Gun buy-back unproductive

Why is The Catholic Review (April 29) sponsoring the political action of a gun buy-back and claiming tax-exempt status for that action? From the other article on that page, your peers in the regional media rewarded you with two first prizes for what is an immaterial effort, based on the numbers and timeline cited in your article. I do not accept the premise of your opening paragraph that you are stemming “gun violence in the city.”

Too few guns were purchased over the years. There are many motivations why a gun would be turned in for cash, and they are not limited to a desire for a peaceful city. The anonymous turn in could be a great way to fence a stolen gun or launder a weapon used in a crime. If you are interested in reducing illegal gun violence, allow citizens to own guns openly and without harassment. Lawful gun ownership has better results than gun bans and respects the constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to own weapons. Furthermore, legitimate defense can be a grave duty, as discussed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 2263, 2264, and 2265.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.