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Why associate the UZI with terrorists

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SomeSortOfTroper Since: Jan, 2001
#1: Apr 6th 2011 at 9:18:19 AM

Now, maybe my premise is mistaken, I'm thinking mostly of Die Hard and the use of Uzis by the thieves in those films and I'm fairly certain it appears much elesewhere but maybe I'm wrong: I think that the Uzi ends up being associated with the criminal class and terrorist a lot. It's film role is somewhere between the Thompson and the AK-47.

I suppose some may argue that it is the look and the capability that makes it seem very suited for this role. The Micro-Uzi can be treated like a pistol in action poses and the Uzi has a smaller profile than a rifle and seems like something that could be carried about yet I have my own pet theory (just for the sake of eccentricity): The Secret Service used to use Uzis. There's a famous picture from the attempt on Reagan's life where one guy is looking over the scene, covering everybody with an uzi. That sort of image happens at notable events that impress themselves onto a cultural psyche. Secret Service agents don't look like any other sort of cop or military, they are the ultimate in Badass Suit in real life and when a guy is standing there after having pulled an UZI out of a briefcase, he probably looks more like Hollywood badass criminal or bank robber than anything else.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
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#2: Apr 6th 2011 at 9:22:42 AM

Hmm, my most vivid memory of Uzis in TV and film is the 1989 TV movie Brotherhood Of The Rose, in which the agents (of various spy agencies including the CIA and Mossad) pursuing the heroes uniformly use Uzis.

It strikes me as odd that we don't have a page for that movie; I may get around to making one, if I can ever dig up my taped copy of it.

edited 6th Apr '11 9:23:50 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#3: Apr 6th 2011 at 9:43:42 AM

Uzi's are a SMG and thus more accurately used than an assault rifle like the AK-47*

while being so in a way that makes sense (concealability) even if only subconsciously. There's also the "not a rifle" component that makes it somewhat exotic. It's also a gun that has a very easy look for holding in a Guns Akimbo style because of how short it is, where as a rifle will look like it's drooping.

Fight smart, not fair.
Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#4: Apr 6th 2011 at 10:41:29 AM

Largely Rule of Cool. It looks both nasty and distinctive. It's easy to carry and relatively easy to conceal.

suedenim Teutonic Tomboy T-Girl from Jet Dream HQ Since: Oct, 2009
Teutonic Tomboy T-Girl
#5: Apr 6th 2011 at 4:05:15 PM

There also is (or was, at least, pre-9/11) a certain cultural difference at work. European law enforcement is often a bit more "paramilitary" than typical American law enforcement. Seeing, e.g., Italian caribinieri armed with SM Gs was a bit surprising and unnerving to many American tourists. It's unusual to see American cops with anything bigger than a pistol (and in the '80s, or earlier, that would usually mean a .38 revolver) under routine circumstances.

Jet-a-Reeno!
captainbrass2 from the United Kingdom Since: Mar, 2011
#6: Apr 13th 2011 at 12:53:08 PM

A late contribution on why Uzis might be associated with criminals - the Metropolitan Police, according to the "Evening Standard", reports that last year it seized 530 guns from London gangs last year, including 16 sub-machine guns, most of which were "Uzi-style machine pistols". The context was a report about the sentencing of two gang members in East London who fired an Agram 2000 submachine gun into a fried chicken restaurant and killed a young woman.

This post was not brought to you courtesy of the England and Wales Tourist Board...

"Well, it's a lifestyle"
RocketDude Since: May, 2009
#7: Apr 16th 2011 at 2:55:03 AM

Plus, fictional works will often depict cops wielding the H&K MP5, I believe.

Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#8: Apr 18th 2011 at 9:08:08 AM

there's a SMG variant of the AK, the AK-74 though

Nope, the AK-74 is still an assault rifle.

"Yup. That tasted purple."
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#9: Apr 18th 2011 at 9:32:23 AM

*checks wikipedia*

For some reason I was thinking of the 74U which uses a smaller round and is a carbine, but not an smg. I'm not sure why I thought that it was a smg...

Fight smart, not fair.
Deadbeatloser22 from Disappeared by Space Magic (Great Old One) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
#10: Apr 18th 2011 at 10:17:55 AM

Because Modern Warfare calls it one? And the AK-74 and AKS-74u fire the same round (5.45x39mm)

"Yup. That tasted purple."
Deboss I see the Awesomeness. from Awesomeville Texas Since: Aug, 2009
I see the Awesomeness.
#11: Apr 18th 2011 at 10:21:23 AM

That's probably it. I don't play, but my brother does.

Fight smart, not fair.
jaytee jt from honolulu, hi Since: Mar, 2011
jt
#12: Apr 18th 2011 at 11:25:41 AM

There's a self-fulfilling element to this as well. Criminals see people looking super-cool on TV/movies holding Uzis, so they buy Uzis and shoot people. Then TV writers see that criminals are using more uzis.....

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