Flamethrowers are, quite possibly, one of the most evil weapons on the planet.
Flamethrowers are dangerous. They should not be used as toys. With that in mind, the City of Warren has decided to ban them. Why? Because, two companies, Ion Productions and Xmatter, have started producing and selling them.
The two companies making the flamethrowers say they have been used for decades, and people should be able to own what they want. Misuse can happen with any product, they claim. They also claim the flamethrowers can be used to clear brush and vegetation. Quinn Whitehead, cofounder of Xmatter, said his company’s device “is a tool just like anything else.”
“Flamethrowers have been used by fire departments, ranchers, farmers and pyrotechnicians for more than 100 years. If someone with malice in their heart wanted to do bad things, there are hundreds of more effective means which are much less expensive,” Whitehead stated.
“I believe it’s a similar situation to gun control laws and gun bans in Detroit. Have these new gun regulations helped prevent crime in Detroit? Unfortunately, no. … Criminals don’t follow laws,” Whitehead added.
Mayor Jim Fouts described the proposed uses as “pretty specious” and “silly,” and said the devices should be illegal in the state of Michigan.
“You know something like this will be used by bad people for bad things,” Fouts said, adding he thought it was “unthinkable” something like this could be sold to the general public.
While Mayor Fouts may sound unreasonable and frightened, if you think about the damage flamethrowers do to human beings and animals, there is little doubt you would reconsider your position. If a criminal decided to use it as a weapon, the end results would be horrific. As with guns, it is about availability, and access.
“It’s just something we wanted to make a long time ago,” said Chris Byars, CEO of the Ion Productions Team, the metro Detroit company making the XM42 flamethrower.
“It’s how a product is used that determines punishment for the operator,” Byars said. “Simply owning a particular product should not be a punishable offense. It’s a matter of education and respect for safety.”
Flamethrowers do not qualify as firearms under the National Firearms Act and are not currently regulated. Nor is owning one considered one of our Constitutional rights, under the Second Amendment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives works with local law enforcement to monitor issues such as incidents involving flamethrowers.
In forward thinking Warren, violations would be a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a $500 fine or both, and police or fire may seize the flamethrower. The charges will get much worse if the flamethrower gets used as a weapon.
