Newsday Makes Dubious Claim About Illegal Handguns
New York Newsday reported on a buyback in Nassau County, and how police paid up to $200 per handgun. The interesting part is the dubious reporting:
“A gun buyback program run by the Nassau County police department Saturday at a church in Rockville Centre was responsible for taking 173 illegal but operable handguns off the streets, police said.”
How do the police know – or the reporter for that matter – that these were “illegal” handguns? And does this mean that guns that were registered and legally owned couldn’t be turned in? That seems highly biased. So was this a case of bias in the buyback, or just biased (and inaccurate) reporting?
Gothamist.com Says “Everyone Loves Bronx” Gun Buyback
Who exactly is everyone? According to Gothamist.com “Everyone Loves Bronx Cash4Guns Program,” and the article even has this introduction:
“According to everyone involved, yesterday’s gun buyback in the Bronx was a marvelous success.”
Sure, the police love it, because it takes NYC one closer to a police state. The churches that held the event love it, because they can claim to make a difference whether they really do or not. But everyone surely doesn’t love it. As a New York resident I loathe these buybacks, in part because I know real criminals aren’t handing in their firearms.
WPIX Says Gun Buyback a Win-Win, We Say it is a Lose-Lose
In New York City WPIX reported that four Bronx churches held the second annual gun buyback program to “get illegal handguns and other weapons off the streets.” But is this really a win-win? People were paid about $200 for each “eligible weapon” – whatever that might be – but were limited to three guns or $600.
And do we really think any criminals, drug dealers, gang members or thugs handed in anything? So were any guns actually taken off the streets? And how many potential value and historically important firearms will be turned over to the police? We say this was a lose-lose-lose. A loss for anyone thinking the streets in the Bronx are safer, a loss for anyone who sold a firearm for a mere $200, and a loss of history.
Gun Buyback in the Bronx
Yet another attempt to “get guns off the streets,” this time in New York City’s The Bronx, an area that unfortunately has no shortage of guns actually on the streets. The question is whether $200 for each firearm turned in would even be enough to persuade anyone to do so?
Of course, maybe it is enough money, at least if this item from EmpireStateNews.net is to be believed:
“Handguns, rifles and shotguns will be accepted, however guns belonging to either active or retired law enforcement officials are not eligible for the buyback program. Functional BB guns and air pistols may be exchanged for a gift card.”
The problem we see time and time again is that the value assigned to the gift cards seldom has anything to do with actual value. We realize this is an attempt to get people to hand in guns for something, but “functional BB guns” are being compared with rifles and shotguns? Amazing!
Who Guards the Guards U.K. Edition: Cop Sells Handed in Guns
Ever wonder if those guns that were part of buybacks were really destroyed? On the one hand we feel a sense of loss just thinking that some potentially rare and valuable firearms (valid parts of history in our opinion) might end up being destroyed. But what a more disturbing outcome – namely those very guns (which probably weren’t on the street) ending up in criminal’s hands? The Daily Telegraph offered this bit of news:
“Two policemen have admitted their involvement in the selling of guns handed in to police by the public to be destroyed.”
So should we worry that many of those gun buybacks could be supplying illegal guns? It can’t happen here, right?
Gun Owner Turns in 58 Guns!
According to The Los Angeles Times some “58 guns are off the street,” in Los Angeles County, where a single individual turned in the firearms in exchange for supermarket gift certificates.
Once again, we must question whether any of these were actually “on the streets,” or whether this individual just robbed a gun store over the holiday weekend. Either way this is a great piece of propaganda for the police. And if these were really were guns the owner had managed to obtain legally, he likely traded in tens of thousands of firearms for small change.
“Successful” Gun Turn in Essex County
There was a “successful” gun turn in Essex County, New Jersey and The Alternative Press noted that 700 some guns were turned in. The article is disturbing because it is about as one sided as it gets, quoting Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow, and then including some background from her:
“Dow referenced a recent example of an accidental fatal shooting involving two Newark teenagers.”
Where are the stories of people who legally used a firearm when their home was being broken into, or other similar tales? This one sided reporting shouldn’t pass as news.
Was Charleston Gun Buyback for Safety or to get Guns Off the Street?
We report on many buyback programs and this weekend we noticed that several outlets offered conflicting facts on a Charleston program. From The Charlotte Observer:
“A South Carolina city is buying guns back with no questions asked in an effort to get the weapons off its streets. The North Charleston Police Department held its second annual gun buy back Saturday, collecting 99 handguns and assault weapons and 28 shotguns and rifles.”
Yet News4’s Web site noted it was about safety:
“‘If it will prevent an accident from happening, it will be worth it,’ August Robinson Jr. Pastor, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church.”
We already know that these buybacks neither make people safe, nor actually take guns off the street.
Baltimore Holds Buyback, Baltimore Sun Offers Biased Take
According to The Baltimore Sun about “150 guns” are “off the streets.” Bravo to the St. Gregory the Great Church and the St. Wenceslaus Churches, you’ve managed to make a lot of people feel good, while giving $50 for “regular” guns, and $100 for “semiautomatic weapons.”
In case you couldn’t tell, there is a bit of sarcasm in that previous paragraph. How does the reporter know these were ever “on the streets.” And the money give: $50 and $100 for firearms? Again, small change for items that could have been worth far more, and to the reporter at the Sun, what exactly is a “regular” gun versus a “semiautomatic weapon?” Is this a case where the reporter doesn’t really know firearms and thus wrote a piece that was confusing, and biased? Of course the fact that only one source is quoted, with a feel good quote at that, we can’t help but thinking this is so sugary and sweet without any actual bit.
“As we approach the season of peace and harmony, we hope this prompts people to think more about peace,” said Monsignor Damien Nalepa of St. Gregory.
This is a slap in the face to any soldier, any hunter, any collector, or just about anyone else who owns a firearm. Guns in themselves do not have to be violent items, and this quote suggests otherwise. While we hope this is a season of peace, the fact is that even men of the cloth shouldn’t demonize firearms.
Another Gun Buyback, With Rules
The Ashville, North Carolina Police Department is the latest to hold a gun buyback. For trading in a handgun or rifle individuals will get $50, and for an assault rifle the police will offer $100. There are some strange rules with this one:
“Money will be paid for guns that are fully functioning.”
“No black powder firearms will be accepted.”
Are the police going to test fire the guns? And why wouldn’t they want black powder? According to the Ashville Citizen-Times Web site “the is aimed at reducing accidental injury, suicide, domestic violence and gunfire in the community.”
It would seem to us that a non-functional firearm, as in one in need of repair could cause accidental injury. And what about black powder? Those could be used in any of the unfortunate scenarios. There seems to be another motive with these buybacks, but we won’t go there.
