Guns For Groceries

[RYP]

Gun owners swap weapons for gift cards

By Debbi Baker, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Originally published December 21, 2009 at 2:28 p.m., updated December 22, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.
San Diego Police Officer, Paul Choi, left, removes a rifle from the trunk of John Thompson's car during the firearm exchange program at the United African American Ministerial Action Council offices on Market Street. Thompson traded the rifle in for a $50 gift card. The program is an effort to reduce gun related violence by getting as many off the street as possible.

Howard Lipin

San Diego Police Officer, Paul Choi, left, removes a rifle from the trunk of John Thompson's car during the firearm exchange program at the United African American Ministerial Action Council offices on Market Street. Thompson traded the rifle in for a $50 gift card. The program is an effort to reduce gun related violence by getting as many off the street as possible.

SAN DIEGO — Armand Gonzales drove from Chula Vista to southeastern San Diego yesterday morning to turn in four guns he said he no longer needed in exchange for groceries he could definitely use.

Gonzales, 74, had hoped to receive more than one $50 gift card but was still happy with the exchange. As he left, he said he was going to “buy food!”

This was the second year for the gun swap, which was conducted by the United African-American Ministerial Action Council, headquartered in Chollas View. The goal is to curb gun violence and make communities safer, said Gerald Brown, the interfaith organization’s spokesman.

In the first hour, about 50 firearms were turned it. They included revolvers, semiautomatic handguns, rifles, a pistol that had been modified into a shotgun, and an antique flintlock rifle.

“Our focus is simple,” Brown said. “Getting guns off the street so they are not available to be used in crimes.”

Cars were lined up around the block at 9 a.m. off Market Street near Euclid Avenue when the program started. Participants received a $50 card for handguns and rifles and $100 for assault weapons.

The program runs on donations collected from all over the county, Brown said. Last year the group collected about $10,000. This year it has received less, but the group is still collecting donations, Brown said.

The unloaded guns are cataloged by type and checked for serial numbers, and then they will be destroyed, said Mona Vallon, manager of the San Diego Police Department’s property room.

“The more guns we get off the street, the safer the city is,” said Police Chief William Lansdowne, who stopped by to see the response.

Councilman Tony Young, whose district includes Chollas View, said he was grateful to everyone who helped make the gun exchange possible.

Not everyone was so enthusiastic. About a half-dozen men who said they are advocates of “open carry,” the practice of openly and legally wearing an unloaded gun, stood at the corner of Market Street.

They held signs and handed out fliers that urged people to sell their weapons rather than turn them in for “pennies on the dollar.”

None of the men was armed.

“We feel people are being disenfranchised, and they are not being given the opportunity to sell their guns at proper value,” said Nathan Wolanyk of Escondido. “Many don’t understand what guns are worth.”

Jeff Stoffel held a sign that read: “Get a fair price for your gun. Ask us how.”

Stoffel said they were just trying to educate the public and let people know they have a choice when it comes to disposing of a weapon.

“Have they ever been to a death scene?” said the interfaith group’s executive director Robert Tambuzi, referring to the protesters. “Have they ever known someone who was shot by needless gun violence?”

Gary Marow of Cardiff turned in a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun given to him years ago. Marow, a gun advocate who owns other weapons, said he no longer used it, so he decided to bring it in.

Last year, the program collected 305 weapons, including handguns, rifles and assault rifles. The exchange was so popular that all the gift cards were gone in just two hours.

[Devlin]

Well some of those dumb asses flat out got ripped off.

[Woodsman]

I would trade a gun for food: I have this piece of shit ratty Henry AR-7 that is a jam-0-matic that isn't worth $50 to me. That would be great to trade for a grocery gift card. In fact, now I think about it, I could probably get $60 in food stamps on the street for it, so why work with the gummit? LOL!

[Woodsman]

$100 for assault weapons.

Lulz.

The program runs on donations collected from all over the county, Brown said. Last year the group collected about $10,000. This year it has received less, but the group is still collecting donations, Brown said.

The unloaded guns are cataloged by type and checked for serial numbers, and then they will be destroyed, said Mona Vallon, manager of the San Diego Police Department’s property room.

“The more guns we get off the street, the safer the city is,” said Police Chief William Lansdowne, who stopped by to see the response.

Councilman Tony Young, whose district includes Chollas View, said he was grateful to everyone who helped make the gun exchange possible.

Not everyone was so enthusiastic. About a half-dozen men who said they are advocates of “open carry,” the practice of openly and legally wearing an unloaded gun, stood at the corner of Market Street.

Bullshit. That is not what open carry is about.

They held signs and handed out fliers that urged people to sell their weapons rather than turn them in for “pennies on the dollar.”

Correct.

None of the men was armed.

What professhunal wrote this story?

“We feel people are being disenfranchised, and they are not being given the opportunity to sell their guns at proper value,” said Nathan Wolanyk of Escondido. “Many don’t understand what guns are worth.”

Jeff Stoffel held a sign that read: “Get a fair price for your gun. Ask us how.”

Stoffel said they were just trying to educate the public and let people know they have a choice when it comes to disposing of a weapon.

“Have they ever been to a death scene?” said the interfaith group’s executive director Robert Tambuzi, referring to the protesters. “Have they ever known someone who was shot by needless gun violence?”

Needless gun violence is all they are going to get as the mostly law abiding people hand in their only means of defending against criminals who are armed.

Gary Marow of Cardiff turned in a 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun given to him years ago. Marow, a gun advocate who owns other weapons, said he no longer used it, so he decided to bring it in.

Last year, the program collected 305 weapons, including handguns, rifles and assault rifles. The exchange was so popular that all the gift cards were gone in just two hours.

I guarantee you will see tons more of these sort of trade in programs.

[ktrout]

“Have they ever been to a death scene?” said the interfaith group’s executive director Robert Tambuzi, referring to the protesters. “Have they ever known someone who was shot by needless gun violence?”

Needless gun violence is all they are going to get as the mostly law abiding people hand in their only means of defending against criminals who are armed.

Or just bigger and ruthless. I'd be upset if my city did this. Well, maybe not if they could get more for them on Gun Broker. But it's still moronic.

[Chimborazo]

Well some of those dumb asses flat out got ripped off.

And they fuckin' deserved it.

[ktrout]

Do they really think crims are actually going to turn in the piece they're using to rob/carjack/rape/murder people with? That's like asking a car mechanic to turn in his torque wrench.
So poor people who need the money are going to give away the item they need to keep said perps out of their homes.

[Chimborazo]

I've seen some of the firearms sold in a buy back, and if I had to choose, I'd pick that antique flint lock to hold up a convenience store before I chose most of the other shit turned in. On the other hand, there were some firearms worth a hell of a lot more than $50 but they were in the minority by far.

[coldharvest]

Well some of those dumb asses flat out got ripped off.

And they fuckin' deserved it.

You Sir are correct.

[DBR]

I have heard of savvy gun owners offloading non-working and non-repairable junkers and clunkers and then hurrying off to a gun store to purchase ammunition. I think that's a splendid idea!

I have also hear that there have been problems with guns being turned in during the no-questions-asked, anonymous turn-ins that were used to shoot people and the evidence is now gone.

In the 1990s, Reba MacIntye, I don't care if her name is spelled correctly, was offering free tickets to her show to people that turned in a gun. You know, it's just so save people. [/sarcasm] Nevermind the fact that the type of people that would turn a gun in to go to a Reba McIntyre concert are probably not going to be using a firearm for crime... She's just got a good dose of show business douchebaggery going on.

[JamesInTheWorld]

So if I make 20 homemade zip guns for 5 bucks a piece I can get a G’s worth of Lobster and Prime Rib at Wall Mart?



~James

[ktrout]

Damn, I have a .410 that is effectively single shot because I can't get an extractor for it.
It's almost 40 years old (an OEM'd Mossberg 180k variant). Ammo is the same price as 12 gauge anyway.
I'd think about turning it in but as long as it goes bang it might be useful someday.