Hot Topic (2/16): Right to bear arms for a rose?

[Cafe GroupAdmin]

This past valentines day two cities in South Carolina started a "guns for roses" program.  Each person that brought in a gun would receive a rose and a gift card to best buy.  The program was designed to get guns off the streets and authorities ended up taking in over 200.  One man even brought in 6 pieces.   

Do you agree with these types of prgrams?  Why or why not?  Do you think our right to bear arms is too "free" and should have more restrictions?  Are you concerned about losing the "right to bear arms"?

 

 

Here's the story...

COLUMBIA, S.C. —  Police in South Carolina gave away roses on Valentine's Day. All you had to do to get one for your sweetie was turn in a gun.

Hoping to get the weapons off the streets with the "Guns for Roses" program, authorities in two central South Carolina cities set up a program where anyone who turned in a gun received a free rose and a Best Buy gift card.

At a Columbia church, five cars lined up to give away guns before the exchange had even started. At the end of the day, Columbia area police had collected 191 weapons and police in Sumter collected 32.

"We've got a great turnout so far," Richland County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Chris Cowan said.

A handgun was worth a $100 gift card, while a rifle or shotgun netted a $50 gift certificate. Cowan said one man turned in six handguns, worth $600 in gift cards.

Cowan did not immediately have a total value for gift cards given out. Sumter Police Chief Patty Patterson said her program gave out $550 in gift cards for long guns and $2,100 for handguns.

There was no amnesty for those turning in the guns. The weapons were being checked to see if they were stolen, names and addresses were jotted down and ballistics tests would also be done to see if the firearm was used in a crime.

Both Cowan and Patterson said there were no incidents and no arrests made Saturday.

Cowan said the idea was spawned in part by Columbia Police Chief T.P. Carter and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who has made headlines recently for investigating Michael Phelps after a photo surfaced showing the Olympic swimming champion smoking a marijuana pipe. The program was modeled after a California one; similar exchanges have been done in New York and San Francisco.

Cowan said gun donors were young and old, men and woman. Many had a big smile and some said it was a relief to get rid of the weapons.

And did they even care about the rose?

"Most of them have taken it," Cowan said.

 

[IhartU]

My opinion, with all the violence in this country, is that no one BUT the military and law enforcement should have guns.

I love the idea of this program and the more guns taken off the street, the better!

[dr_m]

i'm glad they had an excuse to get rid of their guns since they did not want them...  it was a good idea !   

our constitution includes the right to bear arms...  

 

[ACsLady]

So, the law-abiding citizens should give up their guns, thus rendering themselves and their families defenseless, while criminals with no regard for the law still run around with them...?

There's a reason for the 2nd amendment...it's to keep an orderly and defended nation. Take the guns from the people and there's nothing to stop a corrupt government or foreign nation from just waltzing in and taking over...not to mention crime ALWAYS goes up when gun rights are taken away.

Just something to think about...

Quoting IhartU:

My opinion, with all the violence in this country, is that no one BUT the military and law enforcement should have guns.

I love the idea of this program and the more guns taken off the street, the better!

[Junebug926]

I believe in the right to bear arms. The criminals will have guns, legal or not, so you bet I want to have the right to shoot an intruder to protect my family! It's sad, though, that there are every day idiots out there that have guns in their house and don't know how to keep them from young children resulting in horrific accidents.

[RaggedyAnne]

It sure would clean up the streets violence, injury, death etc.

[gacgbaker]

Quoting ACsLady:

So, the law-abiding citizens should give up their guns, thus rendering themselves and their families defenseless, while criminals with no regard for the law still run around with them...?

There's a reason for the 2nd amendment...it's to keep an orderly and defended nation. Take the guns from the people and there's nothing to stop a corrupt government or foreign nation from just waltzing in and taking over...not to mention crime ALWAYS goes up when gun rights are taken away.

Just something to think about...

Quoting IhartU:

My opinion, with all the violence in this country, is that no one BUT the military and law enforcement should have guns.

I love the idea of this program and the more guns taken off the street, the better!

I agree, it is important that citizens. law abiding ones, have this privilege... it is so important!  The criminals are going to get the guns whether they are legal or not... they get them illegially as is.

[anxiousschk]

For crying out loud...if someone is willing to turn in a gun for a toy or a rose or some other non-large, monetary "gift" then they don't want it that much to begin with.

I don't care.

When they start offering large monetary rewards...then I might get worried. 

 

[alexisw]

Quoting gacgbaker:

 

Quoting ACsLady:

So, the law-abiding citizens should give up their guns, thus rendering themselves and their families defenseless, while criminals with no regard for the law still run around with them...?

There's a reason for the 2nd amendment...it's to keep an orderly and defended nation. Take the guns from the people and there's nothing to stop a corrupt government or foreign nation from just waltzing in and taking over...not to mention crime ALWAYS goes up when gun rights are taken away.

Just something to think about...

Quoting IhartU:

My opinion, with all the violence in this country, is that no one BUT the military and law enforcement should have guns.

I love the idea of this program and the more guns taken off the street, the better!

 

I agree, it is important that citizens. law abiding ones, have this privilege... it is so important!  The criminals are going to get the guns whether they are legal or not... they get them illegially as is.

I agree.

[Eilish]

"A Well regulated militia" means .... national guard???? I don't think so.

[Eilish]

Gun control laws only restrict law abiding citizens; law breakers will ALWAYS find a way to get what they want ... they have no respect for the law. Gun control laws disarm perfectly responsible people.

The only way to get my hot smoking gun is to pry it from my cold dead fingers.