LAPD Gun Buy-Back Yields Rocket Launchers!

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." —Frank Zappa

Yeah! not so much...Forgive my side-splitting laughter, but this is one of those, "gotcha moments" when the Lame Stream Liberal Hoplophobic Media gets sucked right in and then, "Punked."...But one guy is not laughing because back in the hood, a Military collector who likely paid 300 bucks apiece for the tubes is now missing pieces of his Militaria collection; All so that Junior could run down and cash them in for a government-issued gift card. Just that thought alone cracks me up.

The LAPD was duped! Anybody can buy these on E-bay and fifty other places on the internet! (note to self: purchase 3" PVC piping, paint Olive drab for next buy-back.)

So, what exactly was turned in? Based on what I saw in the photo, they appeared to be, (1) a Bophors Dynamics AT-4, 84 mm Anti-armor Weapons Tube; and, (2) an M72 Nammo-Talley 66 mm Light Anti-Tank Weapons Tube. (the links above are items that are, for sale, or recently sold)

But, not to be denied, this made "hellaciously" great press! would you not agree?  NBC News was just all over it! And, not just them...look at the headlines below!

 Gun buyback program in Los Angles takes 2,000 weapons off the streets - including two rocket propelled grenade launchers —New York Daily News

"Rocket-Propelled Grenade Launchers" says, NYDN...Dumbasses...

 Cops get two rocket launchers in LAPD gun buyback: Two rocket launchers are officially off the streets of Los Angeles. —UPI.com Laughing out Loud, here....Schmucks...

Launchers turned in to LAPD were from military —Army Times

Gosh! Gee, golly willikers! You don't say? from the Military? (glad I joined the USMC)

The Next headline just made me proud of being a veteran of my beloved United States Marine Corps. Paul Szoldra, (a brother former Marine Infantryman, I might add) gets a HUGE high five from Granite Grok.

His headline in BusinessInsider.com: "The LAPD got punked and bought back rocket launchers that literally do nothing."

And, Paul picked up far more detail than I noticed. Szoldra writes,

The problem is that it’s not a rocket launcher. It doesn’t launch rockets. It is a field handling trainer, as illustrated by the band around it along with “TRAINER” emblazoned across the side. Trainer AT-4s are non-functioning props, used to show soldiers how the weapon operates minus the big boom. It is, quite literally, a long, green fiberglass tube that does nothing. Instead of a weapon, it’s a paperweight the Los Angeles Police Department aquired in an event staffed with public employees. The LAPD, and much of the media, kind of got punked

Hoplophobia and ignorance typically breed PC charlatanry.Ergo, the city of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles decided to have their gun buy-back program early this year in the wake of the Newtown Massacre. On December 26, according to the LAPDBLOG.org, 2,037 Firearms were, "bought back." (bought back from where?)

The total breakdown is as follows:

• 901 handguns
• 698 Rifles
• 363 Shotguns
• 75 "Assault Weapons" (a/k/a semi-automatic firearms classified as such based on their appearance.)
• and two "Rocket Launchers"(not).

The LAPD Blog went on to say:

"An initiative of the Mayor's Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) Office, the Gun Buyback rewards the voluntary surrender of firearms while engaging the community towards a common goal of reducing gun violence."

Anyhow, now that I've had my fun with the whole "Rocket Launcher" debacle, down to business with the small arms (Military term for hand held or shoulder fired arms, to you in the Lame Stream Hoplophobe media).

So the LAPD collected up 901 handguns. At some point will there be a breakdown of guns such as autos and revolvers? calibers and type? age? This is relevant in the macro scheme of the gun control arena.

And of the 901 handguns, how many were found to be stolen? missing? used in crimes? Most curious to me is the rifles and shotguns action types (single action, bolt action, semi-auto, lever, break?) I would lay odds most were crappy old guns of little value. 75 "Assault Weapons." Not very many if you ask me.

If the goal is to reduce gun violence by, "Getting Guns off the Street," I question the efficacy of such programs if data is not being kept on the particular guns. Inversely, perhaps the data is being kept, just not released. How is the public to know the effectiveness of a gun buy-back program?

I hypothesize these buy-back programs produce next to nothing in results, other than to socially condition sheeple to hand over guns to the government in exchange for cash. Those of us who are responsible citizens that own guns, know the value of the guns we own. $100 to $200 is not even half the value of modern firearms. A police source told the New York Sun, Stolen guns have an average street value of $300-400, and in the wake of the current anti-gun campaign, values increase. So why turn them in for $100-200 gift card when more money can be made selling it on the street?

Thankfully, here in the Granite State, law prohibits these nonsense Gun Buy-Back programs. Buy Back programs are yet another example of symbolism over substance. Do you honestly think the gangstahs, thugs and criminals in LA turned in guns?

CROSS-POSTED AT GRANITE GROK

Another Noisy Anti-Gun Publication Heard from: Seacoast On-line Editorial decries Open Carry

"Remember the first rule of gunfighting... 'have a gun'."  ~Jeff Cooper founder, the American Pistol Institute

The opening paragraph of the Portsmouth Herald Editorial reads, "A Portsmouth police detective was recently lauded for defusing a July 4 incident in which Stawbery Banke Museum officials asked a couple openly carrying pistols to leave a ceremony attended by the governor and a retired U.S. Supreme Court judge."

I read the whole editorial and failed to see any, "incident" requiring police intervention. "Stawbery Banke Museum officials asked a couple openly carrying pistols to leave a ceremony attended by the governor and a retired U.S. Supreme Court judge." States the editorial So what was the incident?

And then the Herald demagogues with an outright misdirection:  "Praise cannot be offered to the New Hampshire lawmakers who legislated the right for citizens to openly carry guns. They are not alone, for the record, as only six states and the District of Columbia fully prohibit the open carry of handguns.

The pandering Hoplophobes over at the Portsmouth Herald have failed to recognize that the Granite State has always been an "open carry" state, thus there has been no need for lawmakers to legislate for that. Licenses to carry pistols and revolvers in New Hampshire have been on the books for 86 years. Many New Hampshire citizens have carried guns, whether openly or concealed for as long. The only thing that has changed is the delicate sensibilities bringing with it the requisite sissification and pandering of Granite Staters who fancy themselves smarter than most. The unnamed Strawbery Banke Museum officals are just such sissies and panderers. The lack the spine and the courage to post a "No Guns Allowed" sign and then call on the Police to intervene where no laws have been broken.

This is mere Hoplophobia. A holstered firearm on the hip of an individual is a lawful activity. The alleged panic caused by such an activity is the problem of the individual hoplophobe and not the person. To host an event billed to the public and then to turn around and exclude an open carrier on the basis of, "private property" is merely political. Political because a person is embracing power based on an unreasonable fear of guns.   There is all kinds of counseling and therapy available for unreasonable fears.

And as for the elitist anti-gun editorial staff at the Portsmouth Herald, you all need to get over yourselves. I think your anti-gun campaign is failing. The fact that all but about six states have expanded the rights of citizens and firearms should give you some indication as to the merits of your fears. But it does not.

I see no point in putting forth arguments to counter the Herald. The arguments and debates have not changed, nor will the opinions and views of the Editorial staff. To do so wastes time energy and ink. The most cogent argument isn't going to change their minds, The laws, traditions and viewpoints of Granite State gun owners and advocates still win the day and that is what matters when hoplophobes run out of hot air and pablum. If the leftist Hoplophobes at the Herald don't like guns, that is a personal problem where time medication and counseling is an oft-suggested cure for such ills.

As for Strawbery Banke? They can kiss my ass. I will never visit ever again...and any board I now sit on or will sit on that sends them funding, I will always be a "no" vote for that foundation.  So, how many gun owners might have made donations to Strawbery Banke? It would be interesting to know. I plan to write to Strawbery Banke and share my opinion with its governing board. Enough said.

CROSS-POSTED