Gun Buyback

Grier Heights, North Carolina, near Charlotte, staged a 'gun buyback' last Saturday; another in a long string of such events nationwide for more than a decade. This is another feel good event which will not achieve any significant result. You can read the story in the Charlotte Observer HERE, if you want to bother, but here's how they all go down:

Someone, a mayor, police chief, DA, or community group decides they want to get some guns 'off the streets.' They get a sponsor to spring for some cash, (often cash taken from unsuspecting stockholders). They advertise the event as cutting down on crime by getting guns off the streets.

On the day of the event, some people show up with guns of little cash value, and trade them for cash or a gift card, or gift certificate. The police take these firearms and often destroy them. Oddly enough, they often take them no questions asked, and agree to not run any forensics testing on them. If this is the case, that makes a dandy method of disposing of a weapon used in a crime.

The person who turned in the gun goes away with a little drinkin' money, and the promoters get the warm fuzzies, feeling good about not solving a problem. The unsuspecting community may have a false sense of security. The aforementioned stockholders are bilked out of just a little profit, and are usually none the wiser.

I'm sure law enforcement officers get frustrated with the catch and release criminal justice system, but the answer is getting the criminals, not guns, off the street. 

One last thing, let's parse the term buyback. After all, words have meaning. For one to buy something back means one had to previously own it.

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Disclaimer: The information and ideas presented in this column are provided for informational purposes only. Gun rights, like all other Constitutionally recognized rights, must be exercised responsibly. Firearms, like cars, kitchen knives and life itself all can be dangerous. You should get professional training as part of any plan to use firearms for any purpose. I have made a reasonable, good-faith effort to assure that the content of this column is accurate. I have no control over what you do, and specifically accept no responsibility for anything you do as a result of reading my columns. Any action or lack of action on your part is strictly your responsibility.