Posted on 09/19/2009 8:50:27 PM PDT by greatdefender
BRADENTON - The Manatee County Sheriff's Office ran out of money, and fast, during their gun buyback event today.
"I'm amazed, quite honestly," said Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube. "People were lined up well before we started."
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office allotted $10,000 for today's program. Shortly after the program started at 4 p.m. deputies were out of cash, Steube said.
Officials held a similar gun buyback event in July where they purchased some 77 guns, Steube said.
Within the first 20 minutes, deputies had more than 100 guns, he said, and were left scrambling for more money to give out.
The buyback event came on the heels of the recent shooting deaths of teenagers Jazmine Thompson of Bayshore High and Dejuan Williams, a recent Bayshore graduate.
The buyback was held in association with a violence awareness rally at Johnson Middle School in Bradenton hosted by Manatee County Commission Chairwoman Gwen Brown and Manatee County School Board member Barbara Harvey, who asked the sheriff's office to help. "A Youth Unity Walk Against Violence" led by the Manatee County NAACP Youth Council was held Tuesday.
Marion Mack waited her turn in line with two pistols her son, currently in prison, left at her home, which she shares with her 8-year-old granddaughter.
She has no use for the firearms, Mack said, adding that she doesn't want her granddaughter getting her hands on them.
"In light of the kids getting shot for no reason, I think it's a shame," she said. "We don't need to fight our battles with guns."
In exchange for working firearms, participants received $50 for a revolver and $100 for a rifle — no questions asked. Background checks are run on the firearms, and after being salvaged for parts they are destroyed.
Richard Arens, 70, had a donation of a different sort. He was turning in a pistol and two rifles, one he purchased as a teen to use while deer hunting with up north. He paid $2 a week until he had it paid off.
"I've had them so long they're like keepsakes," said Arens, who began to weep in line. "It's emotional because I've had them so long and nobody to give them to."
It’s not even that. The buyback programs are media dog and pony shows. A bunch of arrogant politicians and desk jockeys use the press and the public treasury to make themselves look good. No good comes from these programs. Gangbangers don’t hand in guns that they might use. They do dispose of crime guns. Others get rid of crap they don’t want, and once in a while an idiot drops a valuable gun because she was conned by Sarah Brady and the MSM. (Sounds like a good name for a band. They could be the opening act for Barfarama.)
No questions asked and the evidence is destroyed by the very agencies who ought to be screaming that the buyback provides a sure method to get rid of items that might otherwise convict a criminal of a felony charge.
Gun buybacks are the worst pandering in this country. It serves them right if they get used.
Marion Mack waited her turn in line with two pistols her son, currently in prison, left at her home, which she shares with her 8-year-old granddaughter.
It sure sounds like some questions should have been asked! Did the background check also involve a test firing to compare against unsolved crimes? I wonder what is Mack's son's crime.
Why didn't mom turn in those pistols before the buyback if she was so concerned?
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