THE AK-47 ASSAULT RIFLE ------------------------ Here is the rifle that launched a thousand anti-gun bills in the United States, the famous AK-47 assault rifle. Take a good look at it. The ver- sions in the U.S. are semiautomatic, a technology that has been around since before the turn of the century. Your granddad might have owned and used a semiautomatic. We fought World War II with several. They've been around. Thanks to the misuse of a semiautomatic Chinese copy of this rifle in a schoolyard by a mental case in California who should never had been on the streets in the first place, California has now banned many so- called "assault rifles." * Never mind that this rifle has less power than the typical .30-30 hunting rifle. * Never mind that this rifle is woefully inaccurate. * Never mind that a TRUE assault rifle is capable of both semiautomatic and full-automatic fire, and full-auto assault rifles are illegal without a special license from the Federal government. * Never mind that there are laws on the books giving the death penalty to murderers, but few pay the penalty that prevents them from going out on the streets to kill again, thanks to hand-wringing members of the judiciary who are more concerned with criminals than victims. * Never mind that semiautomatics of this type figure in less than 3% of violent crime committed with firearms. -- * Never mind that legal, licensed, full-automatic firearms have NEVER been used in a crime of violence in the U.S... NEVER. * Never mind that these weapons are NOT the drug dealers' "weapon of choice" (too bulky to carry around). Teddy Kennedy, member of the U.S. Senate and an amoral hoplophobic, perpetuates this myth. (Hoplophobic: an unreasoning fear of guns) * Never mind that the 2nd amendment of the Constitution provides citizens the right to be armed, and that right was NOT to be infringed. The clear-thinking lawmakers in California BANNED the semiautomatic variant of this rifle and many others like it, and now the U.S. Congress wants to do the same for the whole country. That's right, guys and gals, blame an inanimate object, ban it! Ban it because you do not trust the people!!! If you disagree with this concept, write your Senators and Congressmen before it's too late. Another freedom will be wrested from you while the Constitution is trampled, because you did NOTHING to prevent it. Wake up, America! Take a look at this rifle of wood, plastic and steel and decide if it is so horrible that little by little, your rights as Americans should be taken away from you. Is YOUR liberty the price to pay for the actions of a few miscreants who abuse their rights? Think on this.