[lbo-talk] What is a weapon of mass destruction?

Wojtek S wsoko52 at gmail.com
Tue Apr 23 05:02:51 PDT 2013


[WS:] But according to 18 USC 921 firearm can be "any destructive device" (except antique firearms) http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/921 so "any destructive device as defined in section 921 of this title" http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2332a means that firearms can also be a "weapon of mass destruction." It makes sense, because it really depends how you use a weapon, not by what mechanism the weapon operates.

You can place an explosive device in a way that kills only one person (e.g. in a car) and you can use a firearm (or a chainsaw, for that matter) in a way that will cause multiple and indiscriminate deaths and injuries (e.g. in a crowded space). The only exception to this are nuclear and biological weapons that cannot be used in a targeted way (i.e. targeting a single person).

So the above definitions stipulate that a person who uses a gun in a mass killing spree can be charged with terrorism and the use of weapons of mass destruction. What I find problematic is that perps in Columbine, Aurora or Newtown shooting were not defined as such, but the perps in Boston bombing were. I suspect two factors are at work here: (i) bigotry - i.e. a perp of foreign origin or brown skin is more likely to be seen as a terrorist which is more evil than a mere mass murderer; and (ii) gun is a fetish and a sacred object in the US, so it is less likely to be seen as a weapon of mass destruction which is more evil than mere firearms that kill in an aesthetically pleasing way (as seen on TV).

Wojtek

On Tue, Apr 23, 2013 at 2:46 AM, Jordan Hayes <jmhayes at j-o-r-d-a-n.com>wrote:


> Billy O'Connor writes:
>
> 18 USC 921 merely defines "destructive device", 18 USC 2332(a) defines
>> WMD just as I described.
>>
>
> Um, no.
>
> 18 USC 2332(a) defines WMD as Nuclear (D), Biological (C), Chemical (B) ...
>
>
> ... OR anything in 18 USC 921 (A).
>
>
>
>
> (A) ANY DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE AS DEFINED IN SECTION 921 OF THIS TITLE.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ...
>
> /jordan
> ______________________________**_____
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/**mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk<http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk>
>

-- Wojtek

"An anarchist is a neoliberal without money."



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