AR+PA: About My "Illegal Gun" Question

     Bob Gelinas, President of AR+PA has replied to me.  Quoted in full; I asked him to define "illegal gun" and here's what he has to say:

Great question.  And you're right, we need to do a much better job of defining a lot of terms and expressions that people commonly use – so we're all on the same page of understanding.

As we've used that expression - "illegal gun" - we are using it in the most generic sense.  That is, we absolutely believe that no inanimate object in and of itself is either good or evil.  We're using that phrase to refer to illegal human behavior in the context of guns.

Basically, an "illegal gun" is any weapon in the hands of someone who isn't legally allowed to have it.

That can mean stolen guns, smuggled guns, carried guns without legal sanction, etc.  The gun isn't bad.  But the person holding it might be.

I don't think anyone was referring to military-class weapons outlawed from civilian use, e.g. grenade launchers, mortars, and such.  Even fully automatic weapons, sawed off shotguns, silencers, etc. can be legally owned, if the proper procurement laws are followed to obtain them.  But if those laws aren't followed properly then those type of weapons in unlicensed hands represent illegal possession, so then technically making them "illegal weapons."

To be clear:  we especially don't believe any inanimate weapon system should ever be declared "illegal" by the federal or state government simply based upon capricious and arbitrary factors such as purely cosmetic features, ammunition capacity, etc.  As I said.  It's a tool, just like a hammer is a tool.  A hammer can be used to build homes or as a weapon.  A nail gun can be used for the exact same.  Either is an instrument of whomever wields it, nothing more nor less.

I hope that helps.  And please feel free to share this information with anyone you know who might have a similar question.

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