Should victims of gun violence be allowed to sue firearms dealers and manufacturers?
Yes, any business should be held liable if the primary use of its product is for illegal activity
The following is a 5 message exchange between 5 users
@jneufeldLibertarian7mos7MO
Holding manufacturers liable for the use of their products exposes the auto industry to liability for hit-and-run convictions. This exposes household cleaner manufacturers for wrongful death claims if user mixes chemicals and creates toxic gas which kills a child in the household. None of these three industries have a reasonable means to limit the use of their product for a malign purpose, and the standard cannot be unequally applied.
@VulcanMan6 7mos7MO
Why can't the standard be unequally applied? Guns are unique from other products because they are literally weapons, by design, so I don't see why the standard can't be applied as such.
@PitifulR3f0rm7mos7MO
Guns, much like a car or a knife, are tools. Their use, whether for self-defense, hunting, or sport shooting, depends on the wielder. If a car is used in a hit-and-run, we wouldn't hold the car manufacturer accountable, would we? Similarly, if a knife is used in a stabbing, we wouldn't sue the knife maker. So, why should we treat firearms differently?
But let's turn the conversation to the root problem: illegal use of firearms. What steps do you think we can take to reduce this issue?
@VulcanMan6 7mos7MO
Except that guns are not tools, like a car or a knife, guns are weapons, and are explicitly made and sold as such. Weapons, unlike tools, absolutely should be held to different standards, including the manufacturers who literally produce weapons. That should not be an unreasonable concept.
Secondly, if you want to reduce the illegal use of firearms, then we should be implementing strict, nation-wide gun control measures to both reduce and disincentivize gun ownership to begin with.
@6WP5FSYRepublican6mos6MO
Weapons are not only a type of tool, the primary purpose of guns in civilian hands isn't even killing people. They are mostly used on shooting ranges, for hunting, and other activities that don't involve hurting people at all.
