People who are jealous of their right to own firearms know how important it is to mercilessly stomp even the slightest suggestion that their right to own a gun be restricted in some manner, no matter how trivial it may seem.
Because the principle at stake is critical.
If it is acceptable to chip away at a right because of this – then surely that will follow. It is like the income tax, which people were assured would apply only to “the rich” when it was first proposed.
Now, of course, it applies to everyone.
Because the principle of taxing people’s earnings was accepted. Once that was accepted, it was hard to make a principled argument against taxing anyone’s income.
Which brings us to Larry Vellequette.
This guy – a writer for Automotive News – is having a conniption fit over the Dodge Demon.
He believes it is too powerful, too fast; that it is irresponsible for the government to allow people to own it.
True, it is very powerful – 840 hp.
And it is extremely quick – capable of a single digit quarter-mile run.
And.…?
His argument amounts to the same argument used to peddle “sensible” restrictions on the right to possess firearms. Someone might run amok – ergo it must be presumed that everyone will run amok.
Does anyone need 840 hp?
Does anyone need a rifle that holds more than one bullet? Arquebus, anyone?
How about 270 hp?
A current-year V6-powered family sedan like the Honda Accord has that much and it is quicker and faster than most Ferraris and Porsches were back in the ‘70s.
Do families need such performance?
A modern liter class sport bike is at least as quick as the Demon – and they are priced such that almost anyone can afford to buy one, too.
No air bags, either.
Ban them, too?
Wait.
Vellequette “…take(s) great issue with the nearly treadless Nitto drag radials that come standard on the $86,090 Challenger SRT Demon.” He sweats their single-minded design, which – though DOT street legal – makes them not-so-great in wet and wintry conditions.
As if this were something . . . new.
Why not also “take issue” with the “summer” ultra-performance tires that are just as single-minded and compromised and also commonly available as factory equipment on numerous other cars?
And have been for years?
How about the ultra-soft, ultra-performance tires installed on liter-class bikes? These last maybe 2,000 miles and are designed for high-performance use only. Of course, people who ride sport bikes realize this and don’t ride in the snow – just as as people who buy the Demon understand it is not an AWD minivan and don’t expect it to perform like one in poor weather.
Why the selective umbrage? It is based on specific ignorance.
