Should flamethrowers be sold in the US?

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34131334

Should flamethrowers be sold in the US?

A firm marketing flamethrowers as a "cool tool" has provoked a Michigan town to try to ban the fire-spewing machines.
Why make, build or sell a flamethrower? That is the question posed by the man who designed what he calls America's first hand-held flamethrower.
Chris Byars's answer: "It's awesome."

Byars says he has sold and delivered 30 of his XM42 model, costing $899 (£588). He has received pre-orders for 400 more.

This is not something you can buy at your local store - the XM42 can propel burning napalm-like fuel 25ft (7.6m), igniting and scorching anything in its path.
A flamethrower could have a practical function, but that is not how Byers is marketing it.

"I wanted one, personally, back in 2007, solely due to the 'cool' factor and [for] taking out wasps," he says in an email. After soliciting funds on Kickstarter, he used his engineering experience to build one.

(continued)

[JimC]

They'll have to prise my flamethrower from my cold, dead (but slightly singed) hands!

[laklak]

I want.

[Ian]

I'd like to have one mounted on my car so I can scorch slow drivers during my commute.

[mistermack]

I think they should be sold in the US.

I can hardly wait for the first flamethrower school massacre. There might even be a (bad) film in it.

[Rum]

I demand my rights as a citizen to eat crispy fried kids!

[mistermack]

They look really wasteful to me, for use by firefighters or farmers. And dangerous.

Because the flame extends right back to the user.

If you had a very long, lightweight wand, with a spray nozzle and igniter on the end, you could deliver targeted jets of flame that ended well away from you, and not waste loads of fuel.

This isn't what you would design for practical use, it's just a weapon.

[rainbow]

There would be less crime if all responsible citizens carried flamethrowers with them.

I mean seriously, would you mug an old lady carrying a flamethrower?

[klr]

Technically, they are probably allowed under the 2nd Amendment.

Or at least, that's what certain people would say.

[laklak]

I want Greek Fire on my boat. I mean a thingy that shoots Greek Fire, not Greek Fire ON the boat. That would be stupid. There's few things you want less on a boat than a fire, despite all that water lying about.