Gas...or Gun?

Recession, recession, recession. That's all that we're hearing these days. The economy suffers, gas prices are high and unemployment is on the rise. Many businesses are making efforts to save consumers money and to continue to improve the economy. You hear all the time that if you buy a car at "car dealership X" you can get a years worth of gas for free. This sounds appealing, right? Of course it does! With gas being around $3.50 per gallon, anyone in their right mind would jump at the opportunity for free gas! However, in the state of Missouri a genius car dealer came up with the idea to give consumers an option for their "free gift". This is really quite smart because not all customers look for the same incentives, so it's pretty generous of this dealer to give us a choice! Customers who purchase a car from their lot can choose between free gas OR a semi automatic hand gun!!!! Seriously?! I about died! Below is the article that was on KMBC news. It's absolutely magical!
BUTLER, Mo. -- A local car dealer is holding a controversial promotion involving guns.
Max Motors in Butler is offering anyone who buys a car the choice of $250 in gas or a free semi-automatic handgun.
"Like I say, it's a choice -- protection or gas," said Walter Moore with Max Motors.
Moore said he came up with the gas or guns promotion.
"We got high gas prices, theft, carjackings, innocent people getting hurt," Moore told KMBC's Chris Nagus.
So far, the handgun is a more popular choice.
"Right now were running 80 percent toward the gun," Moore said.
"Love guns, we all need to have guns," said Jerry Hertzog, who was buying a new truck. "Guns or gas or fuel, I'll take the gun anytime."
But the idea isn't popular with everyone. One viewer told KMBC that he believes the promotion is dangerous.
"I don't understand what's the bad idea. Telling people they have a right to protect themselves," Moore said.
Moore said most of his customers already own weapons.
"I get in a vehicle to bid a trade, there are guns in the seats, guns in the back windows. Everybody has a gun -- there's no backlash," Moore said.
Moore said the dealership will hand the customer a certificate to get the gun, but you must pass a background check.
The local police chief said he is OK with the promotion as long as the weapons aren't handed out at the dealership.

I'm still in awe of this. 80% of all of the customers are choosing the hand gun?! I have a couple of thoughts on this. First, how would anyone come up with the idea to give away a free gun with the purchase of a car?! The two don't go together at all. It's not like saying that you'll give a free dvd player with the purchase of a tv! Cars and guns aren't in anyway associated with each other! Second, you can tell that the dealer isn't quite at scholar level, because he started out a sentence with "We got high gas prices....". I'd be willing to bet that he wasn't the smartest kid in English class. Finally, I am shocked by the fact that there is such a positive response to a free gun! I'm sure people are going to this specific dealer instead of the competition simply for the fact that they will get a free gun! I'm convinced that this only happens in the midwest. This reaffirms every stereotype that the only thing people in the midwest have to do is shoot things and marry their relatives. I've been considering buying a new car, so I may head out to Butler, Mo and see what kind of gun I can get with the purchase of my brand new, oversized, 4X4 truck with a gun rack in the back!