‘Gun enthusiasts’ stalk and threaten CEO after she develops weapon only owner can fire

[doxydad]

Belinda Padilla, president and CEO of the U.S. division of firearm manufacturer Armatix, says she was stalked and threatened by “gun enthusiasts” after she tried to bring a safer handgun to market.

Armatix, a German company, has developed so-called “smart guns” that can only be fired by the owner. The company uses a watch that ties the owner to the weapon, called the iP1. Armatix is already selling the personalized weapons in Europe and Asia.


http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/29/gun-enthusiasts-stalk-and-threaten-ceo-after-she-develops-weapon-only-owner-can-fire/?utm_source=crowdignite.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=crowdignite.com

[DetlefK]

1. So what if abusable guns get banned?

We have warning-labels for chemicals, we have mandatory safety-technologies for cars, we have hygiene-requirements for kitchens and doctors...

If you own a gun that only you can fire, you still own a gun.

[JJChambers]

2. No excuse for stalking and harassment

But this is a very silly product. When carrying a gun for self defense purposes, increasing the number of mechanical or technological interactions required to fire the gun will increase the likelihood of a malfunction at just the wrong time. It's why most cops carry Glocks (no manual external safety), and why I prefer to carry a Ruger LCR revolver.

No, a device like this woman is selling will not work for self defense. I could see something like this for a weapon strictly intended for target shooting.

[Crunchy Frog]

3. Why is it a "silly" product if there is a market for it in Europe and Asia?

The entire world doesn't revolve around the U.S. gun market. There are sane parts of the world that have markets for firearms as well.

And why should an opinion about the product being "silly" even enter into the discussion about stalking and harassment? IMO, that's sort of like saying "no excuse for rape, but her clothes were rather revealing.

I think American gun enthusiasts make themselves look even worse by allowing things like this to go on unchallenged.

[DanTex]

7. Well, if you multiply the +/-1 in a million chance that you actually fire your gun in self-defense..

with the +/-1 in a million chance that a very simple electronic device will fail at exactly the time that you fire it, it's not so silly after all.

But you do have a point that demand for gun isn't fueled by reason, but by irrational fear and paranoia.

[JJChambers]

8. It adds one unnecessary complication to the mix

Someone breaking into your house in the middle of the night? Better not forget to put your bracelet on when you grab your pistol.

My life was saved by someone with a gun, because their gun worked when it had to.

[DanTex]

10. So presumably you're also opposed to things like anti-lock brakes...

Here's the thing. The reason the gun nuts are issuing threats is because they are afraid that it's actually a good technology, it will become adopted by a lot of people, and some states will start making it mandatory. If they really believed it was silly, they would just ignore it.

[DesMoinesDem]

12. Your brakes still work even if your ABS fails.

[DanTex]

13. Sometimes, but ABS malfunction can definitely cause brakes to fail or lose pressure.

Of course, all in all, ABS is safer than old non-ABS brakes, but there's no doubt that ABS adds more complexity. In the same way that a smart personalized gun will be safer than an ordinary gun, despite the added complexity.

[DesMoinesDem]

14. No, not sometimes. Always.

Your comparison makes no sense because the brakes still work when the ABS fails, but the gun won't fire when the 'smart' feature fails.

[DanTex]

15. No, not always. Only if the ABS fails "correctly", the way it is designed to.

[DesMoinesDem]

16. Never heard of anyone ever have their brakes fail because their ABS failed.

[DanTex]

18. It's unlikely, but the standard here is "one unnecessary complication".

And obviously having a computer that measures wheel rotation and uses that measurement to potentially take away hydraulic pressure from brakes is much more complicated than a simple electronic switch on a gun activated by a bracelet. In practice, neither of the two are going to cause many problems.

[DesMoinesDem]

19. If your ABS fails your brakes are still going to work. Period.

[DanTex]

23. Well, that's not true, no matter how many times you repeat it.

[DesMoinesDem]

28. Except it is.

[DanTex]

29. This is fun!

[intaglio]

9. H'mmm

... increasing the number of mechanical or technological interactions required to fire the gun will increase the likelihood of a malfunction at just the wrong time

So you are a fan of matchlocks then?

What a load of utter garbage you have spouted

[JJChambers]

20. No

I'm a fan of revolvers and Glocks.

[intaglio]

21. But, but, but from your own words

Are not revolver's and Glocks

.. increasing the number of mechanical or technological interactions required to fire the gun will increase the likelihood of a malfunction at just the wrong time

If you need a repeating firearm why not go with an early model pepperbox, where the barrels had to be rotated by hand.

[JJChambers]

22. Rotating by hand is impractical

Last edited Fri May 2, 2014, 01:50 PM - Edit history (1)

A hand could be disabled in a gunfight; a quality revolver using quality ammunition is as reliable as you will get when it comes to a self defense weapon. A Glock using quality ammunition is likely as reliable as you will get for a semi-automatic self defense weapon.

[intaglio]

24. But it does not add technological complications???

... Sorry I can't stop laughing, you really cannot see the absurdity in your words - as far as I am concerned you are no more than a joke being told to my Sigoth.

[JJChambers]

27. Some technology streamlines

While other technology complicates. In this case, a safety feature adds complications. This safety feature is great for guns that will only be used for target practice - not so much for self defense. I'm not sure why this is a hard concept.

[catnhatnh]

25. Right-complexity is a problem...

That's why our soldiers should carry pikes and sabers...

[upaloopa]

26. What do you think the percentage chance will

be when you encounter the bad guy that you will kill him first?

[Recursion]

4. Many of you know me as a "gun person" here on DU...

Last edited Fri May 2, 2014, 11:12 AM - Edit history (1)

1. Whatever I thought about this idea, this intimidation of a female executive is a huge example of what's wrong with this country as regards gender equality.

2. I actually love the plan. I don't own a gun anymore (except for 3 in my grandmother's locked gun cabinet), but I am someone who believes in the general right of civilians to generally own guns. But if I were, say, back on my grandfather's farm, I would absolutely love the idea of being able to lock the guns to a bracelet. That would seriously solve a ton of problems.

This is exactly what a lot of us who enjoy shooting as a hobby have been looking for. People who claim to oppose it, IMO, don't actually represent gun owners. They certainly don't help anything by threatening entrepreneurs who are simply trying to bring a new voluntary technology to market.

This comes up a lot, but I'll add my voice in: I call on every "pro-gun" person on DU to call out this appalling attack on a woman who is trying to make guns safer.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

11. thank you for noticing that, Recursion.

That should have been the attention getter out of the article.

The reactions--concern about the POOR INANIMATE OBECTS, it's dumb, analyze the tech specs of guns, and Oh! The poor Guns.....while completely IGNORING the fact that men are threatening this woman, and that women who anger men are routinely subjected to threats on their lives .... it proves that women don't really register as human beings with Human Rights.

As always, replace the subjects with black/white or gay/straight, disabled/abled, (even animal/human, while I'm at it)....and the POINT would be taken up loud and clear by us Liberals who cherish Human Rights.

I shouted, yes.

[mountain grammy]

17. Exactly, this is about the unhinged reaction to common sense.

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. Unlocking due to further host discussion...

Situation could change, stay tuned, as more hosts come on.

[Duckhunter935]

6. Thanks

Of course any gun thread that paints gun owners bad will be unlocked. What is the big news that excepts this?

If the host keep allowing these gun stories to be posted PLEASE update the SOP, I do not mind the stories but the SOP does seem to forbid it and is now being ignored.

Rant over, thanks