Teenager Mistakes Little Brother for Intruder, Shoots Him

[harmonicon]

104. Well, I put "gun control" in quotes for a reason.

It seems like you and I are basically in agreement.

While I don't think people should have guns, I'm happy to say that's my feeling. There are a lot of things I'm into that the vast majority of the population would never understand. I think I'm reasonably frightened when someone owns something designed for killing humans, but I wouldn't take away their right to do so.

I imagine you're familiar (probably more than I am) with recent developments with 3D printed guns. If we make gun type-x illegal, what about the person who makes one at home? Is the digital file used to print it now also illegal? That's getting pretty close to thought crimes. Really, I don't think ideas, thoughts, or physical objects should be illegal by themselves. For these same reasons, I just don't understand the preoccupation with magazine limits. What's the point? It seems arbitrary to me.

I think the distinction between registration and traceability is an interesting one which I haven't seen framed so clearly. It's traceability that I care about. I honestly cannot imagine any (sane and/or not criminal) reason someone would be against being able to trace the path from manufacture to current location if a gun is lost, stolen, or used in a crime. Along with that, I think we need to repeal the crazy preemptive laws that shield gun sellers and manufacturers from liability when their products are used criminally, or as in the case of this story, accidentally. If every gun's route could be traced, these people should have nothing to fear if they're acting within the law and in good faith. There is no other industry we give this kind of preemptive protection to.

I'm fine philosophically with you owning guns, but if I had kids and you were my neighbour, I'd rather you didn't; just look at this story for one reason why.