If you want to see the worst gun-related idea this week besides the petition to allow firearms at the Republican National Convention, you don’t have to look much farther than a new product called “Ideal Conceal.” Essentially, Ideal Conceal is a gun that folds up into a more compact size and can be disguised as a cell phone. The product’s own website calls the gun a “virtually undetectable concealed carry,” which should not exactly instill confidence in anybody who uses things like “reasoning” or “logic” in their day-to-day lives.
In fact, the further into the website you go, the less likely you are to think any of this is a good idea. With phrases like “in today’s day and age, carrying a concealed weapon has become a necessity,” “smartphones are EVERYWHERE so your new pistol will easily blend in with today’s environment,” and especially “from soccer moms to professionals of every type, this gun allows you the option of not being a victim,” it is littered with evidence of marketing to buyers who might not be prioritizing safety first.
But wait, there’s more! Not only does the Ideal Conceal stress how easy a weapon it is to use, but it follows that up by reminding everyone not to keep weapons in reach of children. Never mind that children love to pick up phones, which just may have Candy Crush or Fruit Ninja on them. The creator rationalizes this aspect in the strangest way:
“In America, we have lots of children in contact with pistols already. There’s been quite a few incidents long before my product came along,” he said. “For me, it’s not the gun. It’s the people. So if you have a pistol and you have children anywhere near you, it’s your responsibility to lock that stuff up and keep it away from children.”
As if that wasn’t depressing enough, the retail price is less than most current iPhone or Android models. So if you want to own a gun that will almost certainly cause more trouble than it solves … run, don’t walk to pick up an Ideal Conceal.
(via NBC News)