We are not British. I know it’s hard for those in other countries with strong gun laws to understand. If you can fathom why women would put up with Sharia law, you might also be able to grasp why so many Americans embrace guns. It’s ingrained in our culture.

Many Americans worry that the government will incrementally take away the right to private ownership of firearms. That’s why these printed guns exist. If it’s impossible to prevent a person from obtaining a firearm, the argument that a ban only affects those willing to follow the law becomes stronger. Unless the intent exists to restrict the tools that can make a weapon, there will be those willing to make them clandestinely - either for personal use or for profit.

Guns like these are why gun control will fail to keep guns out of the hands of anyone who can afford a $500 3D printer and a $300 hobby metal lathe. While the model being discussed used some commercial parts, possessing these two tools allows a person to produce everything needed for a functioning multi-shot lethal weapon.

Instead of a futile effort to deprive people of weapons, we should instead concentrate on preventing, detecting, and treating the conditions that lead to gun violence.