Has Kristen Rand been smoking crack?

Almost surely not, but her reaction to the passage of legislation to protect the gun industry from junk lawsuits could make a reasonable person wonder:

"This legislation will make the unregulated gun industry the most pampered industry in America," said Kristen Rand, director of the Violence Policy Center.

The unregulated gun industry? HaHaHaHaHaHaHa.

Since Rand is director of one of the more prominent anti-gun ownership organizations in America, she has a professional duty to know the basics of regulation of the gun industry, including those directed at private owners. Unregulated? I would be delighted if guns were regulated, as some remarkably ignorant critics demand, just like automobiles and drivers.

There would be no federal license required to manufacture guns. There would be no federal license to deal guns. There would be no license or permit required to buy a gun. There would no permit required to own a gun or to buy ammunition, no permit or license required to operate a gun on private property. The owner could allow anyone she wanted to use that gun on private property, without a license or age requirement. There would be no registration of guns so long as they were kept and used on private property. Like cars, there would be no requirement to license or register a gun in order to transport it on public streets, so long as it is not being operated- like a car being towed or trailered. There would be no background check required to buy or operate. Gun parts, including frames, could be legally transported thru the US Mail.

People who want to operate (carry loaded) a gun on public property could get a license with no more difficulty than getting a driver's license. Every state would issue those gun operators' licenses, and every state would honor every other state's license. A traveler with a license and insurance could go to another state and rent a gun from a gun rental company and operate that gun in public.

And when a gun manufacturer legally sells a gun to a distributor, and the distributor legally sells that gun to a dealer, and the dealer legally sells it to a retail buyer, who a few years later legally sells it to another private buyer, from whom it is eventually stolen, and after passing thru an unknown number of other hands someone uses the gun to commit a crime, it wouldn't occur to anyone who isn't on crack that the responsibility for the crime lies with the manufacturer. Or should we bankrupt Toyota for car bombs?

Apparently Kristen Rand, professional anti-gun executive, doesn't know about all the federal, state, county, and municipal regulations on guns and their manufacture, distribution, ownership, and use. Or maybe she is hoping that we don't. Or maybe we should start regulating cars and drivers like guns and gun users. That would be a hoot.

Bush has said he supports the bill, which would prohibit lawsuits against the firearms industry for damages resulting from the unlawful use of a firearm or ammunition. Gun makers and dealers still would be subject to product liability, negligence or breach of contract suits, the bill's authors say.

Sounds pretty reasonable. I hope Bush has the guts to sign it. The heat he is taking over the nomination of Harriet Miers may just be enough to persuade him that he really does have to start acting like a conservative.

AOL has the story here.