Gun Crazy

By Robert Wilonsky Thu., Feb. 26 2009 at 8:14 AM

Categories: News

City of Springfield, Illinois

Did not see that coming. Yesterday, first thing, I pointed out Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway's call to arms -- meaning, of course, his call for folks to part with their firearms in exchange for 50 bucks' worth of Kroger groceries Saturday morning at Reunion. Shortly after that, on his blog and in the Unfair Park comments, gun-slinging D contributing editor Trey Garrison chimed in with his own counter-proposal: "My plan is to be there with envelopes containing $65 in cash each, to give to anyone in exchange for really well-maintained, functioning firearms that are on my wish list."

Which has turned into a miniature media brouhaha: The News's City Hall blog picked up on Trey's counterproposal, prompting others to up their offers for the guns; then Mike Hashimoto tossed it up on the paper's Opinion Blog, which apparently allows the word "dipshittery" in its comments, good to know. Trey's even planning on videotaping the event, which now threatens to turn into a parking-lot gun show. None of which amuses City Plan Commissioner Michael Davis, who writes this morning:

If this group that is complaining about the Gun Buyback is really sincere about helping to clean up the community and about public safety, the opportunity is available to sit down with Dwaine Caraway and me and have a frank discussion about the pros and cons of this issue and others.

If their "counter-event" is just for attention and YouTube hits, there's nothing we can do for them. They can do what they do and we'll keep doing what we do.

Incidentally, from Queens, New York, this morning comes word that police collected 919 guns during a weekend gun buy-back there. The city paid $200 to folks who turned in their weapons -- and $20 for BB guns.

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