“There was considerable dialogue with many gun dealers who were trying to beat the police department to the gun buys. These folks are very respectful and very knowledgeable. They fear long term ramifications of gun regulations that would remove ownership of guns from private hand.”
-Andrew D. Quinn
Courtesy photo.
By Andrew D. Quinn
The Lansing Police Department bought 128 guns during its second gun byback program on Saturday, February 9, 2013.
The total included 77 handguns, 48 long guns, and 3 assault style weapons. The gun buyback program was held at the Tabernacle of David Church on Holmes Road in the City of Lansing. Participants received $50 dollar gift cards for turning in operable long guns, $100 dollars for operable handguns and $150 dollars for operable assault weapons. Each seller was limited to two guns. Firearms were accepted “no questions asked” to allow individuals to anonymously turn in guns without fear of being charged with illegal possession of an unregistered firearm. The goal of the gun buyback program is to reduce and prevent gun violence and to create community dialogue as it relates to gun violence.
Lansing’s gun buyback program is funded exclusively by donations. Sparrow Health System, McLaren Health Care and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association donated $10,000 to fund the February 9, 2013 gun buyback program while
individuals contributed $5,000 dollars. The City of Lansing held its first gun buyback on August 16, 2012 and purchased 100 firearms. A total of 228 operable guns have been purchased in the two gun buyback programs in the past six months.
Linda Brundage led a small group of members of the Mid-Michigan chapter of One Million Moms for Gun Control who stood outside to support the gun buyback program. “Our group started 2 weeks ago, and we are looking for those who are willing to join our cause,” said Linda Brundage. To find out more about One Million Moms for Gun Control go to the website.
A larger group of gun control opponents stood alongside the gun control supporters in 22 degree weather on the sidewalk outside the church and also across the street from the church.
Opponents of the gun buyback program expressed concern that classic guns and guns with historical value that might end up destroyed. Opponents of the gun buyback carried signs offering money for guns and stated that the gun buyback was offering less than the value of the weapons. The buyback opponents purchased an unknown number of guns from persons on their way to the official program. Gun control supporters carried posters urging common sense gun control to prevent or reduce loss of life through gun violence.
Gun control supporters and opponents engaged in occasional discussions as the groups stood alongside one another for several hours on the sidewalk along Holmes Road in the frigid weather. Members of the two groups seemed cordial and attentive toward one another as they discussed their differing viewpoints and concerns.
Officer Robert Merritt of the Lansing Police Department’s Public Information Office stated that the gun purchasers were acting within their rights and said that he had respectful discussions with several individuals purchasing outside the official buyback program. Perhaps the several cordial discussions were in keeping with the gun buyback’s goal of creating a community dialogue relating to gun control.
This was printed in the February 24, 2013 – March 9, 2013 Edition
