Churches buying back guns for $50 to keep them off the streets; worth it 'if one life is saved'

[SecularMotion]

Guns aren't something you would normally see in church, but they're the very thing churches in Alabama are wanting to see more of.

Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church and other churches in the Northwest Huntsville area are doing their bit to help reduce gun crime by offering gun owners $50 for their weapons, Al.com reports.

The money to buy the guns back has been raised by members of Union Chapel and other donations.

The promise of $50 was obviously a good enough reason for some to part with their guns as the campaign has already yielded a crop.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/churches.buying.back.guns.for.50.to.keep.them.off.the.streets.worth.it.if.one.life.is.saved.says.pastor/38653.htm

[cbayer]

1. Great program.

Congratulations to them. I hope others follow their lead.

[pinto]

2. +1. $ incentives work. I'm part of a legal syringe exchange program here in CA.

We not only get support from the County, City and Public Health Department but from some local religious groups, as well. A "full service" operation. One to one exchange with other sterile supplies and we pay participants $10 for HIV and/or HCV testing. And we hand out chocolates! (Chocolate blunts opiate craving - the idea being to help folks buy time to get to a safe place before dosing. Plus it's a nice one-on-one gesture.)

Anyway, it's been real satisfying to see some faith based groups "get" the public health and harm reduction aspects of our program. They have no on-site presence nor would we allow that. But their background support is unconditional.

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Could get a lot more money together for this if they

worked with curio/relic collector/preservation societies for increased funding.

Most of the weapons being turned in are crap, and great to melt down, but there are always a few historical pieces that end up turned in as well.

[Htom Sirveaux]

4. By "crap" do you mean "of no collectible value" ...or

"too useless to actually be involved in crime"? I would hope that they require the weapons be in working order, at the very least.

[AtheistCrusader]

8. They generally don't test them when accepting them.

But 'crap' in the sense of worth very little/no historical value, maybe broken, maybe working, but just generally worthless.

[cbayer]

5. The article says they turn them over to ATF, but they may keep and sell the ones

that might be worth something.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Helps to have an expert about.

There's some very strange looking firearms that are worth a surprising amount.

(Also need to make sure no class III weapons are kept, because ahahaha 10 years in jail, 100,000$ fine, etc.)

[Leontius]

16. I think it was in Detroit that a woman turned in an MP-44 for the $100 or so they were offering

The cops told her they would take it but she should really take it to a collector or dealer since it was quite rare and valuable.

[frylock]

6. this is like abandoning a child to the NRA

[pinto]

7. ???

[frylock]

10. Michigan Group Holds Protest to Counter Gun Buyback

Wayne County, which encompasses all of Detroit, held a compensated gun confiscation program this past weekend, offering $50 in grocery gift cards for operational firearms. Rick Ector, owner of Rick's Firearm Academy, and other Second Amendment advocates held a counter protest, offering better compensation and providing information on legal gun sales. Ector discusses the success of the event. Originally aired on NRA News Cam & Co. 5/20/13.

http://www.nranews.com/a1f/video/michigan-group-holds-protest-to-counter-gun-buyback/list/state-legislation-michigan

[frylock]

11. Arizona to end gun buy-back programs that destroy weapons

It's all over but the signing, now that the Arizona House has passed a bill that makes it illegal for municipalities to melt down guns obtained through voluntary buy-back programs. The Senate will no doubt pass the bill, and Gov. Jan Brewer certainly isn't going to show a backbone to the NRA.

The state House voted Thursday to slam the door on gun buyback programs—even when the owners specifically ask that their weapons be destroyed. Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Payson, said HB 2455 simply clarifies existing laws which requires governments to sell any weapons that have been seized. The law also covers "found property,'' which is defined as anything recovered, lost or abandoned that is not needed as evidence. Arizona Tribune

The Republican lawmaker did not expect what happened next: Not only did Kozachick receive threatening emails and phone calls, but Todd Rathner, an Arizona lobbyist and NRA board member, threatened to sue if the weapons were melted down (they were). Rathner cited a section of the Arizona Constitution [ARS 12-945] that requires police departments to resell weapons they obtain. The language was originally intended for guns seized from criminals or in the course of normal police work, but the NRA saw an opening and exploited it.

<more>

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/12/1193597/-Arizona-to-end-gun-buy-back-programs-that-destroy-weapons#

[pinto]

12. Gun laws are persistently state-by-state. I don't think these examples are pertinent to this program

Reflective of a broad divide, definitely. But not a basis to judge the Union Chapel Missionary Baptist Church's program.

[frylock]

13. why would the NRA take exception to the destruction of guns that were voluntarily given to the PD..

with the express purpose of destroying the aforementioned guns? because the precious guns are like babies to them. it's like the PD is aborting the babies errr guns.

[pinto]

14. That is a discussion to be had in another DU group, imo. (nt)

[AtheistCrusader]

17. The buy back in the OP is private entity, so they can melt it down for bottle openers if they want.

[frylock]

18. yep, but the gun humpers can't stand the thought of all those guns going to gun heaven

[Jim__]

15. An Alabama Baptist church with a gun buy-back program. That's pleasantly surprising to me.

[frylock]

19. indeed, particularly in light of the gun giveaways used to attract people to go to church

[cbayer]

20. Agree, it's nice to see this contrasting program.