The gun façade

When the federal assault weapons ban expired Sept. 13, I had the same reaction as 80 percent of Americans who don't own weapons and don't understand guns.\nHow the hell could the government let an assault weapons ban expire? Didn't that ban keep deadly assault weapons out of the hands of prospective criminals?\nThen I did some research, and to my surprise, I didn't have the slightest clue what the assault weapons ban was.\nSo now it's time for me to dispense my newly-found brilliance in the area of guns.\nThe assault weapons ban was passed in 1994 under the Clinton administration, which is why the National Rifle Association calls it the "Clinton gun ban." Along with outlawing specific models of guns, such as AK-47, AR-15 and TEC-9 (guns that I can't describe but I'm certain I've heard of them in many rap songs), the bill was designed to criminalize gun manufacturers who built clips of more than 10 rounds and semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and pistols with detachable magazines (the cartridges that hold bullets) and two or more assault weapon features.\nIf you're wondering what those might be, assault weapon features for rifles (the most popularly debated category) include a folding stock (so you can more easily conceal your weapons), a pistol grip (so you can shoot from the hip), a flash suppressor (so no one can see the flash when you're spraying the street), a bayonet mount (so you can stab your victim repeatedly to make sure he's dead) and a grenade launcher (in case you're completely insane). \nNow, it's completely understandable why we might not need bayonets and grenade launchers on our guns. Last time I checked, no one needs a large knife at the end of their gun to hunt game and an explosion might be detrimental to venison.\nBut there were a few key loopholes in the now-defunct assault weapons ban.\nFirst, all the guns and cartridges made illegal by the law are completely legal if they were manufactured before Sept. 13, 1994. This is known as "grandfathering." After the ban was enacted, gun dealers went crazy selling old weapons and 15+ round cartridges to gun junkies in need of a fix.\nSecond, and perhaps often overlooked, is that those guns not specifically named by the bill are completely legal if they aren't manufactured with two or more of the assault features. And each assault feature is legal by itself. Can you put the pieces together? Because prospective criminals sure could.\nSo all this time I thought perhaps the assault weapons ban forbade criminals from attaining automatic weapons.\nNot so. Automatic weapons have been virtually illegal for anyone except cops to own since 1934.\nSo was the assault weapons ban a step toward a literal interpretation of the second amendment, allowing only "militia" men to carry firearms?\nNo. In essence, the ban was a 10-year hiatus on the production of certain semi-automatic weapons with detachable magazines. Regardless of your stance on the second amendment, it is completely irrelevant to the assault weapons ban debate.\nSo why is it important the assault weapons ban was lifted?\nThough the NRA was elated at the sunset of the ban, anti-gun folks should also be excited by the expiration. This is the chance they've been asking for for years to get a bill in Congress that makes a difference in the availability of lethal weapons, and not just a political façade to gain congressmen's votes. \nThe assault weapons ban expiration is a blessing to those who want a real debate on the issue of gun control. Try prying that opinion from my cold, dead hands.