Posted by Some Guy, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 25, 2013 at 4:21 pm

I would LOVE just ONCE to see one of these anti-gun initiatives take guns out of the criminals hands, instead of the law abiding citizens hands.

I wont give up my guns until the criminals do...and that includes the government!

Posted by sanity Sam, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 25, 2013 at 4:25 pm

"I wont give up my guns until the criminals do...and that includes the government!"

This is what makes normal folk want background checks on all gun transfers. And mental health checks, also.

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jan 25, 2013 at 5:07 pm

Sanity:

some guy is right about at least one thing, these buy backs don't take guns out of the hands of criminals. Do you HONESTLY believe your local gang banger is going down to drop off one of his unused guns? Next life! The only thing these idiotic buy backs do is remove guns from law abiding citizens as they're the only ones that will turn in guns. Oh, they also make a bunch of people think that something is being done about gun violence. Clue: They're not. Duh!

Posted by Chris Bay, a resident of the Portola Valley: Westridge neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 1:36 pm

Sheriff Greg Munks, Supervisor Adrienne Tissier and Congresswoman Jackie Speier are just plain nuts. I'll pay $110.00 for semi automatic handguns and 225.00 for AR-15 and AK-47's. Can you not see just how ludicrous these nitwits are. Anyone that would give up their assets for any less than the market value are more than likely Liberals. I don't expect to be buying any of these guns anytime soon. If anyone was to take me up on my offer I might laugh myself to death.

Posted by sanity Sam, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 3:23 pm

Menlo Voter: I don't disagree with your first sentence. Y'all act like someone claims this is some sort of cure-all or panacea. Maybe I missed that memo. Let me know where it is, please.

What I don't understand is the thinly veiled hatred shown by three posters above. Are you OPPOSED to gun buybacks? Do they HARM you? Why are you so ANGRY? What do you have against the police and sheriff departments?

I'll stick with my original statement: "I wont give up my guns until the criminals do...and that includes the government!" This is what makes normal folk want background checks on all gun transfers. And mental health checks, also.

Looks like there are now a couple hundred less unwanted guns floating around. How is that a bad thing?

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 3:30 pm

"Looks like there are now a couple hundred less unwanted guns floating around. How is that a bad thing?"

First they weren't "floating around." They were owned by what are most likely law abiding citizens. That's a bad thing?

Second, those guns weren't harming anyone and weren't likley to. Now if you could get crimnals and gang bangers to turn in their weapons there might be a point to the whole charade. Because that's what it is, a charade. Gun buy backs don't do squat to eliminate gun crime.

Third, I have nothing against law enforcement. I'm ex-law enforcement. As such, I can speak with some authority when it comes to the value of these programs.

Posted by sanity Sam, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 3:44 pm

"First they weren't "floating around." They were owned by what are most likely law abiding citizens. That's a bad thing?"

Yes.

How are unwanted guns, either 'floating around' or sitting in closets, a good thing? They are, by definition, not wanted. I don't want unwanted guns sitting somewhere with a potential to not be safe. You do, I guess.

Didn't know you were ex. Hola. That makes your attack on buybacks even more perplexing. I expect that from a whack like "Some Guy: ...and that includes the government!"

That was, at one time, you and me, brother.

But keep changing the subject to "Now if you could get crimnals..."

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 4:49 pm

Sanity:

I wasn't changing the subject I was, in fact, addressing the point. Gun buy backs do nothing to stop gun crime because they do nothing to remove guns from criminal hands.

Posted by sanity Sam, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 6:17 pm

"Gun buy backs do nothing to stop gun crime"

Didn't see that claim in the article. Didn't make it myself.

Did see:

- provided a convenient opportunity for gun owners to get rid of weapons they no longer want.

- "Fewer guns also mean fewer accidents and fewer chances for guns to fall into the wrong hands,"

- "We feel this will improve public safety in our county,"

All yours, I'm done.

Posted by gd, a resident of another community, on Jan 26, 2013 at 8:21 pm

A good way to get rid of guns that are not good for legitimate use as sporting or defensive weapons... i turned in a wingmaster 870, a single shot 12 gauge stevens and a 22 black powder rifle.. I am not giving up my right to own firearms but rather want to take out of use those firearms that may be misused and which I have no use for.... I do appreciate and enjoy firearms but feel a responsibility to prevent any bad guy (or gal) from getting possession of them..This was an incentive to dispose of them...No more duck hunting for me,, so, now looking for a nice 22 pistol...Just another fun thing to do... some play golf, some play banjo and some punch paper...If all violent and mass killings, wars etc could be prevent by disarming the world then I would back it... Until then,,,I'm keeping mine... Just sayin

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jan 26, 2013 at 8:54 pm

C'mon Sanity you now the REAL reasons for these buy backs. It's supposedly to do something to prevent gun crimes. We both know it does nothing to accomplish that goal.

gd: I might have taken that wingmaster off your hands as would a bunch of other law abiding citizens. No reason to get pennies on the dollar and have a perfectly good gun detroyed that could be used by a law abiding citizen. Black powder? You honestly think getting rid of a black powder gun is going to prevent a single gun crime or death? Really? Criminals aren't using black powder weapons.

Posted by sanity Sam, a resident of the Menlo Park: Downtown neighborhood, on Jan 27, 2013 at 11:06 am

"collected more than 680 firearms, including 24 assault weapons, 338 hand guns and 371 long guns"

Poor MV, must be apoplectic that so many were turned in.

Great job by the cops, sheriffs and politicos.

Bad day for those that write crap like "...and that includes the government!"

Posted by Menlo Voter, a resident of the Menlo Park: other neighborhood, on Jan 27, 2013 at 12:35 pm

I'm not apoplectic at all. I simply know what was done did NOTHING to prevent gun crimes. Made a bunch of people that don't know any better feel good, but did nothing to prevent crimnals from using guns.

Posted by Hmmm, a resident of another community, on Jan 27, 2013 at 12:37 pm

We don't actually know their impact on crime reduction, do we? It's not as if the guns are being taken away - people voluntarily turn them in. It's a great idea, reducing potential guns stolen in home burglaries & reducing potential deadly accidents.

I've several responsible gun-owning friends who've been impressed w/local buy backs because they've been able to dump old weapons, make a little $$ & still be responsible gun owners who aren't giving up their rights. For them, it's a win-win.