The latest travesty comes from U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). On Monday she announced the “3D Printed Gun Safety Act,” a measure she and other proponents claim will assist in curing the so-called “ghost gun” epidemic.
Gillibrand declared that “those who shouldn’t have a gun also shouldn’t be able to print one with just the click of a mouse. By cracking down on the blueprints as well as the guns themselves, we can limit the availability of ghost guns and make it more difficult for dangerous individuals to get their hands on them.”
A similar proposal is in the works in Manhattan. It originated from District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s (D) office.
Part of Gillibrand’s method for attacking the Second Amendment is tearing the First Amendment to shreds.
This federal legislation, if passed, would ban the online dissemination of blueprints for creating 3D prints of firearms. This is intended to end what gun rights opponents believe is the proliferation of untraceable and undetectable firearms.
What are called ghost guns are firearms created by hobbyists that do not carry a serial number. Thus they are untraceable and nearly impossible to regulate. Parts that are used in these firearms are purchased separately or in “ghost gun kits,” and some may be 3D printed by someone with the technology and know-how.
It is not difficult to search the web for blueprints for these guns, and instruction manuals for their creation are also readily available. These may be accessed without background checks or other hurdles.
There are several points to ponder when considering Gillibrand’s misguided legislation. First and foremost, guns are legal to own in the U.S. This is guaranteed by the Second Amendment for law-abiding citizens, and that right includes homemade firearms.
Homemade guns have been around for centuries. Serious hobbyists for as long as there have been firearms have made technological advancements in weapons manufacturing.
Another point is the contention that these 3D printed ghost guns may be made of plastic, they are immune to metal detectors commonly used to secure sensitive areas such as airports and courthouses.
While it is true that parts of the firearm are undetectable, what does that matter when the rest of it is? Even with 3D-printed weapons, the barrels are constructed of metal. Other vital components such as trigger assemblies and springs are also fabricated with metal, meaning that there are always detectable parts of the weapons that will appear in a screening.
Gillibrand cited “a 75% increase in ghost gun seizures according to the NYPD” in the past year.
However, the evidence this is based on is completely absent. Is it over the previous year or decade? Does the definition of a ghost gun used by the NYPD include — as it often does — those where someone took a metal file and simply scratched out the serial number?
Another question. How many violent criminals will care in the slightest if the ban on 3D gun blueprints is passed? Exactly how many unlawful acts will not happen because of grandstanding and enacting a solution in search of a serious problem?
The real solution is going after criminals and rigorously enforcing statutes already on the books. However, there are too many political leaders who do not have the courage to face reality and crack down hard on crime.
Instead, like criminals themselves, they seek soft targets. In this case, it’s the law-abiding citizens.
