Automotive News Call to Ban Dodge Demon Reminiscent of Similar Calls against Guns

By David Codrea

How about if you don’t want one, don’t buy one? [Dodge Facebook photo]
David Codrea in his natural habitat.

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- “The 840-hp Dodge Challenger SRT Demon from Fiat Chrysler is so inherently dangerous to the common safety of motorists that its registration as a road-worthy automobile should be banned,” Automotive News effectively shrieks, even while admitting “There are more powerful, and even faster, vehicles available from other automakers that are rightly street legal.”

“From its barely legal slick tires to its monstrous acceleration, the  … Demon may comply sufficiently with the letter of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to legally be registered for on-road use, but in its current form it certainly doesn’t fulfill the spirit of those standards,” the editorialist fumes indignantly.

Heavens! The slick tire loophole! There’ll be blood in the streets! Something must be done! Ban it!  For the children!

How often have gun owners heard similar hysterical “rationales” from the gun-grabbers objecting to performance characteristics, and then codifying bans into law? Hey, we can’t have “30 magazine clips” and “shoulder things that go up” and “weapons of war that have no place on our streets,” right?

Thanks to the internet, rights activists have been quick to react when industry writers, who ought to know better, side with the citizen disarmament cartel.  Sick of all the crap gun owners protested loudly and effectively when:

Zumbo, Metcalf and Tsai

“The guides on our hunt tell me that the use of AR and AK rifles have a rapidly growing following among hunters, especially prairie dog hunters. I had no clue… Excuse me, maybe I’m a traditionalist, but I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity. I’ll go so far as to call them ‘terrorist’ rifles. To most of the public, an assault rifle is a terrifying thing. Let’s divorce ourselves from them. I say game departments should ban them from the prairies and woods.”

“[W]ay too many gun owners still believe that any regulation of the right to keep and bear arms is an infringement. The fact is that all Constitutional rights are regulated, always have been, and need to be.”

“Like we mentioned before, the MP7A1 is unavailable to civilians and for good reason. We all know that’s technology no civvies should ever get to lay their hands on. This is a purpose-built weapon with no sporting applications to speak of. It is made to put down scumbags, and that’s it. Mike Cabrera of Heckler & Koch Law Enforcement Sales and veteran law enforcement officer with SWAT unit experience points out that this is a gun that you do not want in the wrong, slimy hands. It comes with semi-automatic and full-auto firing modes only.  Its overall size places it between a handgun and submachine gun. Its assault rifle capabilities and small size make this a serious weapon that should not be taken lightly.”

David E. Petzal

Lesser known to most gun owners, probably because it predated widespread effective internet issue advocacy, were statements published in Field & Stream by editor David E. Petzal at the time the Clinton “assault weapon ban” was being promoted. In our hour of need, he was claiming “it took tremendous courage” for his magazine to go against the NRA:

“Gun owners — all gun owners — pay a heavy price for having to defend the availability of these weapons. The American public — and the gun-owning public; especially the gun-owning public — would be better off without the hardcore military arms, which puts the average sportsman in a real dilemma … an Uzi or an AKM or an AK-47 should be no more generally available than a Claymore mine or a block of C4 explosive.”

Yeah, who needs those to hunt ducks, right? But what happened to weapons being “part of the ordinary military equipment [that] could contribute to the common defense”?

There’s a saying I can’t repeat here (that starts with “Because” and ends with “that’s why”) appropriate for self-righteous busybodies demanding we justify our “needs” to them. The bottom line, as with guns, if performance cars are abused in a way that endangers the public, there are better ways to deal with that.  Banning property that can potentially be abused has never been the answer.

I haven’t bought a Field & Stream ever since I organized a letter campaign to tell them why. If I were a car buff, I’d be telling Automotive News where to go right about now.

About David Codrea:

David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.

In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and associate editor for Oath Keepers, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.

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Stuart

Hey, Dave:
Check out Hillary pal Jorge Amselle’s latest. Guess he is clear about immigration for Latinos being more important that Gun Rights. The rep he is opposed to is NRA A rated and helped save our butts post Sandy Hook. Here is Jorge, the “former life long republican” in action.

https://www.nvdaily.com/news/local-news/2017/05/constituents-criticize-u-s-rep-goodlatte/

John

Davey-Boy:

You forget to include Jorge Amselle in the Hall of Shame for his open support of Hillary Clinton ‘s presidential bid against Trump.

No list of traitors is complete without him.

THeGunnyRet

Carrol Shelby Built a Street Legal 1000HP Mustang, What is the GD Big Deal. If you have a particular Model Mustang that can accept the 1000hp Package it is available to this day. The Bugatti Veron was 1200HP, The new is 1400HP and these cars are to go 250 plus MPH…I don’t see the Safety Nazis jumping on those… A guess the “Common” man doesn’t deserve the to have a fast car. Just more BS Social Media crap, Leftist Lunes at it as always… I want the Military type weapons, we used them in the Revolutionary War and Civil War…just… Read more »

Jim C

Back in my youth, I knew a guy who had a 426 Hemi Dodge with the racing camshaft. In order to get it backed into a drive-in restaurant slot he and a buddy had to push it because the idle wouldn’t allow slow backing in. Needless to say you did not see many of these on the street – but it was a thrill to see one. I don’t recall if anyone wanted to ban them, but potholes and insurance will probably do the job.

BOB FROM PA

THEY WANT TO BAN A CAR? MEANWHILE, WE HAVE KIDS RIDING 180 MPH CROTCH ROCKETS IN STATES THAT DON’T REQUIRE HELMETS! TO EACH HIS OWN! IF YOU’RE SCARED OF IT, DON’T BUY IT!

Ted

I’m gonna’ buy two of ’em. No, three of ’em-one red, one white and one blue!

Tony York

well I once told my wife, who was scared to death of my dodge charger R/T 440 magnum, “just because it can go fast does not mean it must go fast”…just because a firearm can kill does not mean that it ever will…use some sense people

James Rutter

I am involved with my wife who is getting relief from some symptoms of amyladosis from marijuana products, which is not available with conventional Medicine. I will not look kindly on one who removes from us the small comfort derived from this illegal and “evil ” source. Perhaps you could direct your hostility elsewhere

Gil

Because anyone with knowledge with tell you a massive vehicle such as school bus is extremely hard to shunt and for any larger vehicle that can do that seatbelts would be worthless.

Jay Eimer

And yet I have a ’69 Charger built to about 1050HP in my garage right now and it’s street legal and still registered. It has 5 points now but only came with lap belts. No air bags at all. And DRUM brakes! Yeah, it “goes” a lot quicker than it stops. And there are more powerful and certainly faster cars out there – shoot, it’s heavy enough it barely breaks 10 seconds. Then again, I have an M4gery that started out as a Colt M16A1 of ’69 vintage, too. I call it that because while it started as an A1… Read more »

Tom762

Because F___ You, That’s Why!!

Perfect, David, perfect!!

Colonialgirl

Now here is an example of a complete and absolute ignorant moron (Beside the liberal troll Gil): Quote} Guns & Ammo’s Dick Metcalfe maintained: “[W]ay too many gun owners still believe that any regulation of the right to keep and bear arms is an infringement. The fact is that all Constitutional rights are regulated, always have been, and need to be.”{Quote HEY you stupid leftist jerk ; the INSTANT you Do THIS: ” all Constitutional rights are regulated” it is NO LONGER a “RIGHT”. The First Ten Amendments enumerated GOD GIVEN RIGHTS that were NOT to be subjected to “regulation”.… Read more »

Mike smith

I coudent have said it better! The pursuit of happiness is horse power! May the new good o’l days of muscle cars power on! Mike smith orlando fl.

Gil

Safety is for “dweebs” then? “Don’t like my driving then got off the sidewalk because the 1A enshrines my right to driver wherever I want?”

Wild Bill

@Gil, You should have stopped at “…get off the sidewalk…” You have to roll the joke around in your mind if you are going to write humor.

RegT

A small clarification here: the Constitution does not give us any rights, but via the Bill of Rights, it tells government that these rights – which are ours by virtue of simply existing (natural or G-d given, take your pick) – are not to be regulated or infringed or limited. Over the years, we have allowed those infringements and abridgments and “regulations”, and as always with government, give them an inch and they take a mile. Now the government assumes it has the authority to regulate _all_ of our rights, because our government no longer adheres to the Constitution (and… Read more »

John Brown

Jerry Tsai writes for World of Firepower now, Zumbo has a blog and Metcalf begs for change at highway overpasses.

LAB3

You little boys can whine all you want, truth of the matter is if you’re in law enforcement, a fireman, an EMT or other emergency responder you get tired of scraping people’s brains up after they fail at stupid human tricks. But hey, it’s all about you, right?

Wild Bill

@LA B3, If you are tired of scraping people’s brains up after they fail at stupid human tricks, then YOU CHOOSE not to do it anymore. It is all about the FREEDOM TO CHOSE.

RM Molon Labe

As a former FF/EMT…I NEVER blamed the car for the wreck…It was ALWAYS the idiot behind the wheel. You are living proof, that STUPID can’t be fixed…

Michael

LAB3
They are PROBABLY tired of dealing with all those that OD on drugs too, as well as all the DWI accidents, accidents from tire failure, kids drowning in pools, house fires that kill people and the list goes on. but hey, it’s all about those folks too, right?

You need a better argument. yours sucks.

Otto Didact

“But hey, it’s all about you, right?” Two observations, LAB3: 1) And your complaint ISN’T “all about YOU”??? 2) How many of the vehicles involved in those incidents where you had to scrape somebody’s brains up after they failed at stupid human tricks had engines VASTLY smaller than the 850hp monster under the hood of that Challenger??? Stupid humans – INCLUDING cops, firefighters, EMTs and “other emergency responders” – WILL commit “stupid human tricks” and sometimes they will fail and need to have their brains scraped up off of the road. It is impossible to make anything foolproof seeing as… Read more »

Janek

@LAB3 – Who you calling ‘Boy’?

Jim Macklin

THEY want to ban what they don’t understand. Often they don’t understand by choice. WE often try to mitigate their position by denying the truth. A high school driving class does not qualify a driver to handle a car that can do 0-60 in less than 5 seconds and stop even more quickly. We don’t like THEM calling our guns “assault weapons” so WE come up with Modern Sporting Rifle which is the wrong tact since it justifies the communist sporting purpose test. So let’s keep MSR and call it the Militia Standard Rifle, protected by the Second Amendment because… Read more »

Janek

Can you order a Dodge Demon with ‘Twin 50’s’ mounted under the hood? LOL

Steve

One of the first and what should be obvious thing to do to make these deadly vehicles safer is to remove their suppressors, er, hmmm, I mean Mufflers, so that law enforcement will know if they are in use regardless of the fact that they are legal.

Heed the Call-up

Steve, I like that. That would also mean we should all have intensive FBI background checks and pay $200 for a tax stamp on every vehicle suppressor we buy, and, of course, when we purchase a vehicle with a suppressor already mounted on it. One benefit, it might cut down on drive-by-shootings. Or maybe not, since they would just steal the vehicles as they do their weapons.

Dane

Why do the articles on the Demon keep saying its engine is based off the Hellcat engine? Dodge has come out and said specifically that it is a whole NEW engine sharing only the cylinder heads with the Hellcat. FOX, if you are going to report on something get it right.

Rock

It’s the media, they post what THEY want to be believed. I had more faith in FOX, they have TANKED….

SuperG

My recommendation for buying a Dodge is to buy two, that way you’ll have one to drive while the other is in the shop.

Mike

Too true!

hippybiker

Let’s ban this, and let’s ban that. Take your pick of whatever the flaming liberal bigots don’t like these days. Seems to have worked very well for illegal drugs like Heroin. That’s why here in south west Florida we have an Opiate addiction and overdose problem. Yeah! Lets ban everyrhing.

Jim S

These people are why we dont get anywhere on 2A issues.
How about we let the other person use or carry what THEY want, assuming they meet the requirements.
How about you keep your opinion to yourself and let me decide how I shoot.
How about you get on the bandwagon of allowing freedom of choice among firearms owners?
There is nothing wrong with a semi-auto rifle.
How about it?

Chiefton

We should only allow one cylinder vehicles to save people’s lives and limit all speed to 10 or 15 mph. Just think of the gas savings and lives we will save. This is just a common sense approach to saving the lives of or citizens that exceed those killed by firearms on an annual basis. But then again, will California agree to this? It is their argument using a different piece of property (car vs gun).

Dave in Fairfax

Nonsense! When we had only TWO cars in this country, they managed to get in an accident with each other. The drivers, of course were blameless. ALL cars are inherently dangerous and evil. We must ban them, for the sake of the children! If God had wanted us to drive, we’d have wheels.

Wild Bill

@Dave in Fairfax, Yes, it is nonsense! I think that Chiefton is having a little fun with us on purpose. Happy Cinco de Beero!

Ricochet007

That reminds me of an Army truck driver in the Sahara who managed to wreck into the only tree within 100 miles. That also kind of illustrates that the military/government wouldn’t be any safer with automotive or firearm technology than the public, it just makes its mistakes at taxpayer’s expense (in more ways than one). By more ways than one, I refer to the expense of our rights as well as as our hard-earned money that pays taxes. I’ve often thought that is you use gun-banners arguments against something like automobiles (that aren’t a Constitutional right as firearms are), they… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Ricochet007, That was a Marine truck driver in a Marine deuce and a half. In fact, if I remember correctly, and I probably don’t, it was the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Happy Cinco de Beero, one and everybody.

Chiefton

Dave I was just kidding (somewhat). The reality and point I was trying to make is that there is proof that California and the other anti gun states and governments are not concerned in making it safer for individuals as they proclaim. If they did then they would make the changes to motor vehicles with the same fervor that they attack firearms with. Guns and cars are nearly equal in causing death on an annual basis yet the anti 2nd amendment folks only attack the 2nd amendment and never speak a bad word about motor vehicles. My comment was to… Read more »

Otto Didact

Kinda like the two Security Police from McConnell Air Force patch who got hit by a train (unfortunately both survived – talk about Darwin Award candidates) in southeastern Kansas. Broad daylight. Clear air and visibility unlimited. Terrain flat as a board for miles in every direction. They got hit at an uncontrolled railroad crossing. Most of us on base figured the pesky train was hiding behind a tree near the crossing; just waiting for some unsuspecting Sky Cops to come along.

Marc

It should be clear from a long history of trying that prohibition never works. The minute you try and alter behavior by prohibiting the object, organized crime will see an opportunity and fill the void.

That ends up creating an even bigger problem since money flows to the illegitimate organizations that would dominate society and destroy freedom.

Ill conceived cosmetically based bans, outright interference with trade by brand or design, magazine capacity limitations, and draconian discriminatory permit systems all need to be challenged and their constitutionality questioned now.

Lloyd Dumas

Couldn’t agree more, the very people that they are worried with for fear they will take all that beloved HP to the street upsetting their streets paved with the skin of middle America, leaving skid marks on their streets almost as long as the skid marks in their drawers. Only thing I do not like about the beast to be unleashed is they need a few more H in the P, bring it on Demon ! I might add also the shameful part is the best of us gun heads and gear heads can’t afford it.

Wild Bill

Re: Zumbo, Metcalf, Tsai, and David Petzal, Oh boy! Oh, boy oh boy, oh boy. Say it ain’t so! I am stunned. I did not know. I am re-evaluating.

RM Molon Labe

One of the greatest evils are those who take an oath to govern by “delegated powers” but use it to take from others what they keep for themselves. “A Government that does not trust its law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms, is itself, unworthy of trust.” –James Madison, chief wordsmith of the Constitution “Any government that would attempt to disarm its people is despotic; and any people that would submit to it deserve to be slaves.”– Stephen F. Austin, 1835 “The historical reality of the Second Amendments protection of the right to keep and bear arms is not… Read more »

Dr. Strangelove

The liberals are anti freedom, whether it be horsepower, speech that they don’t approve of or 30 round, magazine clips for terrorist, evil, black, assault rifles.

Pete

To a dealer in collectibles, “need” is the “N-word.”

Gil

So Conservatives and Libertarians said “do you what you want until you harm others” they were lying about the second part.

Mick

Gil, stupid as always !

Wild Bill

@Gil, My world is shaken after the revelation the Petzal, Zumbo, Metcalf, and Tsai are betrayers of the Second Amendment Civil Rights cause. But Gil, the master of stupidity, remains a rock that I can depend upon.

TennX

VPC troll

Whit

No, we prefer most people just obey the law and that the political class not pass dumb laws that infringe upon our rights.

If you get hurt I can live with it.

Skip W.

Spot on article, David.. For decades I have been reading the “need” and “don’t need” comments of these bigoted, self-appointed authorities, in and out of government. They attempt to justify their silly, unfounded, and illogical opinions by telling us we “need” or “don’t need” this, or “need” or “don’t need” that, while frequently couching their argument in other, less direct terms.. During all those years of listening to their driveling attempts to limit our rights and freedoms, I have yet to find one mention in our Constitution or Bill of Rights that addresses what we, as free citizens either “need”… Read more »

Rock

Spot on and stated perfectly ! I have A/R’s, Sk’s, Mini14’s etc… I have an SRT Challenger… NONE OF THEM have ever hurt anyone. Unlike Gil and HIS friends, most who own OR will buy these items have brains and common sense. The price alone of the Demon will keep it out of the “Highschool Harry” type hands. “I” made my own decisions on what “I” wanted… Gil, being a liberal and Democrat seems to have to have someone else tell him what he NEEDS….. This is why the Dems are, and will always be followers instead of leaders, just… Read more »

ken

where was all this great worry back in the height of the muscle car days ?

ken

where was all this great worry about fast cars back in the height of the muscle car days ?

ken

where was all this great worry about fast cars back during the height of the muscle car days ?

Otto Didact

Ah, Ken? You’re repeating yourself.

.

Ah, Ken? You’re repeating yourself.

.

Ah, Ken? You’re repeating yourself.

Otto Didact

Somebody needs to tall all those mega-rich people that nobody “needs” a 10 bedroom, 10 bath, 100,00 sq ft house. Nobody needs a private 4-engined jet airliner, either.

NEED HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT DIPSHITS! I usually notice where the same people who tell me I don’t “need” something or other usually either have the selfsame thing or something equally wasteful or whatever that they don’t need. Hell, AlBore’s mansion’s electricity carbon footprint is approximately as large as the ENTIRE SUBDIVISION where I built my home.

Progressives
Too stupid to live;
Illegal to hunt!

Mack

David, I can understand the impulse to ban, but the telling sentence from AN is: ” Laudably, the entire industry has made great strides toward improved vehicle safety in recent years, even as it dials up performance capabilities. But with the Demon, Dodge spits on that goal and irresponsibly moves in the opposite direction, knowingly placing motorists in danger in the process. ” That essentially is Progressive-Speak – going backwards is always a bad thing. My Dad worked in the Auto Industry so I am very familiar with Automotive News. I would never have seen anything like this editorial 30… Read more »