“Turn In Your Guns At Your Local Church”
This article was written by Pastor Chuck Baldwin and originally published at NewsWithViews.com
Last weekend, the Chicago Police Department collaborated with over 20 local churches in a giant effort to encourage Chicagoans “to get guns out of their homes.” WBBM News Radio has the story. “Using the lure of $100 gift cards, the Chicago Police Department is encouraging people to get guns out of their homes and turn them in this Saturday, during the annual gun turn-in program.”
The news report goes on to say, “[T]he Police Department is partnering with 20 churches.
First Deputy Supt. Alfonza Wysinger says anyone who turns in a real gun will get a $100 gift card. Replicas and BB guns are worth $10.
“‘No questions asked,’ Wysinger said. ‘Just show up at the church, and hand over the weapons to the CPD officer that will be there, and get your $100 gift card. So we strongly suggest that people come out that have weapons lying around the house, or weapons, maybe, that they don’t necessarily want in their house. This is a chance to get some money for their weapon, and get another dangerous weapon on [sic] the street.’”
The report then lists 23 churches that are identified as participating in the gun turn-in event.
See the report here.
But I particularly enjoyed a few of the comments that readers posted to the online report:
One guy wrote, “Gun thieves will be lined up for blocks.”
Another wrote, “They can arrest you for having a gun outside of your house.”
And another person wrote, “[Criminals] are turning in the guns they used in multiple crimes because the stupid politicians will destroy them thus getting rid of the evidence…”
And perhaps my favorite comment on the story was this one: “WOW. BOTH police and CHURCHES turning traitor against the Constitution.”
Truthfully, think about the absurdity of this gun turn-in program. As one reader noted, think of the money gun thieves will make on this program. As any tenured lawman knows, most guns are stolen to resell in order to get the money to purchase drugs, booze, sex, etc. Some are used in crimes, sure. But most are used for the purpose of making a buck. Imagine a gun thief who has perhaps 50 or 60 stolen guns in his possession: that guy has just made a small fortune OFF THE TAXPAYERS. Remember, there are “no questions asked.” And since the cops in Chicago seem to be doing this annually, how many gun thieves are stealing guns all year long and just saving up for the big payout, or how many start a gun-stealing frenzy just before the anticipated gun turn-in program? $100 for a stolen gun is often a higher bid than what the thief would get on the street. What a deal!
And think of this angle: what better way to get some quick dough by selling a gun or two that is totally inoperable, and then taking the money and buying a gun that actually works? Again, what a deal!
And another reader nailed it when he observed that taking a firearm outside your home is a CRIME in Chicago. In fact, I am surprised to learn that people in Chicago can even legally have a gun in their homes. You cannot legally carry a firearm in Chicago. So, the CPD is encouraging people to BREAK THE LAW. I can just imagine people all over Chicago caught carrying guns and telling the arresting officer, “I was going to take it to the gun turn-in program.” And you know what the cop would say, right? “Tell it to the judge.”
This brings up another point: why is there so much gun-related crime in Chicago, anyway? After all, Chicago has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the entire country. GUNS ARE ILLEGAL IN CHICAGO! So, pray tell, where is all of this gun-related crime coming from? I thought that passing laws restricting the ownership and possession of firearms was supposed to reduce crime? If that is truly the case, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City, etc., should be the most peaceful places on earth! Of course, the truth is if you want to find peaceful communities, go to states such as Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Vermont where just about everybody is packin’ heat!
Plus, the point that another reader made about criminals turning in the guns with which they have committed crimes and thereby letting the authorities destroy those firearms–thus destroying the evidence–is a very astute observation. Way to go CPD!
But the icing on the cake for me is the point that one reader made when he said, “WOW. BOTH police and CHURCHES turning traitor against the Constitution.” Bingo!
Another reader was even more direct. He said, “The government and so called churches will be the downfall of this great country’s Constitution.” Amen!
It grieves me to say that a sizeable percentage (if not a majority) of today’s churches are as culpable in the dismantling of our Constitution and Bill of Rights as any entity one can think of. So many pastors and churches today are unwilling to take a stand against almost ANYTHING that might have political overtones. I doubt that most of them would say “Boo” to the devil himself–especially if he came dressed in a government uniform. They are all about making people feel good, entertaining people, and stroking people’s egos.
In fact, let me ask my church-going readers to try an experiment. The next time you go to church, ask your pastor where he or she stands on the Second Amendment. Ask them,
“Would our church participate in a police-sponsored gun turn-in program?”
Ask them, “If the President declared a ‘nationalemergency,’ and FEMA (or any federal or State agency) asks you to ask your
congregation to turn in their firearms, would you agree to do so?”
Go ahead: ask them! Then observe their reaction very carefully.
You can count on this: virtually no pastor whose church is receiving federal “faith based initiative” taxpayer monies would take a public stand for the Second Amendment under those conditions. Count on it. So maybe you should also ask your pastor if your church is receiving federal “faith based initiative” monies. All over America, literally thousands of churches are accepting federal tax dollars to help support their daycare centers, their after-school programs, their “Christian” schools, their food banks, etc.
Contrast today’s churches to those of Colonial America. In those days, gun racks for the rifles that had been brought to church were as common as coat racks. In fact, many times, the church basement or back room was used as a place in which caches of firearms were commonly stored.
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June 28th, 2012 at 11:47 am
FOOLS ARE FOOLS,CRIME BAD IN CHICAGO, NOW MORE HOME INVASIONS. SOME WILL BE KILLED BT CRIMINALS OR POLICE. THEY HAVE EARNED IT. COWARDS COME IN MANY SIZES. FOOLS BORN DAILY. IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN THEY HID. SIDED WITH MOSLEMS AGAINST CHRISTIAN CITIZENS. OATHS MEAN NOTHING ANYMORE. HONESTY AND INTREGITY LOST BY WAYSIDE. WHY WE HAVE WEAK MEN NOW. STAND FOR SIN.
June 30th, 2012 at 3:01 am
Calvary Chapel in my town has a pastor that would NOT ask his congregation to turn in their weapons. In fact, he has his CCW permit as do many that attend and most do carry while attending services. Whether or not they are receiving “faith based initiative” monies, I don’t really know. I suspect not as the community meal they have every Weds is based on what was donated by members of the Church. Sometimes it is soup and sandwiches and sometimes a nice roast with fixings.
June 30th, 2012 at 9:40 pm
To IDConstitutionist @ comment #2:
IDC, that is good, and not uncommon for [some] congregations in the mountain northwest part of the country, but consider a small tweak to your perspective please – since the 2nd Amendment was ratified, is not every damned gun law an infringement? Why on earth would Americans who fully possessed the 2nd Amendment have to get a damn government permit to carry their firearms in any way whatsoever? Concealed carry permits are not mentioned in the 2nd Amendment. I’m sure you already agree with me about this, but just wanted to note this for readers here at our website. Thanks for your post – it is encouraging, considering the damage to the 2nd Amendment so many 501-C-3 churches do to the 2nd Amendment.
Salute!
Elias Alias, editor
July 2nd, 2012 at 8:15 am
Try and take them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 2nd, 2012 at 3:02 pm
I worked the first few gun turn-ins in Chgo. and at that time it was gift cards for Jordan gym shoes or similar. Only a handful of guns that needed extra care to return them to a somewhat working condition were turned in. These were guns that probably were stored in ratholes under sidewalks, garbage cans or other areas somewhat exposed to the elements. A couple of others that were turned in were by a surviving elderly family member that didn’t want or know how to use a gun and would have turned it in anyway. At the time, I really didn’t see the target group of the program (gangbangers) give up the “good stuff”. One just has to look at just the parole and felony probation population concentrations and overlay of blue collar job availability (or any job) and see a problem. It is a catch-22 downward spiral with gangs and drugs the only game. And yet, the attack is on the law abiding citizen and gun ownership. Now the politicos are sending OSHA (and probably other regulatory agents) to write up gun shops around Chgo. that have ranges and training to enable citizens to comply with new rules of gun ownership
July 2nd, 2012 at 4:40 pm
Money Changers 2012. Who’s gonna chase ‘em out?
July 2nd, 2012 at 6:39 pm
I say let them turn them in the thieves probably followed the idiots home and killed them for their measly $100 card. Chicago would do better to worry about the gangs ruling the streets there instead of bothering law abiding citizens. The guns will be turned into the DOJ who will give them to the local illegal drug dealer to track it.
July 2nd, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Amazing that the Pastors there have become slaves to the state. The Pastors I know here carry, I even know one in the next town who is a CHL instructor and gives classes to his congregants on self defense and defensive pistol training . I understand Elias may find the CHL objectionable, but we are pushing in the right direction.
July 6th, 2012 at 8:31 am
They showed an M-60 that was turn in. Some of those weapons cost big bucks, some were cheap, most were not.
Consider that for almost forty years in Chicago to get into a drug gang you had to prove youurself. On way was to kill someone. It used to be radom targets anyone would do as long as it made the newspaper. Store clerks were a favor for awhile, but since many king pins drug dealers now own those stores other targets needed to be found.
One soultion was to kill someone no one would miss. Black school children were selected. Not the stupid ones, but ones that looked like they were going to make it out of the city. Kill the smart ones did many things, one was to put fear into the community. Real deep fear. It worked.
I beleive that of the 250 killings this year in Chicago most have been children.
Illinois also has gotten rid of the Death Sentence. Not bright. Better targets than Black school children would be real targets. The political hacks in the State.
July 7th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
And then there is the down state gun club that planned for this year’s turn-in. They travelled to Chicago with 65 weapons that were not in the best of best shape. They returned to their home town late that same day with $6,500.00 dollars in debit cards, thanks to CPD! The gun club is using their wind fall to improve their gun club, buy targets and ammunition. Moral of story; never throw away a crappy gun! Save it, then take it to Chicago for the next “buy back”, and get $100 bucks for it. Apply it to an NRA Life membership! Heck, I would put an ad in the paper for junk guns bought for $20 bucks! Drive to Chicago in 2013 with a truck load!