FDA Proposal

[hwang21]

EDIT: put off for now, it seems less attention is better than more for the time being...

Well, here it is... my first draft of my (peronsalized) letter to the FDA: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxfI7lJG0bZrNnJMX0tmTkFmYXM

Feel free to comment on it and make suggestions, thanks! I hope to be able to send this to the FDA in a few days. Perhaps a larger collective voice of LPF would be more effective, but at least I have made my voice heard...

Let's not get lasers banned... perhaps an overused quote, but the point remains all the same:

"First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me."

 

[hwang21]

Reserved in case of future events

 

[ixfd64]

Great start.

One thing you could consider is try to make the letter shorter while keeping the important points. Otherwise, the person reading the letter might go "TL;DR" and put it aside without putting much thought into it.

 

[Shakenawake]

I like it, I just don't think the people we want to read it will give a hoot. still, rep for you, putting it together, thoughtfully worded. I'd rather not need a license for lasers, and I point out that licensing drivers does not prevent a ton of criminal conduct.

 

[hwang21]

ixfd64,

That's what I was thinking, re-reading it. Perhaps I'll need to do some trimming...

@shakenawake,

True, but better than having anyone who feels like driving on the roads, right? And if we can get enough people to voice their opinion, they will have to take notice at some point... they can't put off an organized protest forever. History is backing me up here

 

[Livinloud]

i havent even read it and my initial thoughts are they wont give two shats......plus do you really want the FDA to know you own lasers? Not a smart move IMO, just giving them your name and oh guess what they are a govt entity and can pull ANY information on you that they want

 

[hwang21]

Well of all of the people they can go catch, are they going to catch me instead of the thousands of people who are going out to shine lasers at aircraft? Greater risk means greater reward...

And even if they don't listen to me, the point is that people aren't satisfied with the way they are handling things... if no one ever says anything, they would just keep making themselves more powerful and all-encompassing. They don't need to listen to me, they just need to know that people aren't happy

 

[Livinloud]

Someone shining a laser at an aircraft has 100x better chance of escaping! Remember unfortunately, not all aircrafts have thermal cameras. Have you ever seen a camera on a commercial jetliner? Nope. You are sending a signed letter to the government, FROM YOUR HOUSE! You are GIVING them a crumb trail to your house, to YOU! Yes I sincerely believe they'd be more likely to come after you than some random person shining a laser at an aircraft since you are basically sending them a letter saying I own lasers, heres my address......im waiting for your visit. JUST SAYING

 

[hwang21]

Well what exactly have I done that warrants the government to come after me? After all, they could just track the IP's of every person on this forum and find them. That would simplify the "laser hobby", wouldn't it? :thinking:

 

[Livinloud]

The difference between being a member of a forum and sending a letter is you are taking initiative with the government and we are just sitting here talking about lasers. Tracking the IP of everyone and tracking them down takes time and effort. Looking at an envelope sent to the government and seeing where and who its from take no effort.

In the end its your choice so I could care less and further comments will be refrained since im not going to get into a heated battle over something that I could care less about

 

[hwang21]

Well I was actually going to attach this and send it by email, but... I thought the forum was supposed to be about helping each other, not stating your argument and then leaving. I would at least try to seem like I cared if you were the one who cared enough about something to do something about it, instead of discouraging me and then saying you're done with the thread

 

[Livinloud]

See thats what you are not getting.....I cared enough to say its not a good idea to send it. You are bringing more attention towards the laser hobby. It doesnt matter that you are trying to defend it, its attention and thats the LAST thing we need. Im not stating my opinion and leaving. im not going to get into this since i think its the dumbest idea anyone could have and im not going to start calling you or anyone names or start a drama pissing match since i hate when an un-named source does that for other stuff.

I care about lasers and that should be obvious from my 3000 posts. if i didnt care then would i post 3000 responses, reviews, answers, etc.....?

And the last thing is, its your decision. i can discourage it all i want but that doesnt mean you cant do it. my discouragement is basically me saying, good for you, if you want to do it then go ahead but id never do it.

I discourage people from buying from WL but does that mean that im stopping them from doing it? Nope, i just think its a stupid idea

Get my point now?

EDIT: i also think this FDA "cracking down" stuff is a load of crap. they have been saying that for years and nothing has changed. i think you are taking this too serious and trying to take action when in reality the FDA isnt doing anything. ill believe they are "cracking down" when they propose a new bill for congress to look at

 

[Shakenawake]

I agree that attention to lasers is bad. I was reading somewhere, I think a post on here somewhere, that we should be grateful to WL for bringing more attention to the hobby. I couldn't disagree more, we want to fly under the radar, I don't see a happy ending here otherwise. even low profile will only slow the inevitable

 

[Livinloud]

Exactly, it has nothing to do with you Hwang or your document. I know you put a crap load of time into it and its probably disheartening to see people shot down your hard thought out and worked on idea but attention is the last thing we need. I really do hope you understand where we are coming from.

Normal civilians dont know what a high powered laser is and when they see ours they FREAK out. "omg that thing can light a 2x4 on fire. thats got to be illegal" we dont need more of that attention. let your average human think a laser is just a red "presentation" pointer.

Again, not stopping you from sending it, just forewarning you that if you do send it, you will draw more attention to a hobby that needs LESS attention

EDIT: to tell you the truth, i wish this community was closed and you were not able to find it on google. i wish that it was only accessible by invitation so we can keep the idiots away from the knowledge that high power lasers exist. WL exposed the world to that and never taught safety so now we are forced to reteach all the misinformed WL noobs.

 

[OrionBLF]

Exactly, it has nothing to do with you Hwang or your document. I know you put a crap load of time into it and its probably disheartening to see people shot down your hard thought out and worked on idea but attention is the last thing we need. I really do hope you understand where we are coming from.

Normal civilians dont know what a high powered laser is and when they see ours they FREAK out. "omg that thing can light a 2x4 on fire. thats got to be illegal" we dont need more of that attention. let your average human think a laser is just a red "presentation" pointer.

Again, not stopping you from sending it, just forewarning you that if you do send it, you will draw more attention to a hobby that needs LESS attention.

EDIT: to tell you the truth, i wish this community was closed and you were not able to find it on google. i wish that it was only accessible by invitation so we can keep the idiots away from the knowledge that high power lasers exist. WL exposed the world to that and never taught safety so now we are forced to reteach all the misinformed WL noobs.

+1. It may come to that point eventually.

 

[Livinloud]

I really hope its just another case of blowing smoke but the more attention drawn, the more likely action will be taken