This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/us/19land.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Steps to Disarm (Get Gift Card) At Ohio Church Steps to Disarm (Get Gift Card) at Ohio Church
(35 minutes later)
CINCINNATI — Outside a squat Cincinnati church within sight of an elementary school, dozens of people with guns braced against the Tuesday morning cold, waiting. They had guns in their hands and guns in their handbags, guns swaddled in blankets and guns plopped in plastic bags. A .22 here, a sawed-off there, guns everywhere, a few still loaded.CINCINNATI — Outside a squat Cincinnati church within sight of an elementary school, dozens of people with guns braced against the Tuesday morning cold, waiting. They had guns in their hands and guns in their handbags, guns swaddled in blankets and guns plopped in plastic bags. A .22 here, a sawed-off there, guns everywhere, a few still loaded.
Inside the church, two private security professionals with Glocks at the hip went over the ground rules for the gun buyback program about to begin. No police on the premises, no questions asked and no more than 10 people in the lobby at a time. Guns must be deemed operable before being exchanged for a $100 gift card. Oh, and the guns must be kept in bags, with muzzles down.Inside the church, two private security professionals with Glocks at the hip went over the ground rules for the gun buyback program about to begin. No police on the premises, no questions asked and no more than 10 people in the lobby at a time. Guns must be deemed operable before being exchanged for a $100 gift card. Oh, and the guns must be kept in bags, with muzzles down.
“I don’t want them coming in with the weapon and just saying, ‘Here you go,’ ” explained Michael Brooks, 44, an electrician by trade and the day’s lead security man, whose job was to create a controlled environment out of dozens of strangers walking into a church with guns.“I don’t want them coming in with the weapon and just saying, ‘Here you go,’ ” explained Michael Brooks, 44, an electrician by trade and the day’s lead security man, whose job was to create a controlled environment out of dozens of strangers walking into a church with guns.
The doors to the President Drive Church of Christ opened, and the first in line took seats in the cramped lobby’s welcoming warmth, some chatting, others silent. A burly man in hunting attire cradled two rifles in zippered cases. A slight man in a hooded sweatshirt clutched a plastic bag that drooped from the weight of metal. An older woman held a pocketbook in her lap.The doors to the President Drive Church of Christ opened, and the first in line took seats in the cramped lobby’s welcoming warmth, some chatting, others silent. A burly man in hunting attire cradled two rifles in zippered cases. A slight man in a hooded sweatshirt clutched a plastic bag that drooped from the weight of metal. An older woman held a pocketbook in her lap.
Before long, Mr. Brooks summoned the woman to a foldout table propped just outside the church’s small kitchen, now an arsenal-in-waiting. She removed a handgun from her pocketbook. He held the gun up and away, determined it to be operable and empty, and said, “Thank you, ma’am.”Before long, Mr. Brooks summoned the woman to a foldout table propped just outside the church’s small kitchen, now an arsenal-in-waiting. She removed a handgun from her pocketbook. He held the gun up and away, determined it to be operable and empty, and said, “Thank you, ma’am.”
She was escorted into the church’s sanctuary, where a table covered with gift cards sat before a large cross on the back wall. Soon her transaction was completed with no questions asked, beyond, Walmart, Target or Kroger?She was escorted into the church’s sanctuary, where a table covered with gift cards sat before a large cross on the back wall. Soon her transaction was completed with no questions asked, beyond, Walmart, Target or Kroger?
“Target,” was her answer.“Target,” was her answer.
So began another gun buyback program in the wake of last month’s schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Conn. Across the country, programs like this modest event, held on the birth date of the shooting victim Martin Luther King Jr., have become a familiar — and controversial — attempt at gentle gun control, often organized by people who do not know what else to do.So began another gun buyback program in the wake of last month’s schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Conn. Across the country, programs like this modest event, held on the birth date of the shooting victim Martin Luther King Jr., have become a familiar — and controversial — attempt at gentle gun control, often organized by people who do not know what else to do.
On Sunday, a front-page article in The Cincinnati Enquirer questioned the effectiveness of gun buybacks in a country that it said was awash with more than 300 million guns. It quoted criminologists who said that heightened police patrols and intervention with known criminals have more impact, and that buyback programs usually collect guns not likely to be used in crimes.On Sunday, a front-page article in The Cincinnati Enquirer questioned the effectiveness of gun buybacks in a country that it said was awash with more than 300 million guns. It quoted criminologists who said that heightened police patrols and intervention with known criminals have more impact, and that buyback programs usually collect guns not likely to be used in crimes.
But the event’s central organizer, Ennis Tait, a local pastor, stood his ground. Some of the guns might be old rifles traded in by hunters looking to upgrade, or ancient .22s tucked away in sock drawers, he conceded. But every gun collected — and turned over to the police to be destroyed — is a gun not found by a curious child, not reached for in a fit of anger over a slight on the street.But the event’s central organizer, Ennis Tait, a local pastor, stood his ground. Some of the guns might be old rifles traded in by hunters looking to upgrade, or ancient .22s tucked away in sock drawers, he conceded. But every gun collected — and turned over to the police to be destroyed — is a gun not found by a curious child, not reached for in a fit of anger over a slight on the street.
Over all, crime has been declining in Cincinnati, but this city of nearly 300,000 still had more than 50 homicides last year, most of them by bullet. On Christmas Day, for example, a 20-year-old woman was shot to death while visiting relatives not far from here.Over all, crime has been declining in Cincinnati, but this city of nearly 300,000 still had more than 50 homicides last year, most of them by bullet. On Christmas Day, for example, a 20-year-old woman was shot to death while visiting relatives not far from here.
“You get tired of going to funerals,” Mr. Tait said, underscoring the point that for the volunteers running this buyback program, guns are not a theoretical concern.“You get tired of going to funerals,” Mr. Tait said, underscoring the point that for the volunteers running this buyback program, guns are not a theoretical concern.
Saying hello at the door was Mitch Morris, 56, who did prison time many years ago (“I was in a gun battle,” he said, “and somebody didn’t make it home.”), and now helps others find alternatives to violent street life. Saying goodbye at the exit was J. C. Battle III, 65, a third-generation funeral home director in the city who knows too well the aesthetic challenges created by bullets.Saying hello at the door was Mitch Morris, 56, who did prison time many years ago (“I was in a gun battle,” he said, “and somebody didn’t make it home.”), and now helps others find alternatives to violent street life. Saying goodbye at the exit was J. C. Battle III, 65, a third-generation funeral home director in the city who knows too well the aesthetic challenges created by bullets.
Serving as host was the church’s longtime pastor, Everett Brewer, 66, who just two weeks ago heard neighborhood gunfire greeting the new year. And supervising it all was Mr. Tait, 42, the pastor of the Church of the Living God, several miles closer to downtown, who is one of those forces of purpose often toiling in poor urban neighborhoods, working two cellphones, trying to nudge things forward.Serving as host was the church’s longtime pastor, Everett Brewer, 66, who just two weeks ago heard neighborhood gunfire greeting the new year. And supervising it all was Mr. Tait, 42, the pastor of the Church of the Living God, several miles closer to downtown, who is one of those forces of purpose often toiling in poor urban neighborhoods, working two cellphones, trying to nudge things forward.
He is opposed not to guns, he said, but to irresponsible possession, weak background checks and easy access to weapons meant for warfare. That is why, along with an organization of his called Project Nehemiah Ceasefire, he raised $3,500, most of it from his own congregation, to buy 35 $100 gift cards. Thirty-five gift cards meant 35 fewer guns, which meant, maybe, one or two fewer funerals.He is opposed not to guns, he said, but to irresponsible possession, weak background checks and easy access to weapons meant for warfare. That is why, along with an organization of his called Project Nehemiah Ceasefire, he raised $3,500, most of it from his own congregation, to buy 35 $100 gift cards. Thirty-five gift cards meant 35 fewer guns, which meant, maybe, one or two fewer funerals.
One by one, people stepped out of the cold and into the lobby, to sit with their guns beneath a framed print of the Lord’s Prayer and wait to be called by Mr. Brooks. One moment he was rejecting what was nothing more than a starter pistol; the next he was ejecting a bullet to clatter onto the kitchen’s tile floor.One by one, people stepped out of the cold and into the lobby, to sit with their guns beneath a framed print of the Lord’s Prayer and wait to be called by Mr. Brooks. One moment he was rejecting what was nothing more than a starter pistol; the next he was ejecting a bullet to clatter onto the kitchen’s tile floor.
Each gun had its own story. Here was Lisa Williams, 51, presenting a treasure-chest jewelry box that contained a .25-caliber handgun. It’s been in the family for a while, she said, but now there are children running around.Each gun had its own story. Here was Lisa Williams, 51, presenting a treasure-chest jewelry box that contained a .25-caliber handgun. It’s been in the family for a while, she said, but now there are children running around.
“They’re little snoops,” she said. “They find everything.”“They’re little snoops,” she said. “They find everything.”
And here was Michelle Kirkland, 52, explaining that the gun she turned in was her grandfather’s, but he died, and then her sister went looking for it because of some stuff that was going on in the street.And here was Michelle Kirkland, 52, explaining that the gun she turned in was her grandfather’s, but he died, and then her sister went looking for it because of some stuff that was going on in the street.
“So my mom suggested getting rid of it,” Ms. Kirkland said, her handbag now holding a gift card instead of a .22.“So my mom suggested getting rid of it,” Ms. Kirkland said, her handbag now holding a gift card instead of a .22.
Forty-five minutes after the door opened, the program had one gift card left and several dozen people still standing outside, where an entrepreneur named Tom Woolery was presenting competition. Holding a sign that said “Cash for Guns$,” he explained that he was offering to buy guns to save them from destruction.Forty-five minutes after the door opened, the program had one gift card left and several dozen people still standing outside, where an entrepreneur named Tom Woolery was presenting competition. Holding a sign that said “Cash for Guns$,” he explained that he was offering to buy guns to save them from destruction.
As he spoke, the joyous shouts of children rose up from the school playground a few dozen yards downhill.As he spoke, the joyous shouts of children rose up from the school playground a few dozen yards downhill.
Mr. Tait quickly dispatched a volunteer to buy 40 more $100 gift cards, charged to his credit card — an expense that he would have to explain to his congregation later. But this allowed the process to continue, and soon two dozen people were sitting in quiet rows in the sanctuary, as if waiting for a sermon, and not a gift card.Mr. Tait quickly dispatched a volunteer to buy 40 more $100 gift cards, charged to his credit card — an expense that he would have to explain to his congregation later. But this allowed the process to continue, and soon two dozen people were sitting in quiet rows in the sanctuary, as if waiting for a sermon, and not a gift card.
A cheer went up when the volunteer returned with more gift cards, but they too soon vanished. After doing some math in his head — math heavily reliant on anticipated donations — Mr. Tait offered i.o.u.’s to anyone else who turned in a gun. The line kept moving until Mr. Tait sensed that he could not push his luck any further.A cheer went up when the volunteer returned with more gift cards, but they too soon vanished. After doing some math in his head — math heavily reliant on anticipated donations — Mr. Tait offered i.o.u.’s to anyone else who turned in a gun. The line kept moving until Mr. Tait sensed that he could not push his luck any further.
“You’ve got to tell the people no more,” he said. “I’m already $10,000 out.”“You’ve got to tell the people no more,” he said. “I’m already $10,000 out.”
The total: 145 guns, including dozens of shotguns and rifles spread out on the kitchen floor, next to the refrigerator, and dozens of handguns arrayed on the counter, where the church’s coffee pot usually sits.The total: 145 guns, including dozens of shotguns and rifles spread out on the kitchen floor, next to the refrigerator, and dozens of handguns arrayed on the counter, where the church’s coffee pot usually sits.
As schoolchildren headed home by cutting through a path behind the church, the two security professionals cataloged the guns and used plastic twists to lock and disengage the weapons. They packed the guns in bags and carried them out to the trunk of Mr. Brooks’s white sedan.As schoolchildren headed home by cutting through a path behind the church, the two security professionals cataloged the guns and used plastic twists to lock and disengage the weapons. They packed the guns in bags and carried them out to the trunk of Mr. Brooks’s white sedan.
The car pulled away from the church, bound for a police station, its back end sagging slightly under the weight.The car pulled away from the church, bound for a police station, its back end sagging slightly under the weight.