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Libertarian condemned after school Guns for Tots toy drive
Thursday February 06, 2003
By CHAKA FERGUSON
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) City officials condemned a Manhattan Libertarian Party member who held a Guns for Tots toy drive outside a public school and gave fake guns to children.
Jim Lesczynski said he handed out the imitation weapons in front of P.S. 72 in East Harlem on Thursday in response to a bill that would ban the guns' sale or possession.
``Water pistols, noise makers and other plastic gun-shaped novelties are the stuff of any red-blooded American childhood,'' Lesczynski said at a City Council committee hearing on the bill earlier in the day.
He said his party had collected toy guns from concerned citizens around the country and was ``giving them away to the children of our borough.''
It was unclear how many toy guns Lesczynski passed out during the 3 p.m. drive.
Education department spokesman Kevin Ortiz said Lesczynski did not hand out the toys on the school's grounds because it had already closed when he showed up. He said school officials were aware of the drive and had notified parents.
``They showed up late; the kids were gone,'' Ortiz said. ``So it was more of a community issue, not a school issue.''
Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields said she was outraged by the stunt.
``Our children should never be used as pawns in a political fight,'' she said in a news release. ``This strategy is morally bankrupt on a number of levels, and the members of the Manhattan Libertarian Party should be ashamed of themselves.''
David Weprin, a Queens Democrat and sponsor of the bill, said toy guns should be banned because they are increasingly being used to commit real crimes.
He mentioned the case of a 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed last month by a detective who said he came upon the teenager holding what turned out to be a pellet gun to another detective's head.
``Our issue is not whether the young man was guilty or innocent of a crime,'' Weprin said. ``Our issue is these imitation weapons are being sold in stores and ultimately creating an unsafe environment for city residents.''
Current city law permits the sale of only brightly colored toy guns constructed of transparent material. But proponents argue that it is easy to paint the guns black or cover them in black tape to make them look real.
Many criminals use toy guns because they know that if they are caught the penalty is less severe.
The legislation, which was introduced in October, is still pending in committee.
``This is silly legislation,'' Lesczynski said at the Thursday hearing, ``and I urge you to salvage respect for the law and the credibility of the City Council by voting against it.''
Libertarian condemned after school Guns for Tots toy drive
Thursday February 06, 2003
By CHAKA FERGUSON
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) City officials condemned a Manhattan Libertarian Party member who held a Guns for Tots toy drive outside a public school and gave fake guns to children.
Jim Lesczynski said he handed out the imitation weapons in front of P.S. 72 in East Harlem on Thursday in response to a bill that would ban the guns' sale or possession.
``Water pistols, noise makers and other plastic gun-shaped novelties are the stuff of any red-blooded American childhood,'' Lesczynski said at a City Council committee hearing on the bill earlier in the day.
He said his party had collected toy guns from concerned citizens around the country and was ``giving them away to the children of our borough.''
It was unclear how many toy guns Lesczynski passed out during the 3 p.m. drive.
Education department spokesman Kevin Ortiz said Lesczynski did not hand out the toys on the school's grounds because it had already closed when he showed up. He said school officials were aware of the drive and had notified parents.
``They showed up late; the kids were gone,'' Ortiz said. ``So it was more of a community issue, not a school issue.''
Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields said she was outraged by the stunt.
``Our children should never be used as pawns in a political fight,'' she said in a news release. ``This strategy is morally bankrupt on a number of levels, and the members of the Manhattan Libertarian Party should be ashamed of themselves.''
David Weprin, a Queens Democrat and sponsor of the bill, said toy guns should be banned because they are increasingly being used to commit real crimes.
He mentioned the case of a 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed last month by a detective who said he came upon the teenager holding what turned out to be a pellet gun to another detective's head.
``Our issue is not whether the young man was guilty or innocent of a crime,'' Weprin said. ``Our issue is these imitation weapons are being sold in stores and ultimately creating an unsafe environment for city residents.''
Current city law permits the sale of only brightly colored toy guns constructed of transparent material. But proponents argue that it is easy to paint the guns black or cover them in black tape to make them look real.
Many criminals use toy guns because they know that if they are caught the penalty is less severe.
The legislation, which was introduced in October, is still pending in committee.
``This is silly legislation,'' Lesczynski said at the Thursday hearing, ``and I urge you to salvage respect for the law and the credibility of the City Council by voting against it.''