In the wake of the Orlando shooting massacre, liberals all across the nation are (rightfully) demanding for gun reforms. Surprisingly enough, a select few conservatives are also joining the rallying cry. And yet, while I certainly wish to join hands with this growing movement, I find myself somewhat conflicted.

Each time a gun-related massacre occurs, I find myself repeating a certain algorithmic thought process. First I allow certain emotions to take charge, demanding for increased gun reforms, which include, but are not limited to, better background checks, increased mental health services, limited ammunition capacity and access to militarized weapons.

From there, I retire my emotions from taking the charge and instead allow a bit more reason to take its place. Which doesn’t make the situation any easier, because when I do, I always seem to reach the conclusion that many of these gun reforms aren’t going to be able to accommodate a future where 3D printed gun proliferation is a reality.

If you haven’t read “Areopagitica: Plea for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing,” an essay written by the poet John Milton, I’d highly recommend you do so. It’s a bit boring at times, but the gist of his argument is that, once an idea has made its way into the public – whether by written form or otherwise – any attempt to constrain it will ultimately be futile.

Milton wasn’t wrong. If anything we’ve learned about this country’s past attempts at prohibition – whether it be alcohol, drugs, or abortions – it’s that they not only fail in preventing people from acquiring said items or services, but then subsequently increase the number of people attempting to acquire them.

Another great example, which is also one that is more in relation to 3D printed guns, is the government’s attempts to crackdown on piracy. Ever since Napster became the first ever service provider to pioneer in peer-to-peer online file sharing, the modern world of piracy has never lost a battle against govt. suppression. Thanks to the Internet, once a digital file has made its way online, there is no chance in hell of ever deleting it from existence ever again.

Noticing the correlation with that of Milton’s argument about ideas making their way into the public?