Gun Issues in Syracuse

Without a doubt the second amendment is the most controversial of all of the Constitutional amendments and the argument over gun control is no less heated in Syracuse than it is anywhere else in the state. The leading issue in Syracuse right now is not so much a person's right to own a gun, but what to do with all of the handguns that might not be registered or have the proper paperwork.

The current plan is to offer a Gun Amnesty Program for Syracuse residents. This is not the first time that the city of Syracuse is offering a Gun Amnesty Program. The last time the program was offered it helped city officials get hundreds of illegal guns off the streets.

This year there will be two days during which Syracuse residents can turn in handguns that might have been obtained illegally or check into their gun's registration without fear of retribution: February fourth and February eleventh. On those two days, the residents of the city of Syracuse can bring in their guns and be given a two hundred dollar voucher once the gun has been proven to be in working order.

The goal, says the Police Chief, is not to get gang members to rush to turn in their guns in order to be given two hundred dollars. The goal is to get someone who knows of a gun that might or might not be illegal to turn in that gun without having to be worried about penalties. Owning an illegal gun comes with steep fines and punishment and it is those punishments that keep gun owners from turning over guns that might not be legal.

To prevent misunderstanding: The city of Syracuse is not asking for all guns'just the guns that someone thinks might not be legal. The residents of Syracuse believe heartily in the second amendment and their right to bear arms and there are no laws or programs in effect that will restrict those rights, provided that the arms are obtained through legal means.

This year the Syracuse police department is working together with local social groups and churches to make sure that information about the two gun amnesty days gets spread as far as it can possibly be spread. The police department is working together with churches and social services to make sure that the program gets as much publicity as possible. They are hoping that after the success of the last program, the added publicity will cause the new event to get even more illegal guns off the streets.

Would you turn in your gun if you had obtained it illegally or the gun had features that made it illegal to own? Would you trade the gun in for two hundred? Would you ignore the program and continue to hope that you never got found out? This program challenges people to admit mistakes and, especially when it comes to gun ownership, that is something that people'not just Syracuse residents, but people all over the world'have trouble doing. Would you be able to admit your mistake?

For more information on Syracuse, visit http://www.syracusemicroblog.com and http://www.marylandmicroblog.com.

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