TTAG has slagged off these gun buyback programs before. A gun amnesty? Sure. If you must. But paying people to hand over firearms—which may or may not have been involved in a crime—is the worst kind of nonsense. The kind of nonsense that has the exact opposite effect to the one intended. You know; a program designed to reduce gun crime that increases it. Specifically, one that encourages criminals to steal firearms. As we’ve also pointed out, the higher the price paid for a tendered firearm the stupiderer the “gift card” scheme. So here’s the bottom line for the exchange under consideration by the Rocky Mountain City Council [via rockymounttelegram.com]: “If approved, the city would offer $10 for a BB gun or non-working firearm, $50 for a rifle or shotgun, $75 for a handgun and $100 for an assault-style gun.” Are you ready for the usual self-righteous rhetoric justifying spending taxpayer’s money buying [possibly] stolen weapons without arresting the people trying to sell it to the taxpayer? Here we go . . .
Councilman Andre] Knight said the program would be worth the money. The program is intended to lure people who have illegal or stolen guns without the threat of punishment. “Even if we only get one gun off the street, we could save somebody’s life,” Knight said.
Whenever you hear the words “Even if . . .” in anything even aspiring to be a rational debate, you have TTAG’s permission to block your ears and go “lalalalalalalalala.” Did I say debate? This is a done deal.
The one-day buyback is proposed for between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. May 6 at the police department.
If only they would use their own money, instead of stealing it . They would not be so happy to do this.
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