Glitzy Guns?

Recently aroused again is the issue of “painting” guns. It has been on the news and in the papers as to whether or not gun paint should legally be sold in stores. The colors range from “barney” purple to lime green to “sunshine” yellow, etc. Mayor Bloomberg once outlawed this issue. Ironically, he now uses his name to promote the product. A sketch of Mayor Bloomberg’s face can be found on the display guns for this product. It was admitted that this is mainly for publicity. The underlying question, however, is whether or not legalizing gun paint is a good idea.

For most, they are absolutely against the idea. Safety is a big issue especially when it comes to guns. With the pull of a trigger someone’s life can easily be taken from them. By having these flamboyant colors real guns start to resemble toy guns that children play with when they play “cops and robbers.” This can have a big effect on police officers. If they are in a situation and someone pulls out a lime green gun they may hesitate, deciding if the gun is real or not. This slight hesitation could be the difference between life and death. On the opposite end, knowing how much these painted guns look like toy guns, someone looking to rob a store may walk in with a plastic and get everything they want. Little would the owner know that the gun was fake and they could have saved their store without getting hurt. Painted guns take away the seriousness of the weapon. If a police officer was walking around with a purple gun it would be something to look and laugh about rather than to be scared and realize the power that police officer has. Fun, bright colors are the colors of toys, clothes, shoes, etc., not the color of a weapon.

Others do not take this issue as heavily. They feel it is another way to make money and just another product sold. It is a nice touch for those who perhaps enjoy collecting stamps or coins, playing sports, etc. Referring back to the safety issue, many people feel that no matter what shape, size and especially color of a gun, a police officer would react as if it was truly loaded and ready to fire. They feel there should be no hesitation because after all a gun is a gun no matter how it looks.

As for me, I feel there should be limits to this gun paint. I do not think it should be legal to sell them in stores for anyone to purchase. I feel that painting guns various colors takes away from the seriousness of the weapon. It makes it seem like it is something that is fun to do rather than something dangerous to be around. I also think that if children see guns painted in fun colors they will want to have one of their own. To compromise on this situation I feel that perhaps a “gun club” could have a special day or place to paint the guns they have, rather than let people paint their own, even if the gun is licensed. Therefore, the guns never leave the place and it is “O.K.” for there to be yellow, purple, green guns to shoot around with.