--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Passing a law like the assault weapons…" description: "\"Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg" --- # Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic… ![“Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation.” quote by Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg) > “Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation.” [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ban is presented as safety but mainly serves to normalize future weapon confiscation. **In simple terms:** Law is symbolic, not effective against crime. Key Takeaway Beware of hidden agendas in policy. Themes politics control public perception Mood skeptical critical Type political analytical When to use this quote - election cycles - public debates - legislative sessions Key Concepts symbolic legislation policy manipulation Questions to Reflect On - Is the policy truly about safety? - What are the risks of normalizing regulation? A Different Perspective May overlook immediate safety concerns for long-term goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Assault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assault/) [Assault weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assault-weapons/) [Assault weapons ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assault-weapons-ban/) [Bearing arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bearing-arms/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Gun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun/) [Gun ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-ban/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Gun crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-crime/) [Handgun ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handgun-ban/) [Handguns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handguns/) [Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justification/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Regulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulation/) [Right to bear arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-bear-arms/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [The Brady Bill's only effect will be to desensitize the public to regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-brady-bill-s-only-effect-will-be-to-desensitize-the-public-to/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The fights I fought... cost a lot --the fight for the assault-weapons ban cost 20 members their seats in Congress. The NRA is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-fights-i-fought-cost-a-lot-the-fight-for-the-assault-weapons-ban/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The Assault Weapons Ban deals with a fictional distinction. You have guns that are exactly the same guns as are banned, in function, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/the-assault-weapons-ban-deals-with-a-fictional-distinction-you-have/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [President Bush said he didn't want to renew the Assault Weapons Ban because it might 'infringe on hunters' rights'. Who needs an AK-47 machine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elayne-boosler/president-bush-said-he-didn-t-want-to-renew-the-assault-weapons-ban/) [Elayne Boosler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elayne-boosler/) > [I've come to the conclusion that military style weapons really don't have any place in our society. We ought to reinstate the assault weapons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-udall/i-ve-come-to-the-conclusion-that-military-style-weapons-really-don-t/) [Mark Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-udall/) > [Our supportfor assault weapons ban is very broad...I think we've got all the police, we have all the mayors virtually - the conference of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/our-supportfor-assault-weapons-ban-is-very-broad-i-think-we-ve-got/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [The so-called assault weapons ban is a hoax. It is a political appeal to the ignorant. The guns it supposedly banned have been illegal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-so-called-assault-weapons-ban-is-a-hoax-it-is-a-political-appeal/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [Assault weapons ban reintroduced...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/assault-weapons-ban-reintroduced/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Our love affair with guns has nothing to do with tyranny, or militias, or self-preservation. Just ask any NRA member the following: If Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-r-bufogle/our-love-affair-with-guns-has-nothing-to-do-with-tyranny-or-militias/) [Quentin R. Bufogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-r-bufogle/) > [Impeach President Reagan retroactively for agreeing with Obama on the assault weapons ban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/impeach-president-reagan-retroactively-for-agreeing-with-obama-on-the/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [This is a matter of vital importance to the public safety ... While we recognize that assault-weapon legislation will not stop all assault-weapon crime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/this-is-a-matter-of-vital-importance-to-the-public-safety-while-we/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [ I think that we should ban so-called junk guns. I think we should ban assault weapons like the weapons used here \[in Fort Worth\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/i-think-that-we-should-ban-so-called-junk-guns-i-think-we-should-ban/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [And it's time as a country that we have an assault weapon ban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahm-emanuel/and-it-s-time-as-a-country-that-we-have-an-assault-weapon-ban/) [Rahm Emanuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahm-emanuel/) > [I supported the assault weapon ban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-supported-the-assault-weapon-ban/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [What we do in Connecticut is ban assault weapons. We ban high-capacity magazines. We have true universal background checks, and we require everybody to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murphy/what-we-do-in-connecticut-is-ban-assault-weapons-we-ban-high-capacity/) [Chris Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murphy/) ## More by Charles Krauthammer > [Obama and the Democrats were so critical of what Bush did, the interrogations, the secret prisons, Guantanamo and all of that, and even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/obama-and-the-democrats-were-so-critical-of-what-bush-did-the/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“America is the most welcoming, religiously tolerant, philo-semitic country in the world. No nation since Cyrus the Great’s Persia has done more for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/america-is-the-most-welcoming-religiously-tolerant-philo-semitic/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [I believe in what I believe, and I think after all these years I've heard a lot of arguments, and I'm convinced by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/i-believe-in-what-i-believe-and-i-think-after-all-these-years-i-ve/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [With our financial house on fire, Obama makes clear both in in his speech and his budget that the essence of his presidency will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/with-our-financial-house-on-fire-obama-makes-clear-both-in-in-his/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The conservative idea is not that government has no role. You might have argued that in the thirties when conservatives opposed the New Deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-conservative-idea-is-not-that-government-has-no-role-you-might/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [The war is not going well and it is time to say why. It has been fought with half-measures. It has been fought with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-war-is-not-going-well-and-it-is-time-to-say-why-it-has-been/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“International stability is never a given. It is never the norm. When achieved, it is the product of self-conscious action by the great powers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/international-stability-is-never-a-given-it-is-never-the-norm-when/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Look, I don't mind if the President sends a budget which he knows is not going to achieve anything. But when he prefaces his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/look-i-don-t-mind-if-the-president-sends-a-budget-which-he-knows-is/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“Politics is the moat, the walls, beyond which lie the barbarians. Fail to keep them at bay, and everything burns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/politics-is-the-moat-the-walls-beyond-which-lie-the-barbarians-fail/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Don't touch my junk, you airport security goon--my package belongs to no one but me, and do you really think I'm a Nigerian nut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/don-t-touch-my-junk-you-airport-security-goon-my-package-belongs-to/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“The Russian Revolution and its imitators (Chinese, Cuban, Vietnamese, Cambodian) tried to atomize society so thoroughly--to war against the mediating structures that stand between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-russian-revolution-and-its-imitators-chinese-cuban-vietnamese/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Where religion is trivialized, one is unlikely to find persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/where-religion-is-trivialized-one-is-unlikely-to-find-persecution/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [We must now brace ourselves for disquisitions on peer pressure, adolescent anomie, and rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/we-must-now-brace-ourselves-for-disquisitions-on-peer-pressure/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Post-Watergate morality, by which anything left private is taken as presumptive evidence of wrongdoing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/post-watergate-morality-by-which-anything-left-private-is-taken-as/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“The largest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity,' warns Czech president Vaclav Klaus, 'is no longer socialism. It is, instead, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-largest-threat-to-freedom-democracy-the-market-economy-and/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) [Explore all 268 Charles Krauthammer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) ## More Amendment quotes > [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“Let's just make this easy. I'm in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would read something like this: 'Neither the federal government, nor any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/let-s-just-make-this-easy-i-m-in-favor-of-a-constitutional-amendment/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [“my folks wouldn't read a book if you put a gun to their dicks. but they read people all day long and always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/my-folks-wouldn-t-read-a-book-if-you-put-a-gun-to-their-dicks-but/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Country lyrics often reference the NRA and firearms ownership as a way of life. Artists such as John Rich, Toby Keith, Sara Evans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/country-lyrics-often-reference-the-nra-and-firearms-ownership-as-a/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [“People who have attended Concealed Carry classes, and those already licensed, typically seem to demonstrate a higher degree of courtesy, responsibility and respect. Interestingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-behr/people-who-have-attended-concealed-carry-classes-and-those-already/) [Gary Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-behr/) [Browse all 2,041 Amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its only real justification is not to reduce crime but to desensitize the public to the regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Krauthammer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-ban-is-a-symbolic-purely/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amendment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-ban-is-a-symbolic-purely/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef4/charles-krauthammer-1232_amendment_passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-b_2055233.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Passing a law like the assault weapons ban is a symbolic - purely symbolic - move in that direction. Its…” — Charles Krauthammer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Krauthammer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Passing a law like the assault...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-ban-is-a-symbolic-purely/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/passing-a-law-like-the-assault-weapons-ban-is-a-symbolic-purely/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```