From: joeha@microsoft.com (Joseph Harper)
Subject: Update: Seattle Gun Buy-Back
Date: 04 Sep 92 20:42:02 GMT
Organization: Microsoft Corp.
Keywords: ugh

Further news of the Seattle Buy-back program.

This is for information and discussion purposes since I
don't believe in what Stop the Violence, First
Interstate Bank and the Seattle Police Department are
doing.

All typos are again of my own fumbled doing.
==========

Reprinted without permission.

Seattle Times, Thursday, September 3, 1992, front page:

Sponsors of Seattle's gun buyback program received an
anonymous gift of $25,000 today -- enough to restart
the program after the Labor Day weekend.

A happy James Kelly, president of Stop the Violence,
the sponsoring group, said he received an offer this
morning "from a businessman who wants to remain
anonymous with a contribution of $25,000 to the gun
buy-back.  We are going to pick up the check."

The program was brought to a halt yesterday after
sponsors ran out of money.  At the time it closed down
just before noon, 415 handguns had been turned in to
four Seattle police precincts.  Donors were given bank
vouchers redeemable for $50 a gun.

Kelly said today's benefactor said he "believed in the
program and wants to do whatever necessary to start it
up again."

Yesterday, Kelly and members of his steering committee
said they would restart the buyback as soon as at least
$10,000 had been raised and banked.

Kelly said the group is deciding now when exactly to
restart the program.  The group will continue raising
money over the weekend and start back up after Labor
Day.

The program, aimed at getting handguns off the streets
and out of the hands of young people, offered a $50
bank voucher, no questions asked, to anyone who turned
in a weapon at a Seattle police precinct.

The sponsors had set a goal of raising $100,000 --
enough to buy back 2,000 weapons.

But by noon yesterday, the unexpectedly big turnout had
gobbled up the $20,000 donated by corporations and
individuals.

The pace of yesterday's turn-ins was twice that of the
first day, when 204 weapons were brought in between 9
AM and 6 PM.

The original plan was to run the program through Sept.
15.

A buyback program in St. Louis found itself in a
situation similar to Seattle's, collecting about 1,200
guns in two days and running out of money, Kelly said. 
The program was rescued by donations from a local
business leader and by extra police funds.

Kay Godefroy, executive director of the Seattle
Neighborhood Group, which handles the financial end of
the buy-back program, said yesterday,  "We're going to
be phoning people we've contacted before or who have
turned us down" to drum up support.

Of the four Seattle police precincts, the North and
South stations gathered the most weapons.

A total of 127 were dropped off at the North precinct
and 120 at the South.  The East precinct collected 108
and the West 60.

The vouchers, which do not require a signature to cash,
are redeemable at any branch of First Interstate Bank.

--End--

==========

BeginMyComments:

So, the "benefactor" businessman wishes to remain
anonymous.  And the list of businesses that have
donated has not been made public.

Question of the day: You don't suppose it's because
they are worried at losing business, do you?

And as an added bonus, guess which bank I will not be
doing business with?  (Sorry, only one guess per reader
allowed.  Those familiar with my sarcastic wit are not
eligible to play.)

EndMyComments
==========

RevolverMan
joeha@microsoft.com
**************************************************
I may not agree with your use of a high-capacity,
anemic-powered, magazine fed, unreliable, peanut
butter and jamamatic, self-shucking, semi-automatic,
cruntchenticker -- but I'll defend unto death your
right to carry it.
**************************************************
My thoughts.  You can't have them.  Thppppt!