The Right to Bear Lasers...

[viper37]

Has personal, publicly-available laser technology gone too far with devices that can easily blind other people, and dazzle satellites?

It could make a cool James Bond movie.  A guy walks into a shop, buy a laser pointer, proceed to shoot a sattelite and ask a million $ ransom.  No wait, that's the other spy movie I'm thinking of

[Razgovory]

Next, you'll tell me that people shouldn't be allowed to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.  How do we defend ourselves from the government then?

Wisconsin has banned hunting with rail guns.

Like guns mounted on rails?

[Eddie Teach]

Next, you'll tell me that people shouldn't be allowed to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.  How do we defend ourselves from the government then?

Wisconsin has banned hunting with rail guns.

Next thing you'll tell me you can't use grenades to go fishing. 

[jimmy olsen]

Next, you'll tell me that people shouldn't be allowed to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.  How do we defend ourselves from the government then?

Wisconsin has banned hunting with rail guns.

Like guns mounted on rails?

No, guns that use electormagnets to accelerate bullets to mach 7

[Martinus]

Typing in "Bear lasers", did give me a bunch of Timesque pictures of a bear riding Abe Lincoln.

Why would a bear ride Abe Lincoln?

Abe Lincoln was gay, a bottom and into big hairy dudes? Think before you post, please. 

[Tamas]

Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

[The Brain]

Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

Freedom? Also: gold standard.

[Martinus]

Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

I fail to see what makes the case for gun ownership different from the one for laser ownership, per se. Sure, the scale of damage should factor into it - but so it should into gun control, no?

The argument that guns are needed for "self- and property defense" but lasers can be only used for "blinding and burning people" is idiotic. Both can be used to hurt people. Both can be used for defense.

[Tamas]

Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

I fail to see what makes the case for gun ownership different from the one for laser ownership, per se. Sure, the scale of damage should factor into it - but so it should into gun control, no?

The argument that guns are needed for "self- and property defense" but lasers can be only used for "blinding and burning people" is idiotic. Both can be used to hurt people. Both can be used for defense.

how on earth will you defend yourself with a laser? Much easier to just tackle the bastard

[jimmy olsen]

Ok so tell me a single reason why 1 watt lasers should be legal for private use? And don't come with guns - I am fond of liberal gun laws.
You need guns for self- and property defense. But what the fuck do you need a 1W laser for? Beside accidently or deliberately blinding and burning people?

Killer robots?

[Tamas]

I have given this further thought.

From cutting stuff down from hard-to-reach places, to scaring various animals away from places they are not supposed to be, I have come up with several possible civilian uses for a laser with an 85 miles range.

I hereby withdraw my reservations, and announce that I want one.