TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
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Detectives from the Arson/Bomb Squad will notify the Army Criminal Investigation Division on Monday and see if they can determine through the serial number the status of this launch tube. (KIRO Radio Photo/Brandi Kruse)

They held a buyback, and a gun show broke out

BY Dave Ross  on January 28, 2013 @ 5:34 am (Updated: 12:56 pm - 1/28/13 )

There was a gun buyback over the weekend in Seattle - hundreds of weapons turned in, including three street-sweeper shotguns- which impressed the mayor.

"I think just looking at the name, 'Street-Sweeper,' says it all. That's not used for hunting deer," said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

And in return the police handed out Amazon.com gift cards but it wasn't just the police that were buying.

Private buyers showed up too - tempting the citizenry with cash.

"I'm going to sell to whoever gives me the most money, wouldn't you?" asked one citizen.

For the guntrepreneurs, buyback programs are a great opportunity: A large gathering of law abiding gun owners ready to dump their weapons and probably having no idea what their guns are worth on the open market.

The same thing has happened over the years at buybacks in Detroit, Cleveland, Tucson, Dallas, Austin - private buyers turning police buybacks into a demonstration of the gun show loophole.

In fact, at an Austin gun buyback two years ago, a group called Texans for Accountable Government took it a step further.

"And rather than destroy them, like the Austin Police Department plans to do - we might have put them in the hands of peaceful, law-abiding citizens who are in need of firearms and potentially can't afford them themselves," explained a TAG spokesman.

They would give the guns to poor people! Because they think buybacks are ridiculous.

"It makes about as much sense as turning in your beer to reduce DWI," said one Austin citizen.

Hmm - which would mean that a better way to reduce drunk driving would be to hand out free beer?

I'll have to think that one through.

You might also be interested in:

Stolen guns, assault weapons part of Seattle buyback

Dave Ross, KIRO Radio Talk Show Host
Dave Ross is co-host of The Ross & Burbank Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 9-Noon) and never too far from the spotlight.
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Comments (90)


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  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    That doesn't happen at gun shows
    January 28, 2013 5:21 am
    But what do you expect from these clowns...competence? It is against the WAC rules to sell guns in the parking lot and they enforce the rules. Here is a comment form a gun owner's message board a while back.

    Comment 1:... "As I was walking in to the WAC show today a guy approached me in the parking lot and asked me if I was interested in buying a Springfield .45 pistol. I told the dude that I wasn't interested and kept walking. Once inside the door I informed WAC security that there was a guy trying to sell a gun out in the parking lot. I went out there with 2 WAC security personnel and pointed the individual out to them. They then confronted the individual and ascertained that the individual was in fact trying to sell a gun in the parking lot which is against WAC policy and they ran his *** out of the parking lot. It turned out that this same individual was inside the show earlier because security had recognized him when I pointed him out to them. It would not have surprised me if there was also a liberal partner with this guy near by with a camcorder just waiting to film the exchange (had one been made) and use it as evidence to shut down the gun show. It felt good to watch this guy being ran off the property. It is also important to convey that if any WAC member witnesses any illegal parking lot straw buys/sales that it is not enough to just ignore it if someone offers to sell you a gun, you also need to report it. The liberals are out there and they will do anything to shut down the gun shows."

    Second comment:.... "On at least one occasion WAC security has gone to see about someone in the parking area selling firearms only to see another person with a video camera moving away from the area the seller was in."

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Paul K
    January 28, 2013 9:27 am
    You injecting Liberals into this phony scenario might work with your nutty friends but any thinking person realizes that if the Libs were really trying to get a phony Youtube video then they could have easily fabricated one at anytime after all no one would know if those shown were members of your wacko gun group or not.So keep living in that phony world that you and the other WACKOS occupy.
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  • hawks$life wrote...
    occupy
    January 28, 2013 10:33 am
    I thought you liberal wing-nuts were the only ones who think it's trendy to 'ocupy'
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  • hawks$life wrote...
    Publicity
    January 28, 2013 10:34 am
    This was purely a publicity stunt. If mcschwinn was actually interested in removing guns from the street he would have made turn-ins available at any police station, at any time. Good on ya for creating what shall forever be known as the "great seattle gun buy-back loop hole"
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  • Paul Kersey wrote...
    Washington Arms Collectors-Rules of the Road
    January 28, 2013 5:37 am
    Firearm sales to - or purchases from - non-members or persons prohibited by law from firearms ownership/possession are totally forbidden. Violation will lead to immediate and permanent expulsion as a member of WAC.
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  • calapete wrote...
    nice job in exposing the loophole that allows this.
    January 28, 2013 5:40 am
    Did anyone do any background checks on the street that day? Of course not. Pray for our city now that many guns ended up in the wrong hands.
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  • Cbrew wrote...
    Calapete - If it's not a Handgun
    January 28, 2013 9:40 am
    then they don't have to do a background check... You really don't know the laws do you?
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Well, leave it to you, Dave, to find the nost extreme and outragious - and then portray it as the norm. em
    January 28, 2013 5:48 am
    Given that logic, a Klan rally must be a typical town hall meeting.

    But you do make one point, albeit inadvertent, that many or most of those exchanging guns for vouchers have absolutely no idea of actual worth. Antique and historic value aside - that actually could be several thousand dollars for some pieces - were it not considered unethical, the City of Seattle might well make a lot of money selling some of the finer pieces to SPD for personal use. Or otherwise find a way not to melt down a newer $650 piece the same as a saturday night special.

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  • sportsguru wrote...
    Oh Dave
    January 28, 2013 6:29 am

    Just free enterprise at work. That is the back bone of American capitolism being able to make a deal. Of course the WAC ran the guy off, they want you to spend your money inside to the people that paid them for the right to sell there merchandise.

    Try selling a Subway sandwich in the parking lot of the Subway and see if the police don't come and shooo you off the premises?

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  • maplefish wrote...
    Guru
    January 28, 2013 9:18 am
    Hilarious!
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  • adiru wrote...
    "They would give the guns to poor people!"
    January 28, 2013 6:31 am
    Dave, so you're shocked that people who don't make as much money as you will be able to own one to defend themselves or otherwise take up sporting or hunting? It appears that you favor a background check from the IRS as more important than a background check from NICS. This is why I don't trust the elitists who are hypocrites.
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  • vanderleun wrote...
    "I'll have to think that one through."
    January 28, 2013 7:11 am
    Just be sure to squeeze off early then.
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  • HLC wrote...
    If you think all the guns turned in will be melted.
    January 28, 2013 7:21 am
    You've been smoking to much wackie weed. A lot of police officers know the value of some of these guns. The collectables will never see the furnace.
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  • flipper wrote...
    Really?
    January 28, 2013 8:50 am
    You think someone turned in a collectable? I'm sure most of what was turned in was crap and inoperable.
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  • El Duderino wrote...
    Gun show loophole?
    January 28, 2013 7:22 am
    Private sales have nothing to do with gun shows. You have to pass a background check to buy at WAC shows. Private sales are still perfectly legal, although any seller should do SOME due diligence to make sure they are not selling to someone who cannot possess a weapon --- asking to see a WADL and WA CPL is a good start.
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  • kato1967 wrote...
    "I'll have to think that one through."
    January 28, 2013 7:32 am
    Don't overtax your tiny little progressive mind, Dave. Best just to fall back on your irrational hatred of guns and their owners.
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