban fountain pens.  There is no record of them actually being used in a crime, but they are sharp and that ink is so toxic!
[;D]

[blue]"Charles Whitman did not have a .50-caliber rifle to shoot during his infamous rampage in Austin. He could only shoot passersby with ease, not armored car drivers. But he also did not have an [b][red]automatic[/red][/b] weapon."[/blue]

Notice the typical anti-gun attempt to connect 50 cals to machine guns!

[url]www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=32279[/url]