Turning Americans against each other: New York state offers $500 reward for reporting people owning illegal guns

Great, now Americans will have to be fearful that their neighbors.  If I really believed that someone owning a semi-automatic rifle that looks like a military weapon was more dangerous and less beneficial than another semi-automatic rifle that simply looks different, I would have a different opinion.  But now we are simply are turning Americans against each other for no beneficial reason (or maybe even harmful effects).  From the Daily Caller:

For more than a year, New York state has maintained a tip line allowing people to report illegal gun owners and collect a $500 reward.CBS-6 news reported the existence of the tip line on Wednesday. It was previously a “well-kept secret” that received little promotion from state officials or fanfare in the media, according to the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association.
A February 2012 press release from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s office first publicly announced the tip line, saying it was designed to “encourage citizens to report illegal firearm possession.”
The press release explained that reward amounts would be based on the usefulness of the information tipsters provide, but did not spell out explicit reward tiers. . . .