Wow... She should get a medal... But I believe your point was that she may be a bleeding heart liberal wanting to restrain your freedoms and using cuddly animal corollaries to help sway you to her side?

Cars have to be registered and the drivers licensed. Gun owners have to have licenses. Explosives require licensing. Hell, even crossbows require a license. I believe the point here is that while this item can be used for peaceful purposes, it is readily accessible to anyone with money, without thought to who might be buying it or for what purpose.

I'll fight to the death your right to own a gun or to argue about anything, but certain things just don't belong in the hands of the untrained, unmonitored and unlicensed. But one thing is for sure, anyone who *really* wants one will get it and use it as they please, just like a gun or car - regardless of government licensing. Licensing does, however, limit the exposure to idiot kids and psychotics to some degree and certainly wouldn't harm a law-abiding adult. The difference here is that it's MIGHTY difficult to track a laser being pointed at a tanker from a passing car or rooftop a mile away. So, limiting supply, manufacture and availability of an item which is a TOY does make some sense.

You're argument is largely correct - it's insulting for me to say you can't own or use one. That doesn't make Susan's indignation over social abuses (including the laser) any less true, now does it? And I don't recall her insulting any single person's comments.