New York’s restrictions on handguns start Thursday
One AmericaNov 26, 2022
NY Gun Buyback Program Nets Over 3K Firearms
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Image copyright: AFP/Getty Images [via The Guardian]
The Facts
Over 3K firearms in New York state were exchanged for gift cards over the weekend as part of a gun buyback program organized by the state attorney general's office. New Yorkers could turn in guns with no questions asked at nine locations across the state.
Participants received $500 for assault-style rifles and untraceable "ghost guns," $75 for other rifles, and $25 for non-working replicas, antiques, or 3D-printed guns. Handgun owners received $500 for the first handgun and $150 for each additional one.
The Spin
Left narrative
New York should be applauded for being a national leader in preventing gun violence. Fewer guns on the street mean fewer tragic and senseless deaths as the state works towards making a real difference in the fight against gun crime. The gun buyback initiative will pay dividends down the road, as fewer guns are at risk of falling into the wrong hands.
Right narrative
Anti-gun politicians love their gun buy-back events because it gives them a chance to mesmerize the public through photos of scary-looking weapons laid out on a table. In reality, however, the US' own National Bureau of Economic Research has found that these programs don't broadly reduce gun crime or violent crime. Moreover, these ineffective programs, if implemented nationwide, would cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars or more — all that expense for no benefit to public safety.
