Here's some information about "assault weapons" everyone should at least know if they're discussing the matter.
http://www.assaultweapon.info/
wat. The site compares the AR-15 to pistols and rifles, saying they're all semi auto and therefore the same.
Well they are. That 'rancher' rifle they pictured? It's a 'mini-14'. It fires the same round, and there are 10,20,and 30 rnd mags for it. It just doesn't look as scary. A quick changing of the stock however and you have the same scary looking guns they used in the original 'Total Recall' movie.
The AR-15 comes with a 30 round magazine,
No, it comes with whatever size magazine that is legal in whatever state you're in. I purchased an AR once or twice that came with 10 round mags. A couple of mine are set up for target shooting, and all I use in them are 10 rounders, or maybe 20. NY just banned anything over 7 rounds. One can't even buy a Ruger 10/22 .22lr there now.
how is it even remotely the same?
They're both semi-auto, they both fire the same round, and they both use detachable magazines.
It also claims a limit of 40-60 rpm, which is bullshit; it can shoot just as fast as a fully auto version.
40-60 is an understatement, I agree, unless one wants to be accurate and hit anything. I can pull the trigger faster, but after the first shot, I'm wasting bullets. No, it can't shoot as fast as a full auto unless you 'bump-fire' it, but then you have very little control over when the gun starts firing, and it's hard to stay on target. It also takes a light enough and smooth enough trigger to do that. Not all semi-autos are capable of it. It takes practice to even do it anyway.
I don't care that it's not technically an assault rifle because it has no automatic option, what matters is that it's still designed to kill people in a quick and effective fashion;
No, it's designed to fire bullets.
it's light, it's small and it shoots 30 shots before requiring a reload. It's also one of the most popular weapons in America. It's used in lots of mass shootings in America,
"lots"... do you have a number?
and it was also used in our worst mass shooting.
I'm not sure if this is already the case, but is it really so bad to ask all Americans to keep their guns in a safe at all times?
Mine are in a safe.