Free Speech & Printed Guns with Cody Wilson - WBD486

Cody Wilson is the founder and director of Defence Distributed
and the face of 3D guns, and Jessica Solce is an acclaimed
film-maker currently documenting his story. In this interview, we
discuss the intersection of the right to bear arms and the right
to freedom of speech.


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The first and second amendments are as symbolic of American
identity as the stars and stripes. Yet, despite being bedrocks of
the constitution for over 230 years, they are arguably now as
fiercely contested as they have ever been.


Many republicans believe that the right to bear arms is a vital
check on state control, and ensures the protection of the first
amendment. A strong progressive counter argument contends that
gun violence in the US is at epidemic proportions, and controls
are required. This debate is becoming more profound due to the
effect of technology, particularly the internet.


Julian Assange laid the foundation for using the decentralized
and distributed nature of the internet to bypass the established
gatekeepers of information with the aim of democratising its
availability. Others quickly followed, including Cody Wilson, who
saw the opportunity to provide open access to the digital tools
needed to make guns - ‘Wiki weapons’ was born.


Despite the backlash by government agencies, it is becoming
increasingly apparent that governance is unable to keep up with
both technology and Cody’s responses to legal constraints.


This is not a new or isolated phenomenon. But as technology
continues to push the boundaries of what power a single person is
able to wield, it is stretching the limits of the social contract
between the state and individuals. As a result, the forces
pushing for individual autonomy and centralized control are
becoming harder and harder to reconcile.