Many pro-assault rifle Americans wield weapons that look to be what Arnold Schwarzenegger would use in the next Terminator movie. A bit overkill? I’d say so for sure. So what’s the use of an assault weapon for regular Americans? Stand around and look cool? Not to me at least. Acting all tough, even though we all know that the person holding the rifle is compensating for something.

Does the average civilian need a M16 assault with thermal sights, a grenade launcher, a laser tracker and a folding bipod? Heck no. Does any American need to have a .50 M82 Barrett Sniper rifle (shoots bullets the size of an average man’s hand) to protect themselves? Well of course, no. But we Americans have a lot of excess of things in their lives. Do we really need the shiniest and newest car? Or the newest, best, most capable phone? Do we have to have the biggest burger while going through the drive-through? So I ask the question: Do we Americans really need assault/heavy automatic weapons?

So what crazy, over-the-top, Armageddon-looking, doomsday ready, war-conquering weapons are these pro-assault weapon people holding? Most of the automatic rifles sold to civilians are AR-15s (AKA, the M16). This fast-firing rifle has been a symbol of American strength and military force ever since its introduction 1964. So what’s makes the M16 so popular? Well, it was the main battle rifle for US military forces for over two decades. It even still sees service today, but it is slowly being phased out for other, more favorable battle rifles. The main war the M16 served in the the Vietnam War. Almost every American GI wielded an M16, as they marched through the dense Vietnamese jungles in pursuit of Viet Cong forces.

With its military proven service, the M16 has become a favorite among rifle endearing Americans. There’s just one big issue with the M16: It has been used in 10 of the last 17 deadliest mass killings since 2012.

Let that sink in. How could such a beloved weapon have such a prominence in mass shootings? It’s because the M16 is automatic rifle packing powerful 5.56 mm rounds. The M16 is a certified manstopper, a weapon capable of mass genocide, so why hasn’t legislature been put in place to prevent powerful assault rifles (like the M16) from being used in mass shootings?

What would the veterans of Vietnam think about their beloved rifle being used for more harm than good? The intended purpose of many battle rifles like the M16 is to engage enemy troops on the battlefield, not regular innocent people.

So here’s what I think the U.S. government should do to keep enforce of guns. First and most importantly, ban any automatic weapons above a certain calibre. To break it down, the calibre of a gun is the diameter of the barrel. The bigger the calibre, the more powerful the gun firing the bullet is. I think automatic-firing guns that have a calibre of greater than 9mm should be banned. The 9mm calibre has been used for over 100 years and is in a sweet spot; not to powerful, but not to weak.

Secondly, anybody with previous and well-documented mental issues should be further assessed in order for them to obtain a gun license. If said person with mental health issues doesn’t agree to these terms, they will not be able to own a firearm.

Another good idea is requiring more powerful guns to have more stricter licenses. The more powerful and deadlier the gun is, the higher license you must have to own the gun. To obtain a higher licence, a person must go through extensive background checks and proper training.

In conclusion, no matter how many shootings occur, people will still want rifles. We will have to ingrain the consequences of mass-shootings into pro-rifle supporters’ hard-heads. We’ve seen what can happen; innocent lives taken, cruel shootings, and social turmoil. People are so infatuated with banning other things, that they forget about getting rid of what really matters.

Ban assault rifles, not books. Ban assault rifles, not marriage rights. Ban assault rifles, not civil rights.