In an apparent attempt to show off his gun knowledge and research ability, Guardian reporter Scott Bixby unwittingly showed his embarrassing ineptitude when it comes to gun terminology.
Shutterstock
On Thursday, Bixby tweeted, “Six assault rifles, a handgun, a shotgun, four rifles and a stun gun. Only the stun gun is illegal in New York.”
Six assault rifles, a handgun, a shotgun, four rifles and a stun gun.
Only the stun gun is illegal in New York. https://t.co/P1IiXTURCx
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) June 17, 2016
After backlash from Twitter users calling him out for his use of the term “assault rifle,” Friday, Bixby tweeted, “For all the ballistics experts saying that there’s “no such thing” as an assault rifle.” (RELATED: Michael Moore Gets SHUT DOWN For Making This Brash Assumption About Guns)
For all the ballistics experts saying that there’s “no such thing” as an assault rifle, here’s the NRA’s definition: pic.twitter.com/OrzdoVQF6F
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) June 17, 2016
Bixby included a screenshot of the National Rifle Association Institute of Legislative Action’s glossary of gun terms in attempt to defend his use of “assault rifle.” (RELATED: Rick Scott: ‘The Second Amendment Didn’t Kill Anybody’ [VIDEO])
According to the NRA-ILA, an “assault rifle” is “By U.S. Army definition, a selective-fire rifle chambered for a cartridge of intermediate power. If applied to any semi-automatic firearm regardless of its cosmetic similarity to a true assault rifle, the term is incorrect.”
Apparently, Bixby did not read or understand the later half of the definition where it says, “If [the term assault rifle] applied to any semi-automatic firearm regardless of its cosmetic similarity to a true assault rifle, the term is incorrect.”
National Review writer Charles C. Cooke blasted Bixby on Twitter saying, “This literally demonstrates why you’re wrong.”
This literally demonstrates why you’re wrong. https://t.co/ZzbgFpMlnE
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) June 17, 2016