South Carolina has suspended its state sales tax on all gun purchases today and tomorrow - calling it an "ExtravaGUNza". From the New York Daily News:
The great state of South Carolina is putting its own sick twist on Black Friday with a tax holiday on firearm purchases. Not cars. Not clothes. Certainly not books. Just guns. For the 48 hours following Thanksgiving, gun buyers will enjoy a break of up to 9% in state and local taxes. Firearms traffickers are not expected to pass the savings on to New York criminals, but what is called "the extrava-gun-za" and "Second Amendment Weekend" is sure to help South Carolina stay among the top five states that provide 85% of the illegal handguns recovered in New York City.
Five states (Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia) provide 85% of the guns recovered in NYC crimes. Gun runners go to these states, where it's easy to purchase firearms, buy whatever they can, and then go to NYC and sell these guns to criminals. And, eventually, these guns are used to commit crimes.
Believe it or not, I am not someone who believes that guns should be completely outlawed. My dad always had hunting rifles in the house (under lock and key), and we were taught at a very young age to respect guns. I think if someone wants to buy a rifle and go shoot poor, defenseless Bambi, then the 2nd Amendment allows them to do it. But they should be made to go through background checks up the wazoo ... to insure they are not insane and/or a criminal.
But when people are buying and selling multiple automatic and semi-automatic weapons that are made solely to kill PEOPLE, I think that's where we need to draw the line. No one needs an AK-47 to kill Bambi ... but it does come in handy when you want to mow down rival gang members.
