SYMBOLISM OVER SUBSTANCE: Gun buyback in crime-plagued Selma, Alabama

More symbolism over substance in Selma, Alabama with the announcement of another gun buy back scheme.

Instead of going after the violent criminal predators and imprisoning them for extended terms, do-gooders in famous Selma, Alabama are holding a gun “buy back” – allegedly buying back something that he never owned to begin with.

Not only will this buyback not reduce violent crime, it is counterproductive to reducing crime.

SELMA, AL (WSFA) – Like so many people in Selma, pastor Robert Pettus was disheartened by the shootings at the Oasis Tabernacle in mid-September. That’s when a gunman opened fire and injured three people. The city recorded a total of nine shootings that same weekend.

A few weeks later, Pettus is gearing up for another ‘Cash For Guns’ buy back at the Macedonia Apostolic Church where he ministers to his flock.

“Well, this is a concern. We want to get all the guns we can,” he said.

Pettus started Cash For Guns because he was tired of people getting murdered in Selma. During the program’s first three years, Pettus says he’s taken nearly 200 illegal weapons off the streets.

“That lets me know we are making an impact,” Pettu explained.

A request for the latest crime statistics from the Selma Police Department was never answered.

The photos from last year’s event show a table full of pistols, rifles and sawed-off shotguns. Part of the program includes Pettus paying $75.00 for each weapon until he runs out of money. Pettus says he’s collected $4,500 from the community and the church.

He makes it a point to not ask questions when a gun is turned in.

…Pettus is fully aware there could be a case where the individual takes the money and buys another weapon, but he feels the benefits outweigh any potential downside to the Cash For Guns program.

“We had one lady who turned in a gun and said she would use the proceeds to pay her light bill, so that’s good for her,” Pettus said.

Selma police will be on hand to make sure the weapons aren’t loaded. The guns will be taken away and destroyed by police.

We have some questions:

• He claims to have collected 200 illegal weapons.  If you don’t ask questions, how do you know they were possessed unlawfully?
• How do you collect 200 firearms, paying $75 apiece, with $4,500?  Is that Common Core math or is that bravo sierra math?  200 x $75 = $15,000 where I grew up.
• Is a particularly valuable firearm is stolen, and the perpetrator gives it to a (female) family member to turn in, do the police run the gun through their computer to see if it’s been reported stolen?  And if so, is the firearm returned to its rightful owner?
• So, the reverend has collected two hundred guns and the best anecdotal evidence of success is an old woman turning in a gun to make a payment on her power bill?

Pastor Pettus closes with this gem:

Pastor Pettus never believed for one minute his Cash For Guns would suddenly eradicate gun violence in Selma, “But one thing we do know is we’ve always said the ones we do get, they’ll never be used to harm or kill anybody,” Pettus said.

They’ll never be used to protect anyone or their family members from violent criminal predators, either.  Firearms are used over two million times each year to thwart violent crime, saving an untold number of lives.  IN this manner, this gun “buy back”, like those before it, is indeed counterproductive to reducing violent crime.

It is just another example that with decisions come consequences.

When residents in high-crime communities – be they black, brown or white – offer meaningless and sometimes counterproductive symbolic gestures, they will never break the cycle of violence.

Until and unless they adopt substantive changes, such as standing up and  identifying criminal predators, working with the police, and putting an end to covering up for problematic violent criminals in their midst, nothing will change.

Praying, marching and holding signs for an end to the plague of violence – as if it were a medical disease like influenza, small pox or whooping cough – isn’t going to put an end to criminals victimizing the innocent.   The violence “plaguing” these communities won’t be lifted magically by God.

The good Lord will help those who help themselves though.  Identifying bad people and imprisoning them for long prison terms when they commit violent crimes gets proven results lowering violent crime.  It’s been done with remarkable success in Florida, where that state has the lowest firearm violent crime rate in history, thanks to aggressive (mandatory?) implementation of a 10-20-Life sentence enhancement for the use of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

Part of this will involve educating potential criminals of the sanctions for violent misbehavior, deterring them from violent crime as a way of life.

Pastor Pettus can continue to offer counter-productive symbolism to fight the violence plaguing his city, or he can work to put violent thugs in prison where they belong.  It’s his choice, and he and his flock get to live or die with the consequences of his actions.