From Hearst Newspapers:
Bridgeport, the state’s largest city, saw overall firearm sales triple to more than 1,200 this year, despite summertime marches against gun violence and a two-week-old gun buyback program. In Hartford, gun sales nearly doubled, jumping to 521 in 2012, from 215 in 2000.
Read more: here.
0
Hearst is reporting on “legal” gun sales. And it looks like the manufacture, distribution and sale into the hands of citizens continues to run far ahead of “buyback” programs.
If your intent is to remove any gun from the public I guess buyback programs are reasonable. But if you look at the armed robberies, gang gunfights and street murders, it is reasonable to think the wrong demographic is being pursued. Middle-aged to older suburban gun owners turning over rifles from WWII rather than inner-city youth turning over pistols of any kind or semi-auto weaponry with no questions asked.
Fear continues in a community when the public feels ill-prepared to respond. I can’t understand how the well-intentioned “buyback program” gets promoted in the City while the Mayor and Police Chief remain silent about a safe way for the public to report drug, gun and violent activities to the police … TIPS … Trustworthy Information for Public Safety. TIPS is an opportunity for the eyes and ears of the public to be useful while protecting completely the identity of the reporting party. Anonymity is OK. {Perhaps the new police public relations official will find the story worthy of promotion?) Time will tell.
I did chuckle when viewing the photo of the Astra .44 Magnum revolver (#4 in the series of 8). There was another feature not linked to in the article (it was on the homepage) that was interesting:
www .ctpost.com/local/article/How-many-guns-were-sold-in-your-town-4154469.php
I wonder how many are buying guns beyond the “get them while you can” reason, i.e. does anyone wonder if the day may come when they dial 911 and there is no answer because everybody went home after it became clear the city, state and/or federal govt was not going to be able to meet pension obligations?
Also, if any follow the right-wing blogosphere, they may have noticed the temperature is rising quickly, and in comments particularly, people are going ballistic, e.g.
www .alt-market.com/articles/1243-feinsteins-gun-control-bill-will-trigger-the-next-american-revolution
When Joe Biden went into “fiscal cliff” negotiations today, did Republicans step back and think “Wait a second, aren’t you the guy who …?”
*** THE MORE BIG BROTHER SAYS “NO,” THE MORE CIVILIANS CRY “YES!” ***