Monday, July 16, 2007

They Might Need More Shoes

In the vein of American ingenuity and the fact that thugs love fresh kicks, Tampa, FL has figured out a new way to attempt to curb the trend of violence in the city. They are going to offer fresh kicks for shotguns and handguns. From The Tampa Tribune:

"Kicks for Guns" is about taking unwanted firearms out of homes and keeping families safe, said Deputy Chad Frisco of the sheriff's Crime Prevention Unit.

Residents can turn in guns in exchange for a new pair of Nike athletic shoes. The event will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University Area Community Center, 14013 N. 22nd St. Organizers have gathered about 50 pairs of shoes in sizes for all ages and hope to collect additional pairs from sponsors, Frisco said.

Florida is a state with concealed handgun laws. Now, I'm not saying that they are inherently more dangerous or anything of the sort. Actually, quite the opposite. The Tampa Police have now just offered a bunch of people to buy a new pair of kicks. I've needed to buy a new pair of shoes for like a year now. If I just had a 9mm or a .357 sitting around, I could go trade my gun for some kicks. It might not be a fair trade, but I didn't have to pay for those shoes. I'm confident that other people are thinking the same way that I am. 50 pairs of shoes aren't enough; I hope those sponsors came through in the clutch with the shoe donations.