Gun] Confiscations in California (Jennifer Freeman)
In 1989, California was the first state in the nation to enact a ban on a specific list of semi-automatic rifles dubbed “Assault Weapons.” In 1999, the ban was expanded to include a wider array of semi-automatic rifles. Rifles that possess certain cosmetic features such as a folding stock, pistol grip, or heat suppressor were deemed “Assault Weapons.” In order to gain public support for these bans, the California legislature and other anti-gun groups and individuals created a image that the rifles to be banned were more dangerous than ordinary rifles and that the only reason for the existence of such rifles was to commit violent acts on human beings. To this day, many Californians, including those in the media, are under the false impression that an “Assault Weapon” is a fully automatic machine gun. This was a deliberate, yet successful, act of deception orchestrated against the people of California. “Assault Weapons” are not in the same class as fully automatic machine guns which are subject to a separate set of laws altogether. Rather, an “Assault Weapon” is a semi-automatic rifle that fires one round of ammunition for every pull of the trigger but also contains certain cosmetic features which have no bearing on the practical functionality of the firearm. These types of firearms have been commercially available since 1896.
http://www.sierratimes.com/06/07/26/Jennifer.htm