Should semiautomatic weapons be banned?

[Middle-aged Europe]

Of course.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

These questions are always interesting, because there are two factors at play. One is whether such a ban would work (i.e. would have a measurable effect on the level of mass shootings) and th other is more philosophical (i.e. irregardless of any measurable impact, such a ban would be an immoral move that compromises the rights of the innocent). It's similar with say, the argument against the NSA's surveillence policy: some might say the policy is bad because it doesn't work and some say that even if it did stop terrorist attacks, it represents a fundamental breach of human rights irrgeardless. It's a much more interesting problem to measure one's view on the deontolgy vs consequentialism debate than silly trolly problems.

So let's ask questions:

1) Opponents of a ban: let's imagine some social scientist has managed to prove without a shadow of a doubt that such a ban would cause positive outcomes. Does this matter? (this isn't intended as a shaming "gotcha" question btw - even if I was handed evidence that a hardcore policy to intern immigrants without trial would slash violent crime rates by half, it would be irrellvant to me because I believe that this would compromise invaluable human rights)

2) Supporters of a ban: if you were handed evidence that proves, again beyond doubt, that such  a ban would cause only a marginal decline in violent crime/gun deaths/mass shootings; would you still support the ban? Do you operate under a policy that even one more life saved is worth it? Perhaps you don't care either way, and view it as fundamentally immoral that people even posess guns of such a nature to begin with?

[All Along The Watchtower]

Why do you need a semiautomatic rifle to defend your home anyway?

Because of "those people", of course.

^^^This is what drives a lot of the fear and paranoia that a significant and politically active part of America's gun owning population responds to, if not most of it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Why do you need a semiautomatic rifle to defend your home anyway?

Because of "those people", of course.

^^^This is what drives a lot of the fear and paranoia that a significant and politically active part of America's gun owning population responds to, if not most of it.

And your solution for paranoia is to prove them correct to be paranoid?

[GoTfan]

Why do you need a semiautomatic rifle to defend your home anyway?

Because of "those people", of course.

^^^This is what drives a lot of the fear and paranoia that a significant and politically active part of America's gun owning population responds to, if not most of it.

And your solution for paranoia is to prove them correct to be paranoid?

Then why is it places like Australia and the UK can get by just fine without semiautomatic firearms but America needs them so badly? It's not like their paranoid fantasies of fighting a Communist government are based in reality. Besides, an AR-15 is not going to do anythong against an Abrams tank. Or an F-22. Or a Predator drone.

[Tender Branson]

It's true what many posters here said:

The US is an extremely chauvinistic/militaristic society, with many people being very paranoid that they are invaded by Russians, North Koreans, the Chinese or Aliens (from space and abroad). And they are bombarded daily by a disturbing level of media coverage about killings and warfare.

A first step would therefore be for these paranoid Americans to lay off daily media consumption and for the US (government) to stop meddling in other countries business. Has there ever been a single year in the existence of the US when the country was not at war or militarily involved somewhere ?

Only then and after a period of 20 years of military non-involvement could US politics change and vote in favour of an Australian/European-style gun law ...

Plus, the NRA needs to be dissolved and banned for being a domestic terrorist-supporting organisation.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Why do you need a semiautomatic rifle to defend your home anyway?

Because of "those people", of course.

^^^This is what drives a lot of the fear and paranoia that a significant and politically active part of America's gun owning population responds to, if not most of it.

And your solution for paranoia is to prove them correct to be paranoid?

Then why is it places like Australia and the UK can get by just fine without semiautomatic firearms but America needs them so badly? It's not like their paranoid fantasies of fighting a Communist government are based in reality. Besides, an AR-15 is not going to do anything against an Abrams tank. Or an F-22. Or a Predator drone.

Why the US is different doesn't really matter.  What matters is what you do about it.  Telling people they're paranoid idiots won't work.  It especially won't work if they really are paranoid idiots.

More seriously, getting rid of semiautomatic guns would be like getting rid of cars with automatic transmissions.  While in both cases it would be better for society, but people want the easy to use object.