Indiana Media, AP, Promote Gun Destruction

A few days ago, I wrote about a modest reform to stop the waste of valuable resources occurring at Indiana gun turn in programs, also known as "buy backs".   "Buy backs" is a misnomer, as the guns were never owned by the people who are buying them in the programs.   The reform was a simple one: as tax dollars are expended in these turn in programs, instead of the valuable assets that are collected being destroyed as a primitive symbolic measure, once the guns have been taken off the streets, they should be sold to legal dealers.  This returns them to lawful channels of commerce, with the proceeds then used to benefit the community.  The purpose of the reform was clearly stated by the proponent, Senator Jim Tomes:

The guns that are still usable will be auctioned off and the money, minus the taxes, will be given back to the department that resold the guns. The departments can use the money to buy ammunition, vests, weapons or otherwise enhance public safety.

As I looked for other coverage of the reform, I saw misleading headline after misleading headline.  Most of the Indiana media covering the reform claimed that it was a "ban" on gun "buy backs".  But that simply was not true.  There would be no "ban" on "buy backs".   The only ban would be on the destruction of valuable assets.  Here are some examples:

From NWI Politics:

Lawmakers take aim at gun buy back programs

 INDIANAPOLIS | A proposal forcing Gary and other Indiana cities to end their gun buy-back programs was approved 6-2 Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 From wthr.com:

Gun buy-back programs may become illegal

 A bill that would do away with gun buy-back programs in Indiana will now go before the Indiana Senate for a vote.

 From courierpress.com (AP)

INDIANAPOLIS — A proposal to prohibit local governments in Indiana from holding gun buy-back programs is on its way to the state Senate.

 Indystar.com (another AP, same story, Gannet)

 springfieldnewssun.com (another AP, same story)

hometownstations.com (another AP, same story)

 From wdrb.com:

Indiana gun buy-pack program draws fire

 A bill to prevent local governments from holding gun buy-back programs is on its way to the state Senate. The sponsor of the bill says he can't understand why police would want to destroy guns that have significant value and could be resold.

From nbcnews.com: (headline from wthr)

Gun buy-back programs may become illegal

What this shows is the incestuous relationships in the old media, and the over reliance on the AP to decide what "spin" to put on an article.   Though most of the articles go on to describe the actual bill as merely a ban on the destruction of valuable guns, the idea that this somehow "bans" cities from doing "buy backs" has already been stated.

Of course, when guns are sold to lawful collectors, instead of destroyed for symbolic purposes, it destroys the underlying "guns are bad" message instead.

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