The Gun Buyback Conspiracy
4 min readBounty Hunters Are After Your Guns
Actually, I don’t believe in “conspiracies” because the world and life is just too complex and unpredictable for any complex “plan” to workout as the conspirators intended. I do believe in things working out in intended or unintended ways that look like conspiracies. The case in point here is the so-called gun buy back programs. The advertised intent of these programs is to get “guns off the streets”.
These programs are the result of what I call “the do something syndrome.” This syndrome takes effect when politicians and community activists are beset by a problem that they cannot actually fix or to which a true solution would be politically incorrect. They then enact laws and initiate programs that look good and feel good but have no actual effect on the problem. In this case; gun by back programs that have had zero effect on the murder rates. The true effect of a gun buy back may be an intended conspiracy or just an unintended result of ignorant people.
So how do these programs really work? Looking at the guns being turned in I realized that many were good scoped hunting rifles, nice plated and engraved collectors pistols and new, high-end handguns. These guns were not lying around grandma’s house or straight from the local gangs arsenal. Many of these guns were recently stolen from law-abiding citizens and gun shops around the city. So in effect, the gun buy back programs are actually incentive program for gun theft.
Just for grins, let me put forth a theoretical “intentional conspiracy” and see where it goes. The authorities are prevented by the constitution from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens so they employ the criminals to do it for them. Those who habitually engage in criminal activity and gang members do not disarm themselves. Anyone who believes that is only fooling themselves. Gangs do not actually need to steal guns to arm themselves as they are frequent participants in trafficking them as well. The notorious Chicago area gangs are run by two of the biggest Mexican drug cartels in the world. They smuggle tons of drugs through Chicago weekly. No doubt they can provide any kind of weapons to the streets regardless of any law. What one goal do the cartels and the authorities have in common? They do not want citizens to have guns.
While the true value of a given firearm may range from about $400.00 to several thousand dollars, the street value of a stolen weapon is far less. Brand, quality, engraving, etc… has little additional value. So stealing a gun for street sale has a low profit margin compared to drugs and other turn around items. The effect of the gun buy back program is to provide an incentive for gun theft and provide a guaranteed profit with “no questions asked”. If a stolen gun is recovered during a raid or search the serial numbers are checked and it may be returned to the legitimate owner, but a gun turned in at the buy back goes directly to the smelter. So a criminal can steal guns and be assured of a safe profit on his inventory. He can also use the gun in a crime and then conveniently get paid for ditching it. No questions asked.
Obviously these programs have done nothing to reduce murders in Chicago so why persist in them? There has been an increase in gun store break-ins in the areas around Chicago with hundreds of new guns being stolen. So I ask: is that a coincidence? Are the Chicago (and other) authorities deliberately using the gangs to confiscate the people’s defenses or is it just unintended consequences?
Chicago and many other metro areas are rapidly becoming similar to third world countries where the people are disarmed and caught between the gangs and the authorities. This is even more appalling when you consider that minorities and the poor are the most frequent victims of these crimes and violations.
The Indiana General Assembly has recently introduced legislation to prohibit the destruction of firearms turned in at gun buy back programs unless the serial numbers have been removed. Instead the police would resell the firearms and the funds would be used to buy police equipment and training. A much more beneficial and enlightened approach. This legislation would probably end these buy back programs since they are sponsored by anti-gun fanatics who want them destroyed.
(Editors note: These opinions are that of the author. APN does not agree or disagree with his views or opinions)
James C. Jones is the president of Live Free USA, a not-for-profit organization devoted to advocating and supporting emergency preparedness and family self-reliance. Live Free USA publishes the American Survivor newsletter, conducts seminars and supports chapters. They can be contacted at www.AmericanSurvivor.Org, LFINOW@AOL.COM or at Live Free USA, Box 3295, Munster, IN 46321
I think the intent of the gun turn in events “buy backs” is far simpler and easier to understand.
It is political theater, designed to demonize guns and to spread the idea that turning guns into the government so that they can be destroyed, is a good idea.
Very simple. Gun “buy backs” spread the message: Guns Bad.
It’s a pointless and useless ‘feel good’ bit of political theater that in the end does nothing but raise the crime level in the area, makes the criminals safer (fewer ‘good guys’ on the street) and richer as they sell off stolen weapons, no questions asked and no numbers checked afterwards.
I have heard, and do believe this is possible—–some of the people involved in the buy back scheme, keep some of the exspensive type collector pistols and rifle’s. I agree longshot, that some they may sell and others they keep for themselves. do not have any thing to do with buy back plans !
You will NEVER convince me that it was not a conspiracy that put the communist muslim in the White House and then kept him there this long . NEVER !!!