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from the founding-fathers-didn't-have-tazers dept.
Massachusetts' ban on the private possession of stun guns—an "electrical weapon" under the statute—does not violate the Second Amendment right to bear arms, the state's top court has ruled.
The decision says ( http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/stungunMA-ruling.pdf ) (PDF) that the US Constitution's framers never envisioned the modern stun-gun device, first patented in 1972. The top court said stun guns are not suitable for military use, and that it did not matter whether state lawmakers have approved the possession of handguns outside the home.The court, ruling in the case of a Massachusetts woman caught with stun gun, said the stun gun is a "thoroughly modern invention" not protected by the Second Amendment, although handguns are protected.
(Score: 2) by Kromagv0 on Tuesday March 10 2015, @02:42PM
Yes people are allowed to own machine guns in the US but owning one is expensive (typically start at $15,000 and go up from there) as they have to have been made before 1986 so the supply is rather limited. Also if one owns a machine gun the feds can supposedly come and check up on your machine gun at any time. It is more than just notifying your local sheriff to get one since to buy one requires, living in a state that allows you to own one, passing an intensive background check (done by the FBI IIRC), submitting fingerprints, as well as paying a tax for the privilege of owning one.
At one point I looked into what it would take to get one since I was moderately curious and thought it would be neat to own but apart from wasting copious amounts of ammo at the range it really wouldn't be useful. Besides if I get the urge to shoot a machine gun the range offers rentals and I only have to pay for ammo and not deal with the maintenance.
T-Shirts and bumper stickers [zazzle.com] to offend someone
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 10 2015, @05:25PM
Machine-guns are useful for pinning down an enemy while your riflemen advance on them.
This is why it IS effectivly illegal for mere peon civillian pieces of shit like oursleves to have such things: our rulers wish to deny us that tactic.