By: Marc Kelley All across our country, liberal leaders running bastions of tolerance known as “Sanctuary Cities” insist on touting the successes for their Gun Buy-back programs. Not even after the embarrassment and subsequent righteous indignation of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner following his authorization to pay $3,100.00 in gift cards to a citizen of his city for turning in sixty-two, 3-D printed plastic guns, was a lesson learned. Believing lawful and legitimate owners would willingly turn in their firearms for a fraction of their true value in exchange for a prepaid gift card is not only laughable on its face, but also creates a tremendous opportunity for anyone looking to take advantage of the naiveté which so often accompanies the uninformed politician. On Saturday August 27, 2022 the City of Utica, New York Attorney General Letitica James, became the latest “gun grabber” to fall victim to her own ignorance. |
| In an effort to appear competent while at the same time looking to score easy points with her far left, liberal supporters and just in time for the upcoming election, James, once again hitched her wagon to the mantra, “gun’s”, not her failed woke policies are the “root cause” of the insane crime wave plaguing New York.” Right before our eyes programs labeled as criminal justice reform, equity and inclusion and cashless bail, have turned a once vibrant New York City into a real life Arkhum Asylum; and to make matters even worse, both Batman and Chief O’Hara have become victims of the Defend the Police Movement. |
| As evidence to support this contention, one only needs to look at the happenings which occurred in Utica, New York at the latest gun buy-back event. Arriving promptly at 10am a young man pulled into the Utica Police Department parking lot, with several boxes filled with guns and stating he wanted to “turn them in.” The man who refused to give his age and wanted to be identified only as “KEM”, drove six hours from an unknown location to Utica, N.Y., specifically to attend the buy-back event and collect his gift cards. Most people living outside of the progressive, liberal bubble of New York, might assume, when an individual tells you his name is KEM, you might inquire whether it was a family name, it was short for another name, or perhaps just a nickname. Yet, no one questioned our young, civic minded youth because the rules of the buy-back program was advertised as an “amnesty program”; at which, no questions of any participant would be asked. |
| Astonishingly, the moniker “KEM” can be found in Rap Music common to the East Coast. While the reference holds many connotations and not so subtle meanings, one of the most common usages is in defining the intentions of a “gangbanger”, i.e. Kill Every Motherfuc_ _ _. After unloading several boxes he had brought with him, this individual presented 102 firearms which he made on a $ 200.00, 3D printer he bought himself as a Christmas present. In all fairness to the Utica P.D., after recognizing the problematic nature of paying for the plastic firearms, department official’s then assigned a representative to negotiate with our young arms dealer. After several hours of tense talks between the parties, an agreement was reached for a total payout for the guns. The young man agreed to accept forty-two gift cards with a $500.00, prepaid balance on each, for a total of $ 21,000.00. |
| This story only came to light after Attorney General Letitia James held a press conference heralding her gun buy-back as a “huge success, and stated under her leadership this program resulted in 296 firearms being removed from the streets of New York.” However, in a moment which appeared to catch the gun hating, pro-criminal, liberal, totally off guard, a reported asked her to explain why she authorize payment of $ 21,000.00 in tax payers money, for a pile of plastic guns which were made for a cost of less than $200.00. Appearing unable to come up with a cogent thought or response, the head New York Law Enforcement Official insisted, “ New Yorkers are safer now that these guns are off the streets” and abruptly ended the press conference. |
| After agreeing to speak to an unidentified individual who represented themselves as a “TicTok influencer” covering the Utica, New York Buy-back Program, a much clearer picture has emerged as to the motivation and intent of our young civic minded gun dealer. As part of the interview given after he had received his gift cards, KEM stated, “If these fools want to pay for my plastic guns, I will take it everyday and twice on Sunday. I am just trying to feed my family, and pay for my gas. Everything costs more and if you steal, too many people have real guns and I could get shot. Now, I can sell these cards for a discount and get over $ 10,000 in green rag… and that’s more money than they gave me during COVID.” |
| So now you can decide for yourself, is KEM, just a working stiff, trying to take care of his family the best way he can, or is he simply a smart kid who recognizes New York is run by a corrupt cabal of idiots and is willing to play their game for his own enrichment? |
