A hypothetical question: What if 100 people came to a POTUS event with assault rifles?

[trumad]

Apparently 1 guy did and it was legal---

What if 100 guys came and each had an assault weapon---and it was legal?

[slackmaster]

1. Which do you mean?

Assault rifles or assault weapons?

Current federal law doesn't have a definition for either term, but in common parlance they do not refer to the same things.

[trumad]

2. Well---let's just say the loaded AR15 the dude had.

[slackmaster]

3. That would be a "rifle".

As long as they aren't breaking any laws, I don't see a problem with it.

I wouldn't do that myself, and believe anyone who does is just looking for attention. The best way to deal with someone who does that is to ignore them.

[Eric J in MN]

11. defintion of "assault rilfe"

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assault%20rifle

Main Entry: assault rifle
Function: noun
Date: 1972

: any of various automatic or semiautomatic rifles with large capacity magazines designed for military use
===================


Why isn't an AR-15 an assault rifle?

[X_Digger]

13. "Assault Rifle" usually..

..refers to a select-fire weapon (capable of burst/full auto). "Assault Weapon" is the term made famous by the now expired '94 Assault Weapons legislation.

[slackmaster]

23. They are not designed for military use

Certainly not the semiautomatic ones. No military force on Earth uses them AFAIK.

They were designed for and are marketed to civilian consumers; they are sporting arms.

[Statistical]

5. Then it would be 100 guys with rifles out of line of sight of the President...

where they present no danger to the President.

The secret service doesn't rely on active protection as a first line but rather passive protection.

They choose locations, and setup the security perimeter such that to see even a glimpse of the President would require you pass through the security perimeter which is an enforced weapons free zone.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

4. Why would anything happen?

[Statistical]

6. Then it would be 100 guys with rifles out of line of sight of the President...

where they present no danger to the President.

The secret service doesn't rely on active protection as a first line but rather passive protection.

They choose locations that allow them to securely delivery the President inside the security permiter and setup the security perimeter such that to see even a glimpse of the President would require you pass through the security perimeter which is an enforced weapons free zone.

From outside the perimeter which is where "guys with guns" would be they would never see the President.

The limo staging area, the path to where the President is speaking and the actual speaking location are chosen to not have a single point where there is line of sight outside the security bubble.

I mean think about it.... if the Secret Service screws that up it isn't a dumbass with a rifle on his back you need to worry about, it is some guy hidden from view in a 5th floor apartment who gets off a single shot.

The Secret Service is good at what they do. They can't control the entire city so they choose a location and setup that ensure to be able to attack the President (line of sight) you would need to already have passed through security.

[AngryAmish]

16. St Patricks Day in Chicago a few years ago

GWB walked down Columbus within view of about 10000 windows. A sniper who knew his business could have taken him out -- or so I'm told.

They have to keep Obama safe.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. And the Secret Service hates those venues for just that reason

Hard to know what to do about that. The Secret Service really can not police that many windows and balconies.

[Ikonoklast]

7. That means that there would be 100 ignorant assholes all in one spot.

Carrying a loaded weapon to a political discussion in order to make some sort of point makes the idiots easier to spot.

[-..__...]

8. If it incured the 100 times the outrage...

display of airplay, ignorance, tongue wagging, hype, paranoia and bed wetting posted here the last few days...
I'd say it was an attention getting protest that worked.

The HCR side needs to respond in a similar attention grabbing fashion if we want a genuine Health Care bill to materialize.

Doesn't mean toting firearms to a Town Hall Meeting or Presidential affair... just a show of unity and determination to get the ball rolling.

[Doctor_J]

9. If they get away with it (likely), then pretty soon 500 will

and eventually there will be more of them than the SS can handle. Then they'll kill the president, and the gun lovers will tell us, "well, better this than having our gun rights infringed on"

[RagAss]

12. Actually at that point they'd call in an airstrike.

[X_Digger]

14. Or just turn the limo around..

.. :eyes:

[Tim01]

10. It would be 100 times as much nothing. nt

[zipplewrath]

15. I would point out

It is important to realize that the president regularly goes places with lots-o-guns. He's been to Iraq. If he goes to Israel, there are a tremendous number of armed people in that population. He regularly goes to military installations where there are alot of guns. The bottom line is that the Secret Service knows how to deal with these kinds of situations.

[doc03]

22. Like they did in Dallas n/t

[Life Long Dem]

17. Everyone could carry toy assault rifles if they want.

:patriot:

[ProgressiveProfessor]

19. Depending on the locality the end ot the barrel or even the whol;e toy has to be a non gun color

However, there now are color bluing kits for firearms and even pink AR-15s. I think Daley or Bloomie melted down over that.

[eShirl]

20. ...

X 100

[Motown_Johnny]

21. I found a couple places on line that sell Replica Weapons.. I think we should find out what would

happen if dozens of people show up at a rally, any rally, with what appear to be firearms.


http://rreplicas.com/Products/Replica-Military-Firearms.html?SID=xBLNDKKS8SARAFLNHQXAE6&SearchText=&NID=5974785&