My husband is so concerned about the Arpaio pardon
Last edited Sun Aug 27, 2017, 04:24 PM - Edit history (1)
that he wants to buy a gun, and I'm scared shitless. We live in a neighborhood with several vocal Trump supporters, and we're worried.
I edited this post because my original post, sent in haste, has given folks the wrong idea about my situation. I'm sorry for the confusion.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Chances are that you are reacting the way you are at least in part because you misunderstand what a semi-automatic is, which seems to be the case by virtue of your citing him wanting a semi-automatic as itself being cause for concern.
This Ruger 10/22 pictured above is a semi-automatic rifle.
It's probably not what you envisioned semi-automatic to mean.
What semi-automatic actually means is simply that once the weapon is loaded and fired, the next round is made ready to fire by the energy expended by the previous round being fired, rather than by a separate mechanical action like cycling a pump or lever mechanism. It also means that one and only one round is fired each time the trigger is pulled, or in layman's terms, that it explicitly is not a machine gun.
To put in proper perspective the implications of someone wanting a semi-automatic, one might do well to consider how a classic revolver operates. It too fires one and only one round per pull of the trigger, but the next round to be fired is moved into position immediately before it is fired and as a product of the mechanical action of pulling the trigger, rather than immediately after the previous round was fired, as a product of the energy firing the last round expended. Still, though, one round is fired each time the trigger is pulled, with no additional action being required.
Now if you are thinking to yourself, "yeah but that's not an assault weapon like the AK my husband wants to buy", this is where things get tricky. Buy that Ruger 10/22 above, remove two screws and replace the factory wooden stock with this aftermarket one, and suddenly it becomes an assault weapon, in states like NY that still have such a law in force, and under the definitions contained in both the AWB of the 90's and the one that was proposed but failed to pass in the wake of Sandy Hook.
Why? Because now it has a pistol grip and a telescoping stock. It's still exactly the same firearm, holds exactly the same number of exactly the same bullet, can fire them at exactly the same speed, and has identical safety features. The point here is that like "semi-automatic", "assault weapon" doesn't actually mean what you may think it does.
The real question you should be concerned with, in my humble opinion, is whether your husband wants to buy a gun because he fears he may need it to protect his family from threats we have good reason to expect, or to take the fight to an enemy.
The latter is most certainly cause for concern.
The former is merely cause for due caution and proper education and training.
Might do the trick!
Inquiring minds want to know!
Seriously, I think that learning how to use, clean, and respect a gun is a good idea for anyone in these times. It's practical, and it may become important some day for your family to learn. 
Good to know the CLEO approval is gone. A law should be deterministic rather than capricious and arbitrary.
If I had $25k I spend it on bills and repairs. 
it may be the best one can do, using a gun.
<- coffee
The only thing they study and fixate on is how to defeat my Squirrel Buster Bird Feeder. So far, they have been kept out of that feeder and eat what falls on the ground or what we scatter for them. No signs of rabies, so far. Just pissed off squirrels who never give up trying!LOL 
We have a bay window in our kitchen. I used to have a bird feeder that was on the window with suction cups. The squirrels would shinny up the metal frame work of the window and then would tentively stick one leg over trying to grab hold of the feeder. As soon as he didn't have four legs holding on the frame he would start to slip and slide down the frame. The first time it happened we kept hearing a scratching sound but didn't know where it was coming from. Finally, we saw the squirrel sliding down the frame work and just about died laughing. He kept trying over and over to figure out how to hold on and grab at the same time. Eventually, he gave up but he had us laughing for quite a while!
P.s. Our squirrels are well fed. We toss some seed out for them in the yard and apples if they get too far gone for us to eat. They seem to like left over sweet potato fries and pork rinds, too. 
...gun safety courses. We even competition shot a few times ( I always came in last). Guns aren't evil and shouldn't be scary if you learn to use them. We have concealed weapons permits ( however my medical marijuana card makes me ineligible to have it renewed)...but the last time I actually carried a concealed weapon was when I worked as a social worker in a very bad area......many years ago... In Fact.. our local Democrat Party wants to start a Second Amendment group..those of us with guns get together for friendly competitions with the local GOP. They will be surprised to know how many of us are actually gun owners
Given that you're proposing to make felons out of circa 20-25% of the population...
...without expecting at least a sizeable minority of them to oppose you tooth and nail, I'm going to have to go with the latter...
Wonder how they get away with it.
Opinion passed off as fact aside...
Nothing wrong with self-defense classes and situational awareness- in fact, I'd recommend them as well.
Sadly, it most likely has already happened- but situational awareness, karate classes, a strong commanding voice*, cans of
beans*, and bicycle wheels* will do nothing to prevent someone with bad intent using a firearm against you.
*All of these have seriously been suggested as self-defense techniques here at DU
Speaking for myself, I prefer not to cower and hope the crazies don't notice me. Doing so only cedes
public spaces to regressives.
I'll take the word of an anonymous tough-talking internet poster over the CDC any day of the week.
