Global Courant 2023-05-14 21:00:40
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Was. – A firearms instructor condemned Washington state’s new “assault weapons” ban as discriminatory against women because it bans one of the most popular gun models: the AR-15.
“For many women, the choice of personal protection that works best for them has been taken away,” Jane Milhans of the Washington State Rifle and Pistol Association told Fox News. “So the law clearly discriminates against women.”
A woman learns to shoot with an AR-15 at the Tacoma Rifle and Revolver Club in University Place, Washington. (Hannah Ray Lambert/Fox News Digital)
WASHINGTON GOV SIGNS BIG GUN CONTROL PACKAGE INCLUDING ‘ASSESSED WEAPON’ BAN: ‘NO ONE NEEDS AN AR-15’
Gov. Jay Inslee signed a package of gun control bills last month, including House Bill 1240. The law immediately banned the manufacture, sale and import of dozens of semi-automatic rifle models in Washington for the purpose of preventing mass shootings.
“Nobody needs an AR-15 to protect your family,” Inslee said before signing into law. “You only need it to kill other families.”
Milhans disagreed, arguing that AR-15 style guns are the most popular rifles among women because of their female-friendly features, such as a stock that can be adjusted to fit smaller frames. They also have less recoil than many other rifles or shotguns.
“So it makes it safer for a woman both in a home defense situation and if they’re shooting at a rifle league or something like that,” she said.
Women are one of the fastest growing groups of gun owners. And while pistols are the most popular firearm, according to the Pew research center. More than 60% of gun owners surveyed said they owned a gun, and consistently AR-15s lead the category for sale.
“What does AR-15 stand for?” Milhans asked her all-female firearms class near Tacoma, a question she asks all new students.
“Automatic rifle” and “assault rifle” are the most common guesses, Milhans said, but neither is correct — AR stands for ArmaLite Rifle, after the company that developed it.
The story surrounding semiautomatic weapons is riddled with “misconceptions,” students in Milhans’ class told Fox News.
“Everything in the news and media makes it sound like this is the most murderous weapon out there and this is what everyone gets to kill our kids in school systems,” said Jessica McCoy, who said she was nervous ahead of practice about weapons. session.
“These are not big, scary, automatic weapons that are banned in our state,” said Lisa Olson. “The AR-15 is a semi-automatic. You could only forward one bullet at a time, and the public thinks otherwise.”
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Milhans said Washington’s new gun laws target the wrong people.
“They’re targeting us, the law-abiding gun owners, rather than the criminals,” she said. “Criminals will buy their guns through black market drug deals, straw purchases, whatever illegal means. And so the law won’t affect them.”
McCoy called the ban a “government overreach”.
“They just keep disarming us,” she said. “They want to take control. They don’t accurately inform the public about what they are doing, and they are slowly taking away our rights.”
However, banning so-called “assault weapons” seems popular with American voters: A recent Fox News poll found that six in 10 support banning “assault rifles” and semi-automatic weapons.
At the same time, only 43% of registered voters believe stricter gun laws will make the country safer, a drop of nearly 10% from 2016. The shift comes primarily from women, Republicans and independents.
Fox News poll on tougher gun laws. (Fox news)
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Washington’s HB 1240 is already facing numerous lawsuits, including from the NRA’s lobbying arm, the Silent Majority Foundation, the Second Amendment Foundation and a coalition of gun stores, a gun manufacturer and a former Olympic gun shooter.
Attorney General Bob Ferguson wrote that his office is “undefeated in court against the gun lobby” and plans to “keep that record intact.” Ferguson announced his campaign for governor earlier this month.
Ramiro Vargas contributed to the accompanying video.
Hannah Ray Lambert is an associate producer/writer at Fox News Digital Originals.
