• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Guns for LESS The San Diego turn in on Monday

Edward Peruta

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
1,247
Location
Connecticut USA
imported post

kristina.davis@uniontrib.com; ideas@kfmb.com; editor@sddt.com; [email]kgtv_assignmentdesk@10news.com[/email]; news@kpbs.org; Monica.Dean@nbcuni.com; preview@nctimes.com; newstips@fox6.com; sandnews@ibsys.com; investigations@uniontrib.com
Just sent via email

Dear Ms. Davis,

Someone should let people know the true value of the weapons they plan on turning in.


There are legally owned firearms that are worth thousands of dollars if transferred to another person or firearms dealer legally.



In today's economy, firearms worth several hundred or even thousands may be turned in for $50 or $100.00 without ever knowing the true value if sold to a legal gun dealer or collector.

Interfaith council is back with gun swap

More than 300 traded for gift cards last year
By Kristina Davis, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 12:13 a.m.


GUNS FOR GIFT CARDS
What
: Turn in unwanted guns for grocery gift cards

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday

Where: United African-American Ministerial Action Council, 4981 Market St, San Diego

How: Arrive via Euclid Avenue and wait in your car with the unloaded gun until an officer can collect it.

Donate: To donate money for the cause, call Gerald Brown at (619) 264-1213.

Gun owners will be able to exchange firearms for gift cards Monday as part of an effort to curb gun-related violence.

The second annual event, hosted by the United African-American Ministerial Action Council, will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the organization’s headquarters, 4981 Market St., in southeastern San Diego.

“Our thing is to make the community safer,” said Gerald Brown, a spokesman for the interfaith organization. “That life we are looking to spare could be our own or that of an officer or a family member.”

Each handgun can be exchanged for a $50 gift card to grocery stores, and an assault weapon or rifle can be traded for a $100 voucher. Organizers declined to say how many vouchers were available, but that the event would continue until they ran out.

The guns, which must be unloaded, will be collected by San Diego police officers — no questions asked and no identification required. The guns will then be destroyed.

Gun owners are asked to arrive on the building’s Euclid Avenue side and wait in their cars for an officer to collect the guns. Ammunition can also be turned in.

The exchange is primarily focused on removing firearms from the city of San Diego, but gun owners from other parts of the county are also welcome.

At the inaugural exchange last year, members of the public turned in more than 300 firearms, although community leaders ran out of gift cards two hours into the event, leaving many people frustrated. At one point, residents from southeastern San Diego were given preference.

The effort raised about $10,000 for the vouchers last year, and the group is still looking for more donations this year.

Firearms can also be turned in to any San Diego police or Sheriff’s Department substation or headquarters year-round. For safety measures, owners are asked to leave guns in their car until an officer can collect them.


Kristina Davis: (619) 542-4591; kristina.davis@uniontrib.com






 

ConditionThree

State Pioneer
Joined
May 22, 2006
Messages
2,231
Location
Shasta County, California, USA
imported post

Edward Peruta wrote:
Gun owners will be able to exchange firearms for gift cards Monday as part of an effort to curb gun-related violence.
At one point, residents from southeastern San Diego were given preference.


1) Exchanging gift cards with those willing to surrender their firearms onlyeliminates the possibility of the owner using it in self-defense. I suppose self-defense is just as unacceptable as any other gun-related violence.

2) The fact that they have to show preference to community members is evidence that many come from other communities to take advantage of the buy back. The effect they hope to have on their community is diminished every time a gun is bought back from outside their area.
 

chewy352

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
769
Location
Harrah, Oklahoma
imported post

I wish I had some money to part with right now. I have half a mind to go buy one off one of these people. :lol:
 

Edward Peruta

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
1,247
Location
Connecticut USA
imported post

Sent via email to the United African-American Ministerial Action Council

GBROWN@UAAMAC.COM

UPDATE, THEIRWEBSITE AT .ORG IS NOT CURRENTLY ACTIVE AND EMAIL IS RETURNED USE .COM INSTEAD.

There is a http://www.uaamac.com address and I will call them to get further details. I just spoke to Mr. Brown and he is unwilling to reconsider their positon and plans.

To Whom It May Concern:

Mr. Brown at (619) 264-1213

I have read the article in the Union-Tribune about your organizations’ planned gift card for guns event, and feel obligated to provide what I consider valuable information.

Your planed event for Monday December 21, 2009 between 9am and 1pm my not be in the best interest of those who turn in firearms.

Many of the individuals who will participate in your event will be individuals in need of money to survive in these hard economic times.

I’m sure that many senior citizens who have the need for housing, groceries and medical expenses will take advantage of the opportunity to get $50.00 or $100.00.

But there are many senior citizens who lost loved ones who owned firearms and DO NOT know the value of same.

I am aware of several seniors who currently possess extremely valuable firearms which were brought home from World War II as Veteran Bring Backs.

I consider the payment of $50.00 or $100.00 to be an injustice for those in need of money if they are not told the true value of the items being surrendered or purchased by your organization.

If a person in financial need of money for basic needs has the ability to get $500.00 to $2,000.00 by making a legal sale to a licensed firearms dealer or individual why should they only accept $50 or $100?

If anyone was acquiring title to homes in your community for pennies on the dollar, I’m sure you would have a comment or two.

Again, many of the individuals you will come in contact with at your event have a need for money and not firearms.

Legally possessed firearms should not be turned in by those in need offood vouchers or gift cards if it means giving up an opportunity to buy more food to put on the family table during these hard economic times.

Edward Peruta

American News and Information Services Inc.

edperuta@amcable.tv
 

NightOwl

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
559
Location
, California, USA
imported post

Perhaps a better response would be to contact a few local pawn brokers and inform them of the event and suggest they attend with cash-in-hand. What better place for them to make some easy money? Police standing close by to guard their moneybox, just setup a little 'lemonaid stand' type of thing a bit ahead of the gun buyback. Just think, they could buy those very same guns at twice the price that the buyback is offering, and still have a sizable profit margin. If two or three pawnbrokers show up, it could even raise the ante to a reasonable purchase price for those firearms.


Makes me wish I was a pawnbroker down there.
 

coolusername2007

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
1,659
Location
Temecula, California, USA
imported post

They just have to do this on a workday weekday during regular business hours! Argh! I would really like to go down there and protest just like Mike Hunt did a few weeks ago. Don't thinkI can take the day off.

Anyone who has a few hundred dollars and looking for a gun should go down there and try to buy one, you could easily do a good deed bydoublingor triplingtheir take, you save a bundle, and the gun lives on for personal protection and sport.
 

Streetbikerr6

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Folsom, , USA
imported post

I thought the purpose of these events were to get unregistered/unlawful weapons off the streets by a don't-ask-don't-tell sort of gun turn in??

What gun-owner in their right mind would turn in their (edit: lawfully registered) gun for a $50 gift certificate???
 

Streetbikerr6

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Folsom, , USA
imported post

ConditionThree wrote:
Edward Peruta wrote:
Gun owners will be able to exchange firearms for gift cards Monday as part of an effort to curb gun-related violence.
At one point, residents from southeastern San Diego were given preference.


1) Exchanging gift cards with those willing to surrender their firearms onlyeliminates the possibility of the owner using it in self-defense. I suppose self-defense is just as unacceptable as any other gun-related violence.

2) The fact that they have to show preference to community members is evidence that many come from other communities to take advantage of the buy back. The effect they hope to have on their community is diminished every time a gun is bought back from outside their area.

How fitting would it be if some gang-banger held up each of these morons for their gift cardsafter they turned in their weapon down the street???

"And tonight on channel 5 news, Gun owners turned in their weaponsin order to"curb gun violence in San Diego", according to the Sheriff. Although in an ironic twist, they were all held up 5 minutes later totally defenseless after turning in their weapons! One lucky gift certificate recipientalso received a gun shot wound to the torso.In a second ironic twist, apparently the assailant drove from another county to turn in one of many of his inexpensive revolvers for a gift card, though soon realized there were many unarmed civilians that already had gift cards. News of the unarmed residents reached other criminals in other counties and more criminals fled to the San Diego area to hold up other unarmed residents. The Sheriff had no comment... now on to the weather with Bill, how ya doin Bill!"
 

coolusername2007

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2009
Messages
1,659
Location
Temecula, California, USA
imported post

Streetbikerr6 wrote:
I thought the purpose of these events were to get unregistered/unlawful weapons off the streets by a don't-ask-don't-tell sort of gun turn in??

What gun-owner in their right mind would turn in their (edit: lawfully registered) gun for a $50 gift certificate???


As a rule I generally don't buy anything used. So I really don't know the laws here. Say a little old lady comes into possession of a gun that she did not buy. How does she go about legally selling this item?

Would an unlawful CA firearm prevent them from selling it out of state?


ETA: email sent to Kristina Davis
 

Edward Peruta

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
1,247
Location
Connecticut USA
imported post


HERE IS A LINK TO A PDF DOCUMENT THAT SOMEONE CAN DOWNLOAD, PRINT AND HAND OUT AT THIS EVENT.

http://ctgunrights.com/00.Webpages/CA.GUN.TURN.IN.htm

"NOTICE YOU MAY BE GETTING RIPPED OFF"


One thousand printed flyers telling individuals to get an apprasial from a licensed firearms dealer BEFORE they turn the weapon in for $50 or $100 would do the trick.

To me this is just a publicity stunt for the non-profit.

If they really cared about the welfare of their community, they would want individuals to get the full wholesale value of legal weapons they no longer want.
 

Streetbikerr6

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Folsom, , USA
imported post

coolusername2007 wrote:
Streetbikerr6 wrote:
I thought the purpose of these events were to get unregistered/unlawful weapons off the streets by a don't-ask-don't-tell sort of gun turn in??

What gun-owner in their right mind would turn in their (edit: lawfully registered) gun for a $50 gift certificate???


As a rule I generally don't buy anything used. So I really don't know the laws here. Say a little old lady comes into possession of a gun that she did not buy. How does she go about legally selling this item?

Would an unlawful CA firearm prevent them from selling it out of state?


ETA: email sent to Kristina Davis



I believe one can always contact the DOJ and get it registered as long as it is legal to possess in CA and not registered as stolen. If she doesn't want to keep it, any sheriff department will take an illegal weapon in order to destroy it and not ask questions.

http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/forms/pdf/volreg.pdf
 

Streetbikerr6

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Folsom, , USA
imported post

Edward Peruta wrote:

HERE IS A LINK TO A PDF DOCUMENT THAT SOMEONE CAN DOWNLOAD, PRINT AND HAND OUT AT THIS EVENT.

http://ctgunrights.com/00.Webpages/CA.GUN.TURN.IN.htm

"NOTICE YOU MAY BE GETTING RIPPED OFF"


One thousand printed flyers telling individuals to get an apprasial from a licensed firearms dealer BEFORE they turn the weapon in for $50 or $100 would do the trick.

To me this is just a publicity stunt for the non-profit.

If they really cared about the welfare of their community, they would want individuals to get the full wholesale value of legal weapons they no longer want.
That or they would provide free handgun self defense training classes instead of implying that the only way for a law abiding citizen to be safe is to be disarmed.
 

Decoligny

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
1,865
Location
Rosamond, California, USA
imported post

Streetbikerr6 wrote:
I thought the purpose of these events were to get unregistered/unlawful weapons off the streets by a don't-ask-don't-tell sort of gun turn in??

What gun-owner in their right mind would turn in their (edit: lawfully registered) gun for a $50 gift certificate???

The widow, whose husband had a WWI artillery luger worth $2,500.00 when he died, and she knows absolutely nothing about it other than her husband inherited it from his father who brought it back from the war. She has no idea that it's valuable,it's just on old piece of junk that is cluttering up the house, and now she can get a $50.00 gift certificate and get it out of the house.

These are the same type of people who's son may have diedin the Vietnam war and his brand new Harley has been sitting under a tarp in the garage since 1966. They end up selling a collector's item for cost of weeks worth of groceries.
 

Ranchero

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2009
Messages
119
Location
NORCO, California, USA
imported post

WHAT? :what:You get $50 bucks for your gun? It makes no sense to turn in a gun to stop crime. This event will not stop crime. What happens if a person shows up with a few machineguns or assult weapons? Will he/she get arrested in the spot? or will they just give the $100 bucks each?
 

Edward Peruta

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
1,247
Location
Connecticut USA
imported post

Now that the hearing in Federal Court has been cancelled for Monday, I may find the time to visit the gun turn on Monday after meeting with my attorney.

I'll thinkabout it over the weekend.
 

chewy352

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Messages
769
Location
Harrah, Oklahoma
imported post

well I guess I'll be handing out fliers than!!! I'm going to edit that flier and add a list of firearms dealers and put the CA open carry URL on it.

If anyone wants to join me let me know and I will send you a copy of the new flier. I'll be there around 8:30 am. More Info to come. :celebrate
 

Streetbikerr6

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2009
Messages
389
Location
Folsom, , USA
imported post

Ranchero wrote:
WHAT? :what:You get $50 bucks for your gun? It makes no sense to turn in a gun to stop crime. This event will not stop crime. What happens if a person shows up with a few machineguns or assult weapons? Will he/she get arrested in the spot? or will they just give the $100 bucks each?
yes it is quite mind boggling the way they think. I mean if I were the police and I wanted to "stop crime" or at least somewhat appear I am trying to stop crime I would only accept ..

Illegal guns
unregistered guns
stolen guns (presumably found by joe blow)

I would direct all other gun trades to a local gun show or gun trader online community or at least give fair market value. Trying to stop crime by taking law abiding citizens guns is only inferring society does not know how or need to protect themselves.

If cops unarm law abiding citizens, their job is needed more which equals more money for their department. That's all this sheriff wants.

edit: oh and by the way you can show up with machine guns and they will accept, they don't check your id or anything. At least they got this part right.
 

A ECNALG

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
138
Location
Orange County, California, USA
imported post

News from Iraq and Afghanistan . . .


I.E.D.s andR.P.G.sFOR GIFT CARDS


What
: Turn in unwantedimprovised explosive devices and rocket propelled grenadesfor grocery gift cards.




I can just see them lining up now ! ;)
 
Top