AWB sunset story on BBC webpage - and the email I sent them

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AWB sunset story on BBC webpage - and the email I sent them

Posted: 9/10/2004 6:59:05 AM EDT

I saw this story on the BBC about the sunset news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3644044.stm . While it is not as grossly inaccurate as some of the ones over here, I still found it to be in errror - so I sent them a message. I usually never bother with emails like that over here, since many news outlets clearly have an agenda, but I figured the BBC might honestly just be mistaken, and while they of course wouldn't correct this story, it might lead them to be more careful if they run a follow-up on Monday.

Here's the message I sent to the BBC webpage - since you can give them feedback (and you can select "Factual Errors" from a pull-down menu). I tried to keep it simply, because I think people go to sleep if you get bogged down with technical detail.

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

On your story about the expiration (or "sunset") of the assault weapon ban in the United States, you are actually quite inaccurate in your description (this is understandable, since there is a lot of confusion in the U.S. about the law).

There are two main points of inaccuracy:

First, the law refers to semi-automatic rifles - NOT full-auto weapons like Uzis and AK-47s. Such full-auto (or "select-fire") weapons are very heavily regulated under 1934 and 1968 laws, and are very rare in the U.S. - although it is possible to buy them in some states with extensive background checks, finverprinting, expensive permits etc. The assault weapon ban did NOT affect these weapons. The assault weapon ban related to the semi-automatic civilian version of military assault rifles, not the full-auto actual assault rifles.

Second, the reality of the matter is that the law never really affected ANY guns in a significant way - nothing was really "banned" by the law at all. To start with, all existing semi-automatic rifles (based on military designs) were "grandfathered" by the law, meaning that they were still legal to own, and legal to buy and sell. The law did not ban them, just made them slightly more expensive since the supply was now limited. However, manufacturers could legally continue to make the EXACT same semi-automatic rifles - with minor cosmetic changes - and keep selling them throughout the ban. Essentially, an AR-15 rifle (the semi-automatic version of the M-16 military rifle) could be sold before the ban in its regular configuration, and could be sold during the ban as exactly the same rifle, but just without a bayonet mounting or a folding stock and with a "recoil compensator" at the end of the barrel instead of a "flash supressor" - other than technical (and essentially cosmetic) differences, the rifles that could be sold during the ban were NO DIFFERENT from the rifles sold before the ban in terms of functioning or effectiveness. In fact, a layperson would be hard pressed to tell the difference.

Similarly for "high-capacity magazines" - the ban prohibited the MANUFACTURE of new magazines with more than 10 rounds' capacity, but did not limit the sale of existing magazines. Since there were millions of high-capacity magazines in inventories, this aspect of the ban also had NO EFFECT, other than to slightly raise prices.

Thus the expiration of the ban really will have NO EFFECT on anything whatsoever, except perhaps for some purists who will go out and replace the recoil compensator on their AR-15 with a flash supressor, and for the effect of slightly lowering the price of some magazines.

My apologies for the long message, but I wanted to clarify matters.

XXXXXXXXXX

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:03:20 AM EDT

[#1]

Yeah, 'cause it's important what the Brits think of us.

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:07:12 AM EDT

[#2]

Good response, much better than the 'Fuck you you commie bastard' type of prose seen too often.

A good way to twist the knife would have been to demostrate the 'Grandfathering' issue by illustrating the thousands of SA80 magazines made pre Sept 13, 1994 recently sold to the US (for civie consumption) by the UK.

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:09:32 AM EDT

[#3]

Well done DK-Prof.

Do you think the BBC will research the topic more before reporting on it?

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:12:44 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Yeah, 'cause it's important what the Brits think of us.

LOT of people around the world trust BBC news. Do you think it would be good for the U.S. economy - which is in a critical stage right now - if world tourism to the U.S. dropped because misinformed people around the world are afraid to visit because they think the streets will be full of assault weapons and running with blood??

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:13:57 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Do you think the BBC will research the topic more before reporting on it?

Probably not

- but I figured it was worth a try, since they don't necessarily have a horse in this race - they MIGHT just be interested in reporting the news accurately.

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:16:02 AM EDT

[#6]

Good job!

Another notch in the belt of the Cheerocracy!

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:17:49 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, 'cause it's important what the Brits think of us.

LOT of people around the world trust BBC news. Do you think it would be good for the U.S. economy - which is in a critical stage right now - if world tourism to the U.S. dropped because misinformed people around the world are afraid to visit because they think the streets will be full of assault weapons and running with blood??

That's a good point and by all means, I agree with the spirit of what you did. Just bottom line it would probably be as effective to bang your head against a wall.

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:22:47 AM EDT

[#8]

Nice reply, and why doesn't the mouth on your avatar scare me anymore?

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:25:45 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Nice reply, and why doesn't the mouth on your avatar scare me anymore?

The evil demon has infected DoubleFeed!!

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:26:36 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Yeah, 'cause it's important what the Brits think of us.

LOT of people around the world trust BBC news. Do you think it would be good for the U.S. economy - which is in a critical stage right now - if world tourism to the U.S. dropped because misinformed people around the world are afraid to visit because they think the streets will be full of assault weapons and running with blood??

That's a good point and by all means, I agree with the spirit of what you did. Just bottom line it would probably be as effective to bang your head against a wall.

That's actually a VERY good point! You would be amazed how many people in Britain and Europe belive the Hollywierd hype and think you spend your time dodging bullets over there…

Andy

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:29:36 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Nice reply, and why doesn't the mouth on your avatar scare me anymore?

The evil demon has infected DoubleFeed!!

Not Willie?

Posted: 9/10/2004 7:53:41 AM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Nice reply, and why doesn't the mouth on your avatar scare me anymore?

The evil demon has infected DoubleFeed!!

Not Willie?

Yup - I had an exorcism performed on my avatar, and it entered DF's avatar instead!

I'm FREE !!

Posted: 9/10/2004 8:52:20 AM EDT

[#13]

The AK pictured is a post-ban!! (unless it is a folder, but ou can't see the stock)

Posted: 9/10/2004 8:58:21 AM EDT

[#14]

Good response. Professional, curtious, informative, and most of all, a good representaion of gun owners here in the USA.

Posted: 9/10/2004 9:07:07 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Nice reply, and why doesn't the mouth on your avatar scare me anymore?

The evil demon has infected DoubleFeed!!

Not Willie?

Yup - I had an exorcism performed on my avatar, and it entered DF's avatar instead!

I'm FREE !!

It was just another Psychopolitical ploy eh!

Posted: 9/10/2004 9:17:52 AM EDT

[#16]

Very well written letter.You are right the BBC does get listened to worldwide. I hope it's read and understood. Every little bit accurate information will help dampen the anti's

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AWB sunset story on BBC webpage - and the email I sent them

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