When seconds count, police are just minutes away. Personally, I’d prefer they were hours away… I love my dogs too much.
But, while we often hear plenty about the murders and accidents involving firearms, we rarely ever hear about all the crimes stopped because would-be victims pulled out a gun and scared the perpetrators away. Since guns do save lives, it logically follows that restrictive gun control laws end up actually costing lives.
The ongoing saga of gun rights activist Cody Wilson and his collective Defense Distributed recently took an interesting turn -- a turn that’s been referred to as a death blow for political gun control in America.
Per a settlement reached between Defense Distributed and the Department of (In)Justice in July, if a gun is created with computer code using 3D printing technology, it’s even more protected by law than before.
But hours after the pro-gun group began posting new digital blueprints for various homemade firearms, from handguns to AR-15 style rifles, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to block access to the files.
Apparently this “judge” hasn’t heard of blockchain. Your “laws” do not apply here, vagrant.
Just as the imprisonment of Ross Ulbricht and shutdown of the Silk Road did absolutely nothing to stop numerous other dark web marketplaces from flourishing, the government’s battle with Cody Wilson is part of a larger war the state is losing.
Here are five reasons why 3D-printed guns are good for individual freedom, safety, and may even be a better alternative to traditional weapons:
They are protected by the second AND first amendments -- Yes, thanks to the recent settlement with the Department of Justice, the State Department’s attempts to label and control Defense Distributed’s “gun code” are now moot and anyone anywhere can use a schematic code to create a gun using a 3D printer, since the code is legally considered protected speech. Statists rejoice! Now our right to know how to make a gun is backed up by not one, but two (almost useless) constitutional amendments!
They are easily made and uncontrollable -- Five years after the first 3D printed gun was developed and fired by Wilson’s defense syndicate, the technology is still accessible and going strong. On the first day Defense Distributed made the schematic file for its debut weapon “the Liberator” available, it was downloaded over 50,000 times from its website, and it’s only gone up from there. Even though some have criticized the first plastic guns as flimsy and unreliable, it’s an important step towards everyone having the option of self defense.
Gun grabbing politicians can’t regulate them -- For years, enemies of the second amendment were always aiming at regulating large-scale gun manufacturers and putting up roadblocks between peaceful gun purchasers and their sellers. But thanks to increasingly affordable technology, anyone who wants a gun can make one at home with a 3D printer. While it’s still possible for busy body, nazi style gun opponents to try new angles of violent control in the future, these files are out there now, and there’s no undoing that.
The technology will keep developing -- Given the ability to create prohibited goods in any form within a market, people will do so. Just ask the Kennedy family who was bootlegging liquor during “alcohol prohibition” in the 30s. Or the Bush Crime Syndicate that works in conjunction with the CIA as the largest transporter of illegal plants during this era of the “war on drugs”. Permissionless innovation is what makes technology so great, especially for those who appreciate property rights and self-ownership. Wilson’s efforts with Defense Distributed are just the beginning and we’ll likely see the small but growing community of DIY gun makers expand.
Violent crimes will continue to decline -- “An armed society is a polite society,” wrote Robert Heinlein. “Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” As evidenced by the people of Kennesaw, one of Georgia’s safest cities, which requires its citizens to own a firearm, the fact is, more guns leads to -- hold onto your soy latte -- less crime. When criminals are aware that their next victim might be packin’ heat, they’re less likely to violate your rights. That’s the type of world I want to live in.
And that’s exactly the kind of society freethinkers are working towards. Anarchapulco, the premier assembly of liberty-minded movers and shakers, has just invited crypto-anarchist Cody Wilson (who appeared on Anarchast in 2014, where we said this future was coming) to be a featured speaker at our 5th annual conference, February 14-17, 2019. Confirmed participants so far include Ron Paul, Cynthia McKinney, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Doug Casey and many more.
Get your tickets for Anarchapulco 2019 now at Anarchapulco.com