By Jay Krieger

Atlanta has roughly 5,890 violent crimes committed annually, but apparently this didn’t factor into a business’s latest promotional offer. Dan Geller, owner of D. Geller and Son Jewelry store, is offering a voucher for a free hunting rifle to customers who buy diamonds worth $2,499 or more. The store itself is not distributing the rifles, but the customers must take their voucher to a reputable local gun dealer and follow all state laws that go with purchasing and owning a fire arm, but let’s be real. What the hell is the connection between diamonds and guns? Geller told WSB-TV that he got the idea after seeing a similar offer at a Missouri car dealership. He said many of his customers are hunters.
Really? Many of your customers are hunters? Get out of here with that nonsense. In a time when we have gun violence as a nationwide problem, do we really need an influx of guns on the streets? Considering the city of Atlanta annually has 33,048 property crimes, including burglary. Burglary, you know when people break your home and steal your property.
Regarding the Second Amendment, should people be allowed to own firearms? Yes. Should there be a limit of types of firearms and number they should be allowed to own? Yes. For instance, no one needs an assault weapon, extended magazines or access to an unlimited number of ammunition. I see no problem with owning a rifle, for the purpose of hunting, but the notion that, “hey , spend some money and get a free gun” is what I have an issue with. While the gun itself isn’t really free, the message is that a gun is included in the purchase of another item, which is completely unrelated to the initial purchase and seems rather ridiculous. The fact that this offer could potentially put a gun into the hands of someone who either doesn’t need it or gives people an opportunity to receive a weapon in a more discrete way. By discrete I mean that while they are still following all guns laws, it could seem to a gun store less suspicious if someone is acquiring a gun only as a bonus/or included in the purchase of another item.
This isn’t the only instance where franchises and business have included guns in a promotional manner, which is evident in Missouri and Florida. This isn’t so much a legal question, but rather an ethics one.
What do you think? Do you think stores should be allowed to include a free gun in the purchase of another item?