Published in the Asbury Park Press
9/15/99
It appears we're coming to the
end of Monmouth County's "Guns for Cash" program. This is the one that
pays citizens for turning in unwanted firearms. Since March, its been the
target of protest by county Libertarians.
Sounds kind of silly right? After
all, the $30,000 earmarked for it is a pittance compared to the overall
county budget. And what possible harm could come from such a program? There
are fundamental reasons why "Guns for Cash" has so upset Libertarians.
While its fine for folks to turn in
unwanted guns to the police, why should taxpayers have to pay them to do
so? Should we use tax money to buy brass knuckles, knives and black jacks?
Bear in mind that working firearms will as a rule, bring in a far higher
price when sold to a gun shop than compared to the token sum the county
will pay.
While the money so earmarked is small,
its symbolic of the wasteful, nonproductive, ineffective functioning of
our county government. No criminal will turn in his weapon. We are not
fighting crime with this program. It's the useless expenditure of taxpayer
money on a small scale, but no different than the larger expenditures typical
of the county.
It sends the wrong message. It says
guns are bad, and to own a gun is bad. To use a gun to kill is bad, as
bad as using a knife, a fire bomb, a car bomb or any of the other countless
ways sick, dangerous folks have operated.
But it's worse than that. It's sending
the message that we should be disarm law abiding citizens in the name of
public safety. Remember only the innocent will turn in their weapons, or
obey the gun-control laws. Criminals, terrorists and madmen will remain
armed.
Our society is seriously flawed. Intolerance,
hatred and violence are commonplace. To a shocking extent, we have lost
our sense of self-discipline, personal responsibility and tolerance. But
the sad fact is that neither programs such as "Guns for Cash" nor any of
the proposed gun control laws will correct the ills that lay at the heart
of our nation. Such programs and laws will however, seriously increase
our problems. In attempt to do good, we will do evil by stripping the honest,
upright citizen of his or her means of self-defense.
Let's work to reform our society,
but without taking away any of our fundamental rights.
Pat Bontempo
Chairman
Monmouth County
Libertarian Party