Posted on 08/23/2025 4:33:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Metalworking projects are turning an object of death into something full of life that sustains life in New Mexico, advocates say.
Gardening tools, musical instrumentals, bug sculptures – all of the metal for these projects comes from gun buyback events. People get cash or something of cash value when they turn in their guns, which are dismantled into that metal.
“Two years ago, in honor of two students that they lost last year to gun violence, they actually made a working electric guitar and a working xylophone,” said Miranda Viscoli, executive director of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence.
Viscoli’s organization is behind the buybacks. They partnered with the metal shop at Robert F. Kennedy Charter School a few years ago to put the scrap metal to good use.
“It’s not simply taking an object that was designed to kill and turning into something that sustains life. It gives our young people an opportunity to also have a conversation about it and also to think about what are the causes of gun violence? How do we prevent gun violence?” Viscoli said.
Cristian Mercado, an 11th grader, is mostly in the program to sharpen his skills – but he knows these projects are helping the community too.
“It helps take guns up the street and show other people what you could do with these types of weapons,” Mercado said.
Viscoli added students are planning to build a full-sized room made out of gun parts. They’ll need as much metal as they can get from the next buyback, scheduled for Aug. 23.
A typical New Mexico boy in metal shop when I was a kid, would be searching through the crates and bins for the parts to fully assemble working firearms. Maybe things have changed... It has been a long time.
Or from auto leaf springs. There’s a green project....
Like Ruana knives made from Studebaker leaf springs…from the old man, $5k to $8k.
Nice. Some pieces on ebay running $6-700. Anza makes knives from files. A bit more economical.
How do you ‘’buy back’’ something that was never yours?
Awww...how heart warming!
Big bad wee-pons are flower pots now...
[spit] Disgusting article.
And in a few years they will have a great understanding of America and our Constitution.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.