Hello, I’m From the FDA and I Am Here to Confiscate Your Laser

I wish to thank Hemlock_Mike for his quote below as the inspiration for the title of this thread:

Hemlock_Mike said:

Hello -- I'm from the government and I'm here to help and protect you.
I'll decide what you need just as I always do so well.
Trust me ----------
HM

Be careful what you ask for --- You may get it --------------
in the @$$

Click to expand...

I have been asked “why Americans should have the right to have laser pointers and handhelds”, and honestly I just do not have a good answer at this point. Thus my question to you guys is - If tomorrow US legislators drafted a law similar to Australia’s for intent to confiscate all >1mW laser pointers, would we be able to produce a list of reasonable, justifiable and legitimate uses for laser pointers of our design?

Requested Discussion Criteria:
1) The justification for which I am seeking is of the Class IV hand held (not labbys, HeNes, or Argons) laser pointers at current attainable output ratings; e.g. >600mW 635nm, >700mW 405nm, or >1.7mW 445nm. Conversely, these class laser pointers cannot be reasonably justified for such activities as presentation pointers, star pointing, dot chasing entertainment for pets, etc.

2) It is also not my intention to argue the pros or cons of any hypothetical laser banning law within this thread, as there is already another thread where that particular discussion is taking place.

3) And for sake of sensible debate I do not wish to consider any of the following valid or legitimate uses:
a. Popping Balloons (allowing exception for removal from banquet ceilings)
b. Burning Tape, CD Covers, or Lighting Matches, etc.
c. Melting Wax
d. Flashing the Space Shuttle

As a means of further setting the stage for this discussion I wish to submit the following article:
What are laser pointers good for? -- Laser Pointer Safety

Hence, I wish to submit the First Nomination for what I believe to be a reasonable, justifiable and legitimate use of a Class IV hand held laser pointer for “Pest Removal From Salt Water Aquariums”

1st Post inquiry on LPF by rcmike on 11-26-2011, at 08:23 PM
http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/laser-frying-pest-anemones-reef-aquarium-69147.html

First Confirmed Use by CalmSeasQuest on 12-05-2011, at 01:28 PM
http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/u...atured-advanced-aquarists-magazine-69423.html

Edit - Submission by 00Giorge for reasonable, justifiable and legitimate uses of a Class IV hand held laser pointer for

00Giorge said:

. . . spider control and feline anal region hair removal.

Click to expand...

Second Confirmed use for Spider Control by 00Giorge 04-21-2012, 11:18 PM and also by Sigurthr 04-22-2012, 04:06 AM

Third Confirmed Use by 00Giorge for Feline Anal Region Hair Removal 04-21-2012, 11:18 PM [Replete with images that are the Cat's Ass] :crackup:

Fourth Confirmed Use by Camin for engraving & lost location beacon for search parties 04-21-2012, 11:41 AM

Fifth Confirmed Use by LaserCo for Fruit Fly Control 04-23-2012, 03:44 AM

Sixth Confirmed Use by InfinitusEquitas for use in the hard to reach places to get a bug to move 04-25-2012, 03:08 AM

Seventh Confirmed Use by LaserPointerer for sealing or repairing damaged/cracked vacuum and return tubing lines under the hood of cars 08-11-2012, 12:00 AM

Eighth Confirmed Use by ARGLaser for removing helium balloons from celling’s in banquet halls 08-13-2012, 04:25 PM

Yep, that's your typical "big government" mentality.

"We know better than you, and will do everything we can to save you from yourself."

This is exactly why I'm considering taking up coral keeping as a new hobby.

I prefer to tell them I use them for spider control and feline anal region hair removal.

This is the problem with the recent age of litigation and such... the "powers that be" use the presumed associated costs of something as the determining factor in whether or not someone should be allowed to do something.
If they believe that the costs may be recouped in some way from those same "powers that be" then they try to make it so that the typical person(s) can't have it.
What ever happened to the old ways of "Common Sense" ? (More un-common now than ever !)
There should be no reason to have to fight for your option to have and use such equipment.
The "system" should maintain the status quo of the bygone times and simply list the dangerous conditions of operation and ENFORCE penalties for those who operate their products improperly or dangerously.
So if you do something stupid - Bam - you pay the price. If that means pay a fine, lose your item, take a course, repair/replace a damaged item, or reimburse someone, etc. then that is it.
You should be free to buy a hand-held laser of what ever power you want. As long as you don't do something stupid it's an educational/scientific/safety/or whatever pursuit of a personal nature.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to define the terms for "Laser Insurance" and corner the market...

If certain people have their way we will loose our guns and lasers. Like it has happened to other countries, I guess I will become an outlaw since they are the only ones that will poses them.

Usually the problem with all legislation is that the people that do the legislating often actually know very little in actuality about the subject they are legislating against. Instead of consulting experts such as scientists, doctors, or people specializing in that parcticular field, they come to their own conclusions even though they are not specialized in the field they are legislating against.

I can think of a few other examples of this as well that I won't mention.. The fact is the government has no right to intervene with what you do, or own in the privacy of your own home as long as it is not hurting others, and owning personal laser collections or hobby experimentation with lasers is an example.

I really hate the idea of having to "prove" a reason to own a particular laser within the narrow definition of what they deem acceptable. If someone has lasers because they simply enjoy them and do so safely within their own home, then the government has no business with this since it is in the privacy of someones home and is harming no one else. If people can be trusted with firearms within a home, responsible laser owners can be allowed to have lasers and use them for any safe purpose including their own enjoyment within their own homes or property.

00Giorge said:

If certain people have their way we will loose our guns and lasers. Like it has happened to other countries, I guess I will become an outlaw since they are the only ones that will poses them.

Click to expand...

You are in Utah? Funny, ya said that like a Texan!

While I am not sure if Handheld laser ownership is guaranteed in the constitution - the only reason Americans need to buy, own, rent, eat, anything they can think of is "Because I wanted to"

Thats called liberty freinds... And thats what Lasers are all about.

or something...


:thinking:

ElectroMagneticFreak said:

\I really hate the idea of having to "prove" a reason to own a particular laser within the narrow definition of what they deem acceptable. If people can be trusted with firearms within a home, responsible laser owners can be allowed to have lasers and use them for any safe purpose including their own enjoyment within their own homes or property.

Click to expand...

^^ i have a sneaking suspicion that the same guys against citizens owning lasers as a general rule, probably dont have a very high opinion of private gun ownership either.

I would love to contribute to this thread but I am not allowed to because of my "lasers are more dangerous than guns" thread :na:

Being as there is really no legitimate scientific reason to have a pointer, and that the government wants to refer to these as dangerous weapons, I'm falling back on my 2nd amendment right.

madmacmo said:

I wish to thank Hemlock_Mike for his quote below as the inspiration for the title of this thread:


I have been asked “why Americans should have the right to have laser pointers and handhelds”, and honestly I just do not have a good answer at this point. Thus my question to you guys is - If tomorrow US legislators drafted a law similar to Australia’s for intent to confiscate all >1mW laser pointes, would we be able to produce a list of reasonable, justifiable and legitimate uses for laser pointers of our design?

Requested Discussion Criteria:
1) The justification for which I am seeking is of the Class IV hand held (not labbys, HeNes, or Argons) laser pointers at current attainable output ratings; e.g. >600mW 635nm, >700mW 405nm, or >1.7mW 445nm. Conversely, these class laser pointers cannot be reasonably justified for such activities as presentation pointers, star pointing, dot chasing entertainment for pets, etc.

2) It is also not my intention to argue the pros or cons of any hypothetical laser banning law within this thread, as there is already another thread where that particular discussion is taking place.

3) And for sake of sensible debate I do not wish to consider any of the following valid or legitimate uses:
a. Popping Balloons
b. Burning Tape, CD Covers, or Lighting Matches, etc.
c. Melting Wax
d. Flashing the Space Shuttle

As a means of further setting the stage for this discussion I wish to submit the following article:
What are laser pointers good for? -- Laser Pointer Safety

Hence, I wish to submit the first nomination for what I believe to be a reasonable, justifiable and legitimate use of a Class IV hand held laser pointer for “Pest Removal From Salt Water Aquariums”

First inquiry on LPF by rcmike on 11-26-2011, at 08:23 PM
http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/laser-frying-pest-anemones-reef-aquarium-69147.html

Confirmation by CalmSeasQuest on 12-05-2011, at 01:28 PM
http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/u...atured-advanced-aquarists-magazine-69423.html

Click to expand...

The best argument I have is for engraving, If I had a 1.8w 445, I would use it for that all the time.

-Cam

Edit: Another niche use, If you often go hiking, you could use a high powered laser as a safety device for if you get lost. Search parties would not have any trouble finding you if they saw a giant glowing beacon pointing to exactly where you are.

Why do we have to right to have high powered lasers?
I think the better question is if the government has the right to tell you that you can't.
If there is no victim, there is no crime...

Remember that the FDA is one of the federal agencies that is actively violating the 10th amendment... (along with the CSPC)

PersonGuyDude said:

Why do we have to right to have high powered lasers?

Click to expand...

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

I do not see this as being exclusive to firearms only.

Why should one legitimate the reason for posessing anything at all?

Why would you have the right to earn a pink colored wine glass? There is little argument that it could not be substituded by a clear or red one for any reasonable purpose. Just wanting to own something seems to be a perfectly legitimate reason for people to own all kinds of things, from vintage postage stamps to jet engines.

A laser ban would have to be based on them posing an unacceptable safety hazard, which clearly is not present with responsible use. Once you start looking at the potential for -abuse-, many every day items prove far more dangerous than lasers. It would be comparable to forbid people from owning go-karts since they -could- drive them on the public road and injure someone, despite most users only use them for sports on private propery.

This again all boils down to the old:
"AT RISK FALACY"
That is simply stated "If one member in a large statistical community
will use something for any bad purpose, everyone in that community
will likely do the same". Therefore, whatever it is must be legislated
out of the hands of the common tax payers.
Common folks can't be trusted to be responsible and must be enslaved.
HMike

1. The general rule is that if something can potentially inflict harm on another then it should be regulated.

2. The second rule is that if it can generate revenue then regulation is a really good thing </sarcasm>

Guns, Missiles, C4 plastic, Cars, Motorcycles, Airplanes etc are all regulated.

Powerboats, Lasers, Pink Wineglasses are not.

One day we might need a license for the latter - but not sure about Pink Wineglasses!

It all depends on whether the Government can find a way of generating revenues from it - from a license fee or fine for ownership.