"Let's ban [usually harmless item]!" comments

[Aragarthiel]

Since we don't have even over-the-air TV at my house (we're too far out in the boonies), I get most of my news through Facebook. I've noticed that almost every time a death is reported involving something other than guns, the first (a.k.a. most liked) comment is "Let's ban [whatever item was involved in the death]!" This ranges from otherwise harmless things such as pillows to things such as trucks, in the case of the recent Nice tragedy.

These comments always, without fail, piss me off. While outright gun bans are stupid (yes, let's make criminals the only ones with guns!), putting restrictions on things that are made for the sole purpose of seriously injuring/killing a living being is not the same as putting restrictions on something meant for sleeping on, transporting people or goods, carpentry, or even items meant for nothing but fun. We already have restrictions on who can drive or who can buy potentially dangerous items that aren't weapons in and of themselves (various kinds of chemicals used in lab experiments, for example).

I get that these people are trying to make the point that guns don't kill people, people kill people, but you can't ignore the fact that guns are made FOR killing. The entire approach just... UGH.

[HYHYBT]

Would Consumer Reports' saying Tesla should remove Autopilot until it's perfect fall in this category?

[wolfie]

They'll get my lawn darts when they pull them from some random passerby's cold, dead skull.

[Estil]

It's more when people take advantage of bad situations like these just to jump on the bandwagon to score political points. It's one thing if someone has always been a big-time gun control activist all along, but it's the bandwagon ones that just jump onboard right after tragedies like this one to make themselves look good are the ones I can't stand.

[cindybubbles]

This reminds me of an old Zits comics, where the dad says that they should blame the video game industry for all the gun violence. Jeremy, being sarcastic, counters that, saying that they should also blame the automobile industry for all the car accidents!

As the mom would say: Touché.

[dendawg]

I've always said that if video games make people violent, then Pac-Man made me fat!

[KabeRinnaul]

Reminds me of a shirt a friend always wore back in high school, which said something like "If video games really influenced us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, listening to repetitive electronic music, and popping pills."

At the time, I thought the joke was just the straight Pac-Man reference and the absurdity of the scenario.

Then I realized it was a perfect description of a rave, and ever since I've never been entirely sure if that was the joke, or if I was right the first time.

[Estil]

Remember a few years ago when NYC banned (or at least tried to) sodas more than 16 oz in size...but yet adult beverages can be still be served in whatever size you want?

This makes sense how...?