-
Let Syria Play Out
May 7, 2013 | 6 comments
-
Happy Birthday, Willie
April 30, 2013 | 10 comments
-
George Jones RIP
April 26, 2013 | 7 comments
-
Two-by-Four Did It for the Mule
April 17, 2013 | 2 comments
-
Obama AWOL
April 17, 2013 | 8 comments
The Spectacle Blog
TAMPA— In the grip of the, “Do something, even if it makes no sense!” hysteria that always follows soul-crushing events like Newtown, Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner is recommending the county start an annual gun buyback program. Terrific.
As a former police officer, Beckner should know that government gun buybacks tend to fetch in three kinds of weapons: (1) old clunkers that are of no use or risk to anyone — sort of Tuesday night specials, (2) guns the seller has stolen for the purpose of selling it to the government, which will pay him more than he can get at Lucky Sid’s Pawn, and (3) guns owned by law-abiding citizens that would do no harm to anyone if they stayed in the desk drawer where they’ve been for years. No jurisdiction has ever been able to establish that gun buybacks, conducted at great expense to the local taxpayers, have lessened gun crime.
I’ve met and talked with Beckner. He doesn’t appear to be stupid. So the only explanation for the fool’s errand he is whooping up is that he wishes to appear to be doing something useful about a problem every voter is concerned about. But even if Hillsborough County depletes its treasury buying guns, local residents will be no safer for the exercise. If this comes about, Beckner, along with every commissioner who supports this crackpot scheme, should be charged either with weapons grade stupidity or aggravated charlatanism.
View all comments (14) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Larry Thornberry
http://spectator.org/blog/2013/01/04/weapons-grade-stupidity
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
The Spectacle Blog
The #FreeKate Narrative Melts Down: Lies Exposed in Florida Teen Sex Case
Robert Stacy McCain | 5.25.13
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
H/T to National Review Online
ADVERTISEMENT
PeteM1999| 1.4.13 @ 11:22AM
Maybe next they can do an alcohol buy back program to help stop drunk driving.
ncatty| 1.4.13 @ 11:32AM
I heard from a friend the other day that Lanza only used handguns in his murderous rampage. Can anyone confirm that as true or not?
JGW| 1.4.13 @ 11:40AM
All of the accounts I have read say that only handguns were used and that the AR-15 style Bushmaster rifle was found in the trunk of his car.
Pecos Pete| 1.4.13 @ 2:03PM
Depends on what you read. The NY Times says the shootings were all done with the AR15.
Actual reporting about exactly which weapons were used has been vague, or non existent. However, I'm willing to learn the truth.
Butch| 1.5.13 @ 3:21PM
If you come back, ncatty, I've seen it reported both ways: that he used a Bushmaster AR-15 to do most of his damage, and that the rifle was found in the trunk, meaning he used the handguns in the school. And he could have done it with a hangun; my Glock 17 has a 17 round magazine, and I am pretty sure that a 9 mm fired at close range would go through two small children. I gather the teacher huddled them into the corners of the classroom, which made it easier for the shooter.
I guess the new generation of "reporters" is incompetent as well as biased. I've never seen such murky, confusing, and contradictory reporting.
ncatty| 1.5.13 @ 4:13PM
Thanks.
Tom Kyba| 1.4.13 @ 11:34AM
Rush had this nailed years ago. Liberalism in a nutshell- "symbolism over substance".
grant1863| 1.4.13 @ 11:51AM
How much are they going to pay? I've got some clunkers that I can cash in so I can buy that new shiny Ruger.
Beckner is just pandering to his leftist backers and it will keep another department of police officers busy.
Stan Redmond| 1.4.13 @ 12:35PM
As long as a prius driving latte sipping liberal feels good sleeping on their organic futon there is no price too high for the warm and fuzzy feeling.
Pecos Pete| 1.4.13 @ 2:05PM
The FBI has reported there were more murders from hands and hammers than from guns. How about the county buy back hammers for starters?
Mike G| 1.4.13 @ 4:32PM
I've got a couple of hammers I could sell. If they'll offer what the military pays for their hammers, I'll go out a buy a couple of gross.
There's no need to buy back hands, as they're already taking an arm and a leg in taxes. They'll probably just raise taxes to get the other arm.
Occam's Tool| 1.4.13 @ 6:15PM
A Guvmint administrator bein' stupid? Surprise, surprise!
Frog in Uniform | 1.4.13 @ 10:14PM
Messieurs, since most of those bureaucrats (and that includes too many people in law enforcement, believe me) don't know shiite about firearms, this would be a good opportunity to manufacturate bogus non functioning firearms out of tubing, spray camo paint and air soft weaponry. Be creative, with a drill and a hacksaw you can do wonders! And remember: Your creations are not required to work! They just have to look like firearms and weigh like the real thing. With the help of a few friends from your local gun club, it should be quite easy to produce a ton of clunkers to be sold in Florida, and make a fast buck that could be used to sponsor a firearm safety workshop for children, buy .22lr rifles for training and a few NRA memberships. Make the system so successful it will go broke and will have to be refunded next year for even more clunkers!
I love your country, I wish I could pull this kind of things on this side of the pond! G-d bless you all and Bonne Annee (Happy New Year!)
Butch| 1.5.13 @ 3:27PM
We would be happy to have you. If you read this site very often (and I know you do), we're running a little low on patriots these days.