Toy Gun Buy-Back Proposed
Everyone's familiar with gun buy-back programs, in which police and/or
community organizations buy back guns from the public, under the
questionable assumption that this will somehow stop crime and gun accidents.
Well, Annapolis alderwoman Cynthia A. Carter has upped the ante.
She has proposed that
the city start a program to buy back *toy guns.*
Yes - she wants the city to spend tax dollars and/or privately donated
funds to buy back from kids such things as water pistols, cap guns, and
other toy weapons.
She argues this will curb "violent behavior" among children. Carter also
said she would eventually like
to make all toy guns flat-out illegal.
The idea was so breathtakingly idiotic that it left Steve Dasbach,
Libertarian Party National Director, unsure of how to respond to it.
"This is a real dilemma," Dasbach said in a media release. "Do we praise
this politician for going after toy
guns instead of Constitutionally protected real guns? Or do we point
out that buying back toy guns will no more keep our streets safe than
buying back non-alcoholic beer will keep Ted Kennedy sober?
"Or should we just give this politician an award for coming up
with the most entertainingly goofy idea of the year?
"Our first concern was whether this program would lead to the
creation of a new federal agency; the BATTF -- Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, & Toy Firearms. But our second concern was -- where will this
end?"
For example, Dasbach said, if politicians decide this program is successful,
will they then...
- Prevent the next Microsoft by buying back Monopoly games?
- Prevent traffic accidents by buying back Hot Wheels toy cars?
- Prevent burglaries by buying back Barbie's Dream House?
- Prevent deforestation by buying back Lincoln Logs?
- Prevent gambling by buying back Pokemon cards?
- Prevent urban sprawl by buying back Lego bricks?
- Prevent war by buying back G.I. Joes?
(Source: Libertarian Party media release.)
| 
