Activist is maybe not the right word because I don’t think that is their primary thing but I was first introduced to this discourse by seeing Sky Marchini getting flamed for saying an AR-15 is semiautomatic and not automatic and that that matters when laws regulate the two differently.
Like, I think saying “all guns should be illegal” is a totally coherent viewpoint and it’s also not gonna happen in the US anytime soon. Once you get into regulation though, it’s important to know a bit about the things you’re regulating.
It doesn't actually matter much - it's quite possible to convert, or to do a mass shooting with a semiautomatic. and I don't think I have seen Sky post much about gun control even
Yeah that’s why I said activist is probably not the right word, but I take them at their word that they are pro gun control. I disagree that it doesn’t matter much because it should be illegal to convert a semi to a full auto and to make that illegal you need to be clear about your definitions.
As for your point about mass shootings with semi-autos, yes that can be done but I think things like magazine capacity and preventing conversions mitigate the damage. Again, I think “ban all guns” is a much easier to legislate policy from a drafting perspective, but not from a passing perspective.
Every mass shooting we’ve ever heard about was committed with a semi-automatic weapon, and conversions are already a federal felony. Magazine capacity is viable, but really nibbling at the margins. And if we’re talking about all firearm deaths instead of mass shootings, handguns are the main threat.
Clinton's assault weapons ban had a positive effect for as long as it lasted