Here's part 2
Bro anon:
Or for sport. Personally, I enjoy going out to the range and firing off an Ar. One, it's an enjoyable hobby. Two, in the situation where emergency services are disabled, and we're threatened, you have the best protection there is. Three, if you are assaulted, half the time a pistol won't always cut it when it comes to these new drugs that dull pain receptors more. Especially in Vegas and other big cities filled with Tweakers as it is.
Four, in the case of foreign invasion (unlikely, but still possible), I don't think a pistol or single-shot rifle is going to hold off armed invaders.
Yes, I agree most of these shootings are cause for alarm, but not for paranoia. In fact, looking into some of the shootings, you'd laugh at where they obtained their weapons from. Illegal means or stealing from friends/family's stashes. Not all, but a fair majority, but lord help the media outlets if they publish that. Not good for ratings.
Background checks are one thing, but take this for example: Guy buys gun for the first time. Completely clean record. Average joe. Behind the scenes been suffering with depression or anxiety that he's been dealing with off the record (either not visiting the doctors for it, or the doctor not adding it to his record). Decides he's had enough and wants death by cop suicide. No amount of background checks would fix that situation. He could easily buy an extended mag 1911 and injure/kill same amount of people as he could with an Ar simply because these idiots usually don't even understand how to handle the larger rifles in the first place. Second, after the third or fourth shot, it's a scramble of panic and cover. The shot difference is a 9-10 rounds versus 20-30. Now counting if the idiot planned it out, he likely has extra magazines on him, fully loaded. Sure, he may have struck say 2-3 more people in the scramble and panic, but AR versus pistol in the aftermath (usually when he's roaming while SWAT prepares outside)