FEELings: ‘We’re all gonna die’ – the undetectable, untraceable 3D printed guns edition

Concise, pithy responses to crush frequently parroted Leftist talking points and propaganda, FEELings – Frequently Encountered Emotional Lies.
The Seattle Times reported that a Federal judge in Seattle will rule on the publishing of the ‘Blueprints’ for 3D Printable guns by Monday. So this is an opportune time to revisit the issue with some responses to the FEELings from the Left.
These will be short rejoinders to the Frequently Encountered Emotional Lies of the Left in their ongoing hysterical assaults on Liberty. In this case its on the ‘we’re all gonna die’  hysteria over the 3D Printed, Undetectable untraceable guns.

1. Why is this suddenly a crisis of epic proportions?

Why is that the case with anything the Left decrees is a ‘serious crisis’? What better way to enact new laws clamping down on liberty than by the ‘serious crisis’?
It means we have to ‘Do Something NOW!’  Without thinking about its long-term implications.
Make no mistake, this is an attack on the freedom of speech and the 1st amendment. The files being shared are merely computer code used to make objects on 3D printers. This is a question of the government stopping what someone can say or publish, not on the subject being discussed.

2. Untraceable! Undetectable! Lions, Tigers and Bears! Oh my!

As is their usual modus operandi, those opposed to Liberty on the Left will take any opportunity to whip up hysteria in trying to stampede the people into giving up more of their freedom. This is no different, albeit with a few false buzzwords thrown into the mix to dial the chaos up to eleven:

Untraceable plastic weapons will spawn the next terrifying wave of gun violence
https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1024385594582020099

But that doesn’t compare to this over the top comment:

mom@pezmbc Thank you GOP..we’re all gonna die. Like you don’t have enough blood on your hands?#StopDownloadableGuns
https://twitter.com/pezmbc/status/1024764015401205765

3. Untraceable [Read: Cannot be controlled by Leftists]

Leftists love propaganda just as much as their control fantasies, especially when they are fed by their rampant Hoplophobia. This talking point implies that guns registration, instantly traceable through a Federal system. It would seem that people don’t care about the freedom they’ve already thought was lost – which is why the Left propagates this propaganda when it can.
Too bad for them that national gun registration has been illegal for decades.
So in effect, guns are untraceable by Federal Law. But of course, this doesn’t stop the left from obsessing over attaining the precursors to their final solution of gun confiscation beginning with Intergalactic Background Checks.
One common retort on this is that they wouldn’t be able to confiscate guns. Yes, that is the case right now, they don’t know who has what. However, Intergalactic Background Checks will set the unconstitutional precedent of government control of private property leading to gun registration. After that it’s just a simple matter of telling the people to turn them in for destruction.

4. But these are Undetectable Guns!

No, grasshopper, they are not. The laws of physics and the basic properties of materials make this practically impossible. The fact is, the same material properties of metals that make them suitable for the impact stresses and pressures of high yield chemical reactions also make them detectable. Not to mention that to be worth-while ammunition would also have to be undetectable.

5. There are laws on undetectable guns, but these are superseded by the laws of physics.

Sometimes one must marvel at the almost childlike naiveté of politicians, thinking that merely passing a ‘law’ will ‘solve’ a problem like this when it is a higher law that does the trick. Does anyone have the misguided idea that if there were an undetectable material that could be used to produce a weapon that the criminals wouldn’t already be using it?

6. These rulings will stop these computer files from being published saving the planet from the scourge of 3D printed guns.

This case is similar to the  closing one door after a stampede has passed through the rest of the barn. One site was stopped, but others sites such as CodeIsFreeSpeech.com are up and running. Consequently the Plans for 3D-printed guns exploded across the internet amid court battle to repress them as reported by the Washington Times. Despite efforts by Facebook, and Amazon to censor their site as reported by the Washington Free Beacon that one site has logged 1.4 million over requests the past three weeks.

7. Congress must act urgently to stop these Craft-made ‘Ghost Guns’.

It is a sad fact of our times that sitting politicians are lacking in even the basic knowledge on the subject on which they pontificate. People have been able to produce craft made ‘Ghost Guns’ throughout the long history of firearms. Reports have it that even in the “Gun-Free” environs of the UK the discovery of a ‘Large-scale illegal gun factory’ recently, with this pithy little statement in the article:

A source told The Telegraph no 3D laser printers were found in the industrial unit, but rather decades-old metalworks machinery typically associated with pre-21st century classrooms.

8. ‘Ghost guns’ are illegal.

Actually, it is perfectly legal for someone to make their own firearms as long as they don’t plan on selling it, as has been the case since the founding of the country.
In the vernacular of the ATF:

What is ATF doing in regards to people making their own firearms?
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/what-atf-doing-regards-people-making-their-own-firearms
An individual may generally make a firearm for personal use. However, individuals engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms for sale or distribution must be licensed by ATF. Additionally, there are certain restrictions on the making of firearms subject to the National Firearms Act.

9. Terrorists or Criminals can now print 3D print guns!

So, let’s see – Terrorists or criminals could buy and set up a $100,000 machine that takes some expertise and time OR they could just smuggle in weapons over the border that the Left insists should stay open.
So, let’s ponder this intractable conundrum of which option they will select. The choice that sees them easily obtain whatever tried and true firearms, they want or the one that requires a $100,000 machine and all manner of expertise. Can anyone make a guess on which option they will choose?

10. But shouldn’t we stop the dissemination of dangerous information that could be harmful?

Who decides what is dangerous or harmful? Firearms are a very mature technology, having been around for a few hundred years, the knowledge is out there and it would impossible to restrict it at this point.
The fact is that while some in the government are condemning the release of this information, in other parts of the Constitution mandates the government publish this information – through the patent office:

Class 42 FIREARMS
https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/uspc042/sched042.htm
Class 89 ORDNANCE
https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/uspc089/sched089.htm

Still further, there have instruction manuals for making your own guns on the Internet for years now, and somehow we’ve all been able to survive.

The Takeaway.

The key Fact of this debate is that this is an issue of the First amendment and the right of free speech, more specifically prior restraint. That is the key fact that everyone needs to keep in mind above all else.
Some of the Liberty grabber Left had even gone so far as to postulate that it should be illegal to even possess 3D-Printed Gun Designs. Presumably the United States Patent Office will be exempt from such Laws. This is how far the sheer hysteria has gone over this issue, not only are people demanding the suppression of the free-speech and the first amendment, but they want to criminalize the possession of the designs for certain technologies.
It should go without saying that criminals and terrorists are going to violate the law, which should not be justification for the suppression of our Liberty, ever.

 Originally published on the NOQ Report