Federal Aid Used for Gun Buybacks

We never like reporting about gun buybacks. We still maintain that this doesn’t actually take guns “off the streets,” and individuals typically sell guns for a fraction of their worth. Of course we also worry about the history that is lost, as potentially rare and collectible firearms are destroyed.

But now we have another reason to hate these events. Federal money could be used to pay for the guns that will eventually be destroyed. The Providence Journal noted this fact:

“The (Providence Police) department is paying for the program with a $5,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation. If more money is needed, the department can use up to $10,000 in federal aid, Lt. George Stamatakos, who organized the buyback, said last week.”

So this means that federal tax dollars could be going for these events. Something to think about.