Government officials are hoping a blitz of billboards and public service announcements will help slow the flow of guns bought in Arizona and smuggled into Mexico to arm the warring drug cartels.
The message in the "Don't lie for the other guy" campaign that has hit Tucson is clear: Buying a gun for somebody else in what is known as a "straw purchase" could land you in prison for 10 years.
What strikes me about this is, although there's no mention of what percentage of Mexican guns are coming from The States, the folks behind this campaign must think it's enough to worry about. Rather than insisting the problem is not as big as some say it is, or focusing entirely on what the exact extent of the problem is, the National Shooting Sports Foundation is taking action.
That's why the ATF, along with the U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona and the Arizona Attorney General's Office, is teaming up with the National Shooting Sports Foundation to bring the campaign to Tucson.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is spending $500,000 to roll out the campaign this summer in the four Southwest Border states, said Lawrence Keane, senior vice president of the foundation.
About half of the $4.3 million spent on the program since it started in 2000 has come from the foundation, he said, with the other half coming from Department of Justice grants.
I say "hats off" to the NSSF. Not only are they going beyond the petty arguments and denial, but they're spending a good bit of money to do so.
What's your opinion? Do you think, like I do, that the National Shooting Sports Foundation is a good example for the rest of the pro-gun community?
What about this, is there a difference between the NSSF member, the one who is primarily interested in guns as sport, and the average gun owner who is more concerned with self-defense? Could there be three distinct categories, which of course overlap with each other but basically are comprised of three different types of gun owners: sports shooters, hunters and the self-defense guys?
What's your opinion? Are they on the right track in Arizona?
Please leave a comment.
I would say "hats-off" as well but I don't think this will do any good unless those who are caught engaging in straw purchases actually serve a full 10 year sentence.
ReplyDeleteSomeone who is smuggling drugs into the States and then using the proceeds to buy guns and smuggle them south won't be deterred by a few bill boards.
The only way to get them to stop is to lock 'em up for a looooong time.