Trade a gun for a rose in SC on Valentine's Day

[Yoink 7]

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Police in South Carolina gave away roses on Valentine's Day. All you had to do to get one for your sweetie was turn in a gun.

Hoping to get the weapons off the streets with the "Guns for Roses" program, authorities in two central South Carolina cities set up a program where anyone who turned in a gun received a free rose and a Best Buy gift card.

At a Columbia church, five cars lined up to give away guns before the exchange had even started. About an hour and a half later, police had collected 75 weapons.

"We've got a great turnout so far," Richland County sheriff's spokesman Lt. Chris Cowan said.

A handgun was worth a $100 gift card, while a rifle or shotgun netted a $50 gift certificate. Cowan said one man turned in six handguns, worth $600 in gift cards.

But there was no amnesty for those turning in the guns. The weapons were checked to see if they were stolen, names and addresses were jotted down and ballistics tests would also be done to see if the firearm was used in a crime.

doesnt that defeat the purpose?

Cowan said the idea was spawned in part by Columbia Police Chief T.P. Carter and Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who has made headlines recently for investigating Michael Phelps after a photo surfaced showing the Olympic swimming champion smoking a marijuana pipe. The program was modeled after a California one; similar exchanges have been done in New York and San Francisco.

Cowan said gun donors were young and old, men and woman. Many had a big smile and some said it was a relief to get rid of the weapons.

And did the men even care about the rose?

"Most of them have taken it," Cowan said.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

....like giving away your freedom.

[MrsCat 6]

At a Columbia church, five cars lined up to give away guns before the exchange had even started. About an hour and a half later, police had collected 75 weapons.

I wonder how many of those guys, had wives in the car holding gun to their heads saying get rid of those things.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

In my area, if you turned in a rose, they gave you a gun.

[Jasman0717 9]

Doesn't seem like a very good trade to me

[Kevin&Leilei 1]

Can I give them a rose and a $100 gift card and take away one of the guns?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In my area, if you turned in a rose, they gave you a gun.

[Yoink 7]

Can I give them a rose and a $100 gift card and take away one of the guns?

0r 2 roses and like $75 on Valentines Day... they are at a premium this day

[Danno 1,228]

Can someone post of pic of these guns that were collected?

In many cases they are back-yard gun smiths getting rid of stuff that's not worth 50-100 bucks.

(if they are even operational).

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I don't understand the purpose unless the police believe that less guns out there means less accidental shootings, which makes less work for them.

Edited February 14, 2009 by Mister Fancypants

[Yoink 7]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

Yep. But still - statistically speaking, most accidental shootings come from legal firearms.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

If you have a gun that is illegal, whether purchased illegally, stolen, given etc... why would you turn it in without immunity? If they are going to check the serial numbers, ballistics to see if they were in crimes, address to see if they are stolen then you are asking for legal trouble if you turn that gun in.

Yep. But still - statistically speaking, most accidental shootings come from legal firearms.

Quite true. And in most cases when police make the offer to have guns turned in, it's with no questions asked. They just want the guns out of circulation.

[Mikkel 0]

....like giving away your freedom.

Exercising your freedom of expression is giving away your freedom now? I pity the people who associate freedom with gun ownership, rather than associate freedom with, amongst other things, the possibility of owning a gun.

[Ban Hammer 14,294]

this gives me an idea - go get a couple of dozen cheap roses from wal-mart, and run the same program - run the serial numbers afterward thru the police, the ones that are not hot i can keep