Targeting Gunmakers in the Courts

[AndyS]

Better than having them target us

Among the scores of industries covered in Violation Tracker, one of the most under-represented is the business of producing firearms. That’s not because gunmakers are particularly virtuous, but rather because there are few laws and regulations for them to violate. Federal oversight of the industry is pretty much non-existent.

The few penalties that have been imposed on companies such as Remington, Beretta, Colt’s Manufacturing, Smith & Wesson, and Sturm, Ruger have had nothing to do with their specific activity.

Instead, they have been imposed by agencies such as OSHA that oversee companies of all kinds.

The penalty total for each of these firms is no more than a few hundred thousand dollars—a trivial amount for an industry whose products do so much harm.

http://www.progressive-charlestown.com/2021/08/targeting-gunmakers-in-courts.html



The article also points out that the industry has enjoyed near impunity is the court system due to the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Both the Sandy Hook Families vs Remington and Mexico vs Gun Makers lawsuits are cited as novel ways to hopefully hold the industry accountable for the death, injury and misery it causes. Sadly the last line in the piece is far too true:

"Significant change is not likely to happen any time soon, but meanwhile any challenge to the gun’s industry’s impunity is welcome."

As long as politicians can be bought by the death merchants little will change. As long as our voices are silent little will change. As long as our votes are worth less than gun money little will change.