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The Gun Buy-Up Scheme ExaminedFirst of Several Parts
To provide balance to the constant promotional drumbeat the media has supplied for the inaccurately named Phoenix gun buyback (you can't buy back something you never owned), this two-part series will examine what's really occurring in the mysteriously funded city-supported gun buy ups in Phoenix. [Turned down by The Arizona Republic, 6/5/13]
by Alan Korwin A publicity stunt has given the impression that Mayor Stanton and Phoenix officials are "doing something" about psychopathic murderers. It claims to have spent $200,000 -- with no audit trail -- buying rusted, inoperable, obsolete and other firearms from residents for $100 grocery cards last month. The only reason these gun buy ups took place was because a madman slaughtered innocent kindergarten children 2,400 miles away. If it weren't for that insanely criminal act, this program would not have run. The motivation was essentially irrational -- even the sponsors admitted this had virtually no chance of preventing a similar atrocity which, after all, should be our goal. New "goals" materialized as justification. When similar programs first appeared after tragedies years ago, organizers believed if they offered bags of groceries criminals would respond by turning in their guns. That was so absurd it was abandoned because it made the promoters look like abject idiots (and gangbangers stayed home, furthering that impression). Because tax money was used the legislature banned this for the future. Untethered officials now figure they can use donated funds instead, and using a "loophole" (which they usually detest), destroy guns they collect, despite the law. If you still have doubts about what gun haters want to do with your guns, fuggetaboutit -- they've announced they'll abandon even this program if they can't destroy the guns. And even that's a lie. Earlier reports said police will selectively destroy the guns. Guns they can use, or with historic value will be saved, which is only common sense. Only trash will be destroyed (including inexpensive guns only poor people can afford). With no audit trail. So what's really happening, is police are buying guns from the public at a deep discount. For quality guns, you get way below market value and no destruction. You would have done far better selling your property at a store. In the next article, we will reveal the inventories, if the police and the mayor come clean (they are stalling on this). As plain observation showed, this guns-for-groceries scam worked two ways. A letter published by the Arizona Republic confirmed what observers there all saw -- but reporters and columnists omitted: "I spent an hour going from car to car as people waited excitedly to turn in their firearms... most people were actual gun owners taking advantage of the opportunity to get something for their garbage. Almost every gun I saw or learned about was either old, damaged or obsolete or worth far less than even $100. The beauty of these events is you have anti-gunners donating money that benefits gun owners... I'm sure the police will boast about what a success it was..." (5/6/13, C. Johnson) One savvy entrepreneur reportedly turned in ten pieces of junk and walked away with a cool thousand dollars. Promoters called this a success. One widow turned in a $700 new-in-the-box stainless-steel sidearm that some cop will end up with. She lost $600 in value, won't get the promised destruction, won't know it, and the media bragged about more success. Entrepreneurs on the street meanwhile were buying everything they could for cash and cleaning up. You're hearing this here for the first time. The media calls this fair and balanced. Officials act as if the Second Amendment authorizes them to destroy firearms. Montini's column mentioned Tucson councilman Kozachik spouting deceptive silliness about a right to dispose of firearms. In fact, firearms are the only private property specifically protected by the U.S. Constitution. Honor has fled our system. Oaths have been abandoned. When firearms police accumulate are sold (through background checks to legitimate buyers), this public asset provides critical funding for law enforcement. Destroying guns only makes hoplophobes (people with morbid fears of weapons) feel good. Lunatics are running the asylum. These same people are the ones who screamed about blood in the streets when life-saving carry-permits were issued nationwide. Nothing happened then because that... was... a... paranoid... delusion. People who need treatment are getting legislation. The "news" media is aiding and abetting this destruction of the American system by promoting (not reporting) one side of a story only, thus deceiving you. It's as if reporters and editors are as deluded and hoplophobic as the people they are promoting. This must stop. ###
Scottsdale resident Alan Korwin's 14th book is Your First Gun: Should you buy one and join 60 million safely armed American homes? The author of The Arizona Gun Owner's Guide, his website is GunLaws.com.
In Part Two, with the Phoenix Police and Mayor's office cooperation, we will examine exactly what police collected during the buy-ups. How much was valuable and how much was pure junk? What is the net value planned for destruction and how does that help who exactly? Can any be returned to rightful owners as recovered stolen property as promised? What about the ballistic tests being conducted -- for guns that will be destroyed? Rational examination of this expensive public program demands more scrutiny than the media has provided.
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