There are terrible articles, there are terribly reasoned articles, then there’s this nonsense from Red State attempting to show that you need an AR-15. The emphasis on the article is literally on need, not want, not should consider having, but need. As a gun-owner myself, it is an embarrassing read.
All five points of the article fail. Here’s why:
Reason #1: You [do not] need an AR-15 to defend against break-ins with multiple suspects.
Break ins with multiple suspects are far rarer than break-ins with single suspects, unless perhaps you are running a drug house. Shotguns have been used effectively for home protection far longer than AR-15s have been. While the kick might be more substantial, that’s why we practice.
Reason #2: You [do not] need an AR-15 to defend yourself against civil unrest.
Civil unrest is, thankfully, rare in this country. On the occasions when it happens, even when it lasts for weeks and occurs nationally, it is usually not in residential neighborhoods.
Even so, unless you are being personally threatened (or need to protect your business) during civil unrest, you may not even need a gun, much less an AR-15. Staying home is the best way for most people to stay safe during civil unrest.
Reason #3: You [do not] need an AR-15 to protect yourself during a national disaster or a [poop hits the fan] scenario.
Think of all the news footage you’ve seen over the years of people wading through flood waters, escaping wildfires, or fleeing earthquakes. How many people were carrying their AR-15 above their head as opposed to food, their kids, clothes, or money, if anything at all?
I’m not saying having a firearm for protection during a national disaster is a bad idea; bad people exploit bad times. But “you need an AR-15” for it is fantasyland.
Reason #4: You [do not] need an AR-15 because everyone else has them—including criminals.
A lot of people have ARs including criminals, but not everyone has them. Not nearly everyone. According to Pew, 40% of Americans live in a home with a gun, but only 30% of Americans are gun owners. So, not only does not everyone else own an AR-15, not even close to a majority own a gun of any kind.
Further, most violent crimes are not committed with AR-15s. Here’s the 2020 aggravated assault breakdown from Statista.
Here’s the murder chart:
Reason #5: You [do not] need an AR-15 because you don’t trust the government.
You can’t stop the US Army or Marines with your AR-15 collection. You’ll be hard-pressed to stop your local police department tactical team with it.
If you do not trust the government, then vote. You are not likely to re-enact Red Dawn against a rogue general.
If you have a need a weapon that is a very efficient killing tool, apparently the AR-15 is your ticket. Or maybe you simply like how it looks at the range. Fine. But let’s dispense with this talk of need. There are other semi-automatics that shoot 5.56 caliber, so it’s hard to prove that anyone needs to own an AR-15 specifically. In fact, some people in these United States need not to.
fides quaerens intellectum
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