It's the most wonderful time of the year! Which is pretty much how David S. Shapiro, M.D., launched into his promotion piece for yesterday's gun turn-in program in Hartford, CT, asking:
What could be more in the spirit of giving and helping others than finding ways to remove unwanted guns from the hands of children and adults?
How about giving wanted guns? But, OK, I'll play along. How do we go about doing that?
On Saturday, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford Hospital and Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center are joining with the city of Hartford, the Hartford Police Department, Kohl's Department Stores and the Hartford state's attorney's office to hold a gun buyback event...
And we'll reward you with GIFT CARDS! Didn't Dr. Franklin say something about those giving up essential freedom for...no, he never foresaw the heirs of Liberty would be debased enough to settle for merchandise...but say that we are. How do we turn' em in?
Guns should be unloaded and placed in a clear plastic bag inside a paper bag or box.
I'll have more to say about that in a bit. For right now, here comes my favorite part:
I can't think of a single product less appropriate for the holidays than handguns. They are dangerous devices. Guns belong in the hands of well-trained, experienced individuals, trusted civil servants and an organized militia.
Just so you know what to get that special "Only One" who is qualified and trustworthy enough...
But he's not asking for stricter gun control, mind you. It's just that:
A gun buyback or gun exchange provides an easy way for unwilling gun owners, even gun enthusiasts, to rid themselves and their homes of firearms that no longer have a purpose.
If that's the case, why not get a better value for your property? I found area resources in under a minute from my desk here over 500 miles away. And I'm sure my friends at Connecticut Citizens Defense League would be happy to hear from you and be of help. Maybe you'll find out you're interested in what they're about and end up giving yourself the holiday gift of membership (the price is right).
Oh, but that won't get the guns "off the street." If we do it Dr. Shapiro's way:
The guns will be destroyed unless testing reveals that they were used in a crime.
Yeah, except Connecticut General Statutes require that if they turn out to be stolen, police have a duty to return them to their lawful owners. And there are just a whole lotta firearms-related edicts it looks like this event encourages people to flat-out violate--you can search a database of relevant statutes here, and read a comprehensive summary from NRA-ILA here.
Which makes me question why this coalition of law enforcement and health professionals is encouraging citizens to assume those participating in their program will know enough to be compliant with the myriad laws. If you just put a pistol or revolver in that clear or paper bag or box and transport it, either in your car or on foot, you'll be in violation of the requirement to have a permit to carry it on your person, either openly or concealed. And then there are the requirements that firearms not be accessible from passenger compartments in vehicles...not to mention state laws prohibiting possession of unauthorized "assault weapons"...
So I guess my first questions, for the Hartford PD and state attorney would be: By what statutory authority do you get off not enforcing state laws--or ensuring they are made known and observed at events you co-sponsor? Is it a case of your ends justifying the means? If so, what other laws are you free to ignore? (Perhaps a better question would be, if you get to decide, what laws won't you be free to ignore?) And what is your obligation under federal law should someone turn in a weapon subject to NFA requirements?
My next questions would be for the sponsoring hospitals:
Did you guys clear this through your risk management departments? I mean, we have Dr. Shapiro here telling everyone how dangerous guns are, that they should only be handled by trained professionals, and here you are encouraging the people who obviously know the least about them to handle them, to carry them, to transport them, to hand them off to others. Shapiro tells people in his pitch their guns must be unloaded. You're sure they know how to check? Do they know that just because you have the magazine out of a semi-automatic doesn't mean there might not be a chambered round? Do they know to keep their booger hooks off the bang switch? Do they know Cooper's rules for gun safety? Do you?
And if they know none of this, and someone ends up getting hurt or killed due to a negligent discharge, would not survivors looking for deep pockets be able to establish--particularly with Dr. Shapiro's damning indictment of the dangers of guns in inexperienced hands--that you knew or should have known disaster could happen, but encouraged it anyway?
My last questions are for for Kohl's. Do you guys go along with this? Really? Because the most wonderful time of the year is upon us. I'd like to know why I should do my Christmas shopping with an outfit that helps disparage gun ownership, especially since there are plenty of struggling competitors out there who don't make a point of offending a large (and growing) segment of their customer base.
Comments
David,
Great article! (AS USUAL).
You made many valid points on Connecticut carry laws. Everyone without a valid CT Carry Permit, bringing in a handgun is now breaking the law!!!
I wonder if they will publish the amount of arrests made because of their buy back?
Anyone wishing to get rid of a firearm should first check with their nearest gun shop. I am sure that the dollar value the shop will pay you for that "unwanted gun" will exceed the value of a gift card to KOHLS!!! And the money can be spent anywhere!!!
Carry On!
Lenny Benedetto
Vice President
CCDL, Inc.
www.ccdl.us
Isn't a gun in a paper bag or a box "concealed"? What are the local "laws" concerning concealed guns? Someone might call 911 with an anonymous tip about people with concealed guns converging on the area.
I will take any and all "unwanted guns" anyone wants to give me. That verminous police department obviously doesn't want them since they already admit they will destroy them, so send them all to me instead. I would love to have your orphaned guns and I promise to never leave one "on the streets", although I might just pass them along to needy individuals.
I like the fact that they ask you to put it in a 'clear plastic bag' like evidence so that the recipients can receive the firearm without tampering with adding or removing prints on it. We wouldn't want the 'good guys' prints all over crime scene evidence now would we? I would be interested in knowing if 'donors' have to give their names, addresses, phone #s, DOB, SSN & DL #s on turn-in for "Tax Purposes", since they are receiving $$$ for their property the State might want to issue them a 1099 for their compensation. "Please give us all your information, so we can identify you six-ways to Sunday, forfeit all of your rights, and here's your $200 gift card, Have a nice day!"
You know each of those guns is going to be ballistically cataloged, finger-printed, broken down for spare parts if it is a service type and destroyed if there is no other serviceable use for it. Are the cops in CT out of 'drop guns' so early in the season? Unwanted Guns, The Gift That Keeps Giving. Scary.
How do presumably learned people display such dangerous ignorance without catching themselves at it? Hoplophobia must be more debilitating than i first believed.
dutchandmarcia@taosnet.com
Mmmm, That jolly Christmas Hypocracy! Gotta love a gun rip off!
Are there any serious "laws" against private transfers in Connecticut? If not, why don't activists set up a deal to buy or collect donations of these "unwanted" guns... going house to house if necessary so the poor folks won't have to carry them around?
Why not offer to set up firearms courses, so anyone who decides they would like to retain their firearm could take advantage of a safety class, and the potential for a full self defense class later?
There are so many other options...
"to rid themselves and their homes of firearms that no longer have a purpose."
This press release evidently wasn't cleared by the Brady Bunch or VPC. Last time I heard from them they said handguns have a purpose: to kill people. So which is it, homicidial purpose or none at all?
I am going to assume from his surname that Dr.Shapiro is Jewish. My God, how traitorous and evilly stupid can one man be? Evidently at least as stupid and evil as Dr. Shapiro.
Another candidate for the Judenrat.
Encourage non-knowledgeable people to pick up uncleared weapons, and transport them in violation of carry laws. Hey, what could go wrong with that?
I guess it's okay to violate a bunch of laws and create a safety risk when there's taxpayer money to give away.
Guns in boxes.
Concealed guns without a permit.
Clearly the police need to stop and search everyone with a box.
Can't be too safe, you know....
Any gun shop in any state will give more for unwanted guns than a police buy back will. But gun shops want identification. Police buy backs are primarily there to get illegal guns off the street with no questions asked. Check out the LAPD buy back in California. They know most of the guns are probably stolen and the person turning it in will most likely steal others but these are off the street and won't even make it back to the rightful owners they were stolen from. A thief steals a gun, turns it in, and gets paid to do it with no questions asked. A sweet deal wouldn't you say.
My question is: How do the police "buy back" something they never owned in the first place?
This points to the mindset that many bureaucrats tend to have, believing that our rights stem from their whims.
Scott Wilson
President
CCDL,Inc.
www.ccdl.us
Another question of propriety: Those who bring in guns to "exchange" (that is to say, "sell") them for gift cards are very unlikely to have the buyer complete and sign a NICS form. Thus, is this whole enchilada the same thing as a gunshow loophole?
Kohls= Sen. Kohl D Wi. Total, toe-the-line Dem. liberal.
David this clown Shapiro is a traitor and should be treated as such.
David it’s good that you wrote this story but education without activism is mute.
Gun owners need to adapt a boycott mindset of any Business that supports gun control in any form.
We need to do a Zumbo on Kohl’s department stores.
So how about providing some info for boycott purposes to these businesses the next time you write an editorial like this.
I’m also asking ALL other examiners to do the same hurt these anti gun businesses in their pocket books.
With the economy in the tank it won’t take much to bankrupt a business.
Continued…
David I also believe that gun owners should go into these stores and put a few items in cart that they would legitimately purchase; walk up to the check out line and say…
“These are the items that I would have purchased here were it not for your ant-gun policy”
Then the gun owners (do this with 2 or 3 people) should walk out immediately.
If gun owners began taking a proactive stance with these type of nonviolent street actions it will send a powerful message.
I suggest you take at least 3 witnesses and that they have hidden pen cameras and that they only witness the event and do not participate.
If the manager gets mad and threatens to call the police have one of the witnesses say you call the police I’m leaving too. (This is the advanced use of the Delphi technique)
Remember to have at least 4 or more people
I sent them an email letting them know about this and asking for a statement. I doubt they'll respond. In terms of info, what more do you need to know than boycott Kohls? Then tell your friends and send them the url to this column as the reason why.
guns save lives
I wrote to Kohl's asking for clarification.
I just received a note back from the executive office with 3 main points.
1) The hospital did not have permission to use our name in their promotion.
2) The hospital bought Kohl's gift cards on their own.
3) This is not a Kohl's program or sponsorship.
Yes--I'll be posting their response tomorrow.
Robert said it best. This type of "gun buy-back" is an invitation to steal a gun to trade for a gift card or money. This type of action increases crime.
Isn't it a Federal Law that multiple purchasers of guns must have an FFL? Do ANY of the people involved in this farce HAVE an FFL? How about any of the other 'gun buy-back' programs out there? Sounds to me like a whole lot of gun laws are broken EVERY TIME a 'gun buy-back' is conducted in this country. I think it is about time that We, The People require that the law be enforced against these ILLEGAL 'gun buy-back' programs.
It's only fair.
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