Worcester....another worthless buyback

Palladin

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http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/12/in_worcester_ex.html


December 12, 2009 03:01 PM

Rob Brogna

Guns collected today. Organizers say 85 guns were collected in the first three hours.

By Emma Rose Johnson, Globe Correspondent

In a program that Worcester doctors and police hope will reduce injuries from gun accidents, residents of that city can turn in guns today and next Saturday in exchange for gift cards.

The UMass Memorial Medical Center, in conjunction with the Worcester Police, is holding its eighth annual Goods for Guns buyback program. The program allows gun owners to relinquish their guns at the police station in exchange for Wal-Mart gift cards of up to $75.

The hope is to limit the accidents in which weapons kept for protection accidentally injure family members or friends. Dr. Michael Hirsh, the program"s founder, said he sees the aftermath of such accidents in his role as chief of pediatric surgery and trauma care at the hospital.

"We're not saying that gun owners are bad people," he said. "We just know that many don't know how to store guns safely in their home. This gives them an opportunity to take care of the gun safely, and makes the community safer overall."



People who bring in guns receive a $25 gift card for a long rifle, $50 for a revolver, and $75 for weapons classified as semi-automatics. The Worcester district attorney will also relax gun possession laws for people who are carrying their weapons to the police station.

Hirsh said people relinquish their weapons for a variety of reasons, from new grandparents who don't want their grandchildren finding weapons, to people who receive guns as inheritance and don't know what to do with them.

"People seem generally glad to have an opportunity to do this,? Hirsh said.

Over the program"s eight years, the police have confiscated 1,620 guns and given out $87,000 worth of gift certificates. Hirsh said the guns turned in would be crushed and donated to artists who specialize in metal-working. He said the price of the drive is well worth it.

"There will always be evil in the world," he said. "But if you eliminate one gun, that's one less opportunity for a situation to escalate from a fistfight to a shootout at the OK Corral."
 
I wonder if they would get mad at us for out bidding them on any good ones. Put a sign in the parking lot and offer $25.00 more then they are paying.

I was visiting a friend in a free state when I was much younger, and a bunch of people were doing just that. They seemed to be doing quite well.
 
I was visiting a friend in a free state when I was much younger, and a bunch of people were doing just that. They seemed to be doing quite well.

that's a great idea... set up a table in the parking lot with a bunch of FA-10 forms, your checkbook, and a big lockable safe to store all of the guns you'll soon be buying...
 
The hope is to limit the accidents in which weapons kept for protection accidentally injure family members or friends. Dr. Michael Hirsh, the program"s founder, said he sees the aftermath of such accidents in his role as chief of pediatric surgery and trauma care at the hospital.

Really. I wonder how many "such accidents" Dr. Hirsh has seen.
 
People are "glad" for this? Not only do you equate guns = evil, but then you screw the former owners hard by giving them a pittance!

Edit: "You" being Hirsh.
 
that's a great idea... set up a table in the parking lot with a bunch of FA-10 forms, your checkbook, and a big lockable safe to store all of the guns you'll soon be buying...

It would be even better if Craigslist or Ebay allowed these sales. Get these people what the guns are worth not 1/10th what they might be worth.
 
I want to cry. There looks to be a Ruger MK II (?) on the top of the pile. I DESPERATELY want one of those babies, and the poor person who turned it in got jipped by about $200 by turning it in. What happens to these firearms? Do they walk home with the officers?

Plus, there looks to be some pretty sweet antique/cool guns in that box. A .22 derringer bottom left, a break open revolver (.32 ACP?) middle bottom, looks like twin semi auto BUGS with wooden grips (middle top and middle bottom).


I want to cry. Not only because these beautiful firearms are now off the market, but because the owners only got $75 for each of them!!! WHAT KIND OF PERSON THINKS THIS IS A GOOD DEAL VERSUS SELLING THEM OUTRIGHT!? At least "gift" them to a family member who likes firearms, SOMETHING, ANYTHING RATHER THEM TURNING THEM IN.



My bottom lip is quivering. But that could be the Canadian Club.
 
Three points......

A) WOW....A whole $75 for a semi!!!! My last ammo purchase was more than that!!!

B) The gift card is for a place where you can buy guns. Doesn't that make sense??? LOL

C) STOP STOP STOP parading out the child statistics on gun violence. Most of the "children" in the statistics are 17 - 20 year old gang bangers shooting each other. That probably is the one of the most twisted statistic uses I have seen. Of coarse they always put a pictures of a cute little 8 year old right next to the headline.
 
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