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Of 1000 Americans Polled, Most Would Ban Home Printing of Guns
An anonymous reader writes "In results that may signal some discomfort with the enormous DIY promise of 3D printing and similar home-manufacturing technologies, a new Reason-Rupe poll finds that an otherwise gun control-weary American public thinks owners of 3D printers ought not be allowed to make their own guns or gun parts. Of course, implementing such a restrictive policy might be tad more difficult than measuring popular preferences." This poll is of only 1000 people, though; your mileage may vary.
Thankfully my rights aren't governed by popular opinion.
Dallas Real Estate
If you're one of the 38% who didn't support the ban, the IRS and ATF would like to contact you to request your clarification of your position. Be prepared to submit copies of your Twitter and Facebook postings.
29% of people are just idiots.
Did we get it down to 29%?
If you know a ban wouldn't make sense or be effective, then why would you support it? You're admitting that you let your emotion overpower your logic.
No, actually, they don't give a shit. I could make myself a firearm, RIGHT NOW, and they're OK with that (so long as it doesn't infringe on certain things, like bore diameter, barrel length if it's a shotgun or pistol.. stuff you can own, but need some licenses (tax stamps) from the ATF to own).
For the price of a single 3D printer you could slam out dozens of zip guns. Don't even need any serious machining tools for that.
The whole 3D printed gun scare is just that. A scare. It's headlines. That is all.
... still waiting for this free-as-in-beer free beer I keep hearing about.
So the poll really reveals that most people are ignorant of the facts, and would happily remain ignorant while voting to take rights away. Though if asked directly "would you educate yourself on all the facts before voting" most would say "yes," but wouldn't actually do it. Or they would consider reading their favorite completely one-sided blog as "education."
It is also commonly known that having a baby causes huge neurological changes in both parents, which in turn changes their political values. Ostensibly they are more willing to sacrifice freedom (theirs and everyone else's) for promises of security (theirs, that's all they care about). Based on my experience, the changes are a bit deeper than that: it makes them lose their ability to think critically, to see the big picture, and to be smart.
I wonder how many people in this poll were parents.
I believe otherwise. I think the ATF does care if people make their own firearms because a large portion of the people that make up the ATF do not believe that anyone but themselves are responsible enough to own firearms.
Someone that makes a firearm at home might be doing so completely within the law but it appears to me that the ATF does not like this because they would have no record of it. If they don't have a record of it then they can't take it from us when they wish. That's just the way they think, it's a culture that exists within the ATF since it was created.
Of course certain individual ATF agents may not have a problem with responsible firearm ownership, manufacture, or transfer but the people in charge certainly do. There are all kinds of examples of people having their weapons taken from them and never returned, despite it being quite illegal for the ATF to do so. People have ended up dead because the ATF didn't have the right paperwork and they thought someone had an "illegal" gun.
The ATF has to be very nervous right now over 3D printing. Now it no longer takes expensive machine tools and a certain level of skill to mass produce firearms. Now all it takes is a computer, 3D printer, plastic, and the ability to stack up Lego blocks.
If the ATF cannot find a way to regulate this then they are going to find themselves irrelevant, and out of a job.
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
So, if someone borrows your car, accidently kills seven people, YOU should be brought up on seven counts of manslaughter alongside your (presumably ex-)friend?
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
USA, murder rates are many times higher among blacks and hispanics than among whites
And yet Houston has MORE blacks and hispanics than Chicago, yet lower murder rate. Here's the source.
among poor people of all races
Income levels are the same. source.
Looking at the chart before stomping it into the ground helps.