Zoltan Bathory Slams Bans On "Defensive Rifles"

Guitarist Zoltan Bathory, of Five Finger Death Punch fame, recently spoke out about talks of banning assault weapons in the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting of 20 children and six adults.

"Anti-gun advocates in the media placing all the emphasis on the word 'ASSAULT' for a reason. It sounds menacing to those who don't know much about weapons, and this particular word also embodies the concepts of 'first strike' and 'aggression'... and the media just loooves that," Bathory ranted on his Facebook page (reported by blabbermouth.net, when I went to the site, the post had been taken down).

Here's where he makes his point about assault weapons: "The fact IS, however — a rifle is an inanimate object with no free will or intent on its own. It doesn't plan to assault anyone... So really, this is all just playing with words.... If I called my rifle a 'defensive rifle' — it wouldn't throw up the red flag — and in reality THAT'S WHAT IT IS. I have it for defensive measures so that's what it should be called. A 'defensive rifle.'"

All I have to say is: are you kidding me?! Now, I've got no problem with guns. I believe that's a personal choice, one that Americans should be allowed to make for themselves. We are guaranteed the right to arm ourselves if we wish. But why the hell do you need a weapon that fires 100 rounds a second or more? Honestly, what good is that going to do you? I thought America would really step up to the plate after defenseless children were killed, and some people did. For example, Disturbed frontman David Draiman tweeted on December 15, following the massacre: "I'm a gun owner. Have been for years. Believe in the 2nd Amendment. But I would give them all up if it meant saving just one child's life." Since then, Draiman has been active in calling for assault weapons bans.

It's people like Bathory who minimize tragedies such as the Newtown shooting, ensuring that America will have a future of many more such events to come.