Second Amendment Sisters (SAS) Reacts to the "Gun Stoppers" Program and the "ASK Program"
Austin, TX -According to a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review article by David Conti, dated Friday, August 24, 2001, "Local residents can get $125 or more by calling 911 to report people they believe are carrying weapons without a license, under a new program unveiled Thursday by Pittsburgh police." Gun Stoppers, which is paid for with a Federal grant, "...asks for residents to call police with the location and description of people they believe are carrying guns. In return, 911 operators will give the caller a secret code." This "secret code" will enable the caller to collect their bounty money later.

In searching for information on the "Gun Stoppers" Program on the Internet, we discovered that this has been linked with the "Crime Stoppers" programs in many areas. While anonymous
information on crimes ALREADY COMMITTED may be a good way to help solve some crimes, SAS feels that this so-called "Gun Stoppers" program is fraught with problems.

Some problems arise because they are really asking people to TURN IN ANYONE they suspect is carrying a gun, since the ordinary citizen cannot determine if the gun owner is carrying legally or illegally. This can set up the scenario where the police are busy pointing their guns at innocent,
law-abiding, concealed carry license holders more often than not.

There are also numerous ways that criminals can use this program to their advantage, either as a distraction tactic or as a way of determining if a victim they are stalking is armed or not. We also cannot discount the possibility of "revenge" calls. Also, will the innocent victim of the tipster have any recourse after having to go through such an ordeal as having police treat them as criminals and possibly confiscate their legally held firearm?

This program is an insult to all gun owners as it categorizes all gun owners as "potential criminals" Most chilling are the last two sentences of the Conti article, "In April, the ATF conducted a training session for more than 250 city and school police officers on how to identify someone who is carrying a gun illegally. "They are trained for certain things to look for...certain mannerisms and things people do when they're carrying a gun," (Pittsburgh Police Chief Robert W.) McNeilly said."

On the Internet at http://www.parentcenter.com/expert/health/safety/19479.html a pediatrician
named Jonathan Groner takes on the question of "How do I ask about guns in the house when my child is visiting a friend?" in the "Ask An Expert" section of the website. Groner replies with "Just ask the parents directly, "Do you keep any weapons in your home?" If they answer yes, ask if the weapons are kept locked up and whether they're loaded or unloaded...The most dangerous homes are the ones where people keep handguns for protection...So if you don't feel comfortable asking the parents, ask the child instead. Remember: Guns are like swimming pools. They can be immediately lethal to small children if encountered without supervision." Groner may be an "expert" at being a pediatrician, but he certainly is not an expert on guns and gun safety!

First of all, if one feels they need to ask another parent about the presence of a gun in the home then we highly recommend that they also ask about 5 gallon buckets, household chemicals,
knifes, fireplaces, stairs, slippery floors and sharp edges on the furniture!

The doctor suggests that if one feels "uncomfortable" asking the parent then just sneak behind their backs and ask the child! We see this as akin to asking any private family information of a child.

The doctor also misleads the reader by stating that homes where handguns are kept for protection are the most dangerous homes. Dangerous perhaps for criminals, but statistics bear out the fact that accidental firearm fatalities have been steadily declining in the last 10 to 15 years. The doctor also states that guns are like swimming pools. SAS must point out that swimming pools kill far more kids than guns do, and pools have never been used to save lives of innocent victims of crime. There are now approximately 20 studies that prove that guns deter crime and save lives an average of 2 MILLION times every year.

Instead of trying to childproof the world, SAS suggests that parents become "proactive" and actually teach their children what to do if they come across a gun. There are many good gun safety programs out there that do not glamorize or promote guns. Give your child the knowledge that could save their lives, rather than trying to keep them in a plastic bubble all their life.

Second Amendment Sisters is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the individual basic human right to self-defense.

Maria Heil
National Press Coordinator
Spokesperson
Second Amendment Sisters
877-797-4857
www.2asisters.org

For more information, contact Maria Heil (PRESS ONLY) 877-797-4857
(ALL OTHERS) 877-212-4170