The Christian Science Monitor Gets “Buybacks” All Wrong

By Cam Edwards

It doesn’t surprise me to see the Christian Science Monitor come out with an editorial endorsing gun “buyback” programs. Nor was I shocked to see the media outlet praise New Zealand’s mandatory buyback program, which is forcing gun owners to hand in their now-banned semi-automatic rifles in exchange for some cash, or else become criminals once the country’s gun amnesty ends in a few months.

I was, however, taken aback to see the Christian Science Monitor editorial board appears to believe the New Zealand compensated confiscation scheme is voluntary.

Since July 13, more than 7,000 gun owners in New Zealand have handed over their firearms to police under the country’s first program to buy back guns. The program is just one of several emergency measures taken since March after a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques. While the effectiveness of such buybacks is highly uncertain, one thing in New Zealand is for sure: As the hunters, farmers, sport shooters, and others sold their weapons at more than 90 collection points, many spoke of a change in attitude about what keeps a society safe.

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The voluntary nature of gun buybacks – along with the incentive of being compensated – gives …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms