On December 16, Leominster, MA will play host to their annual gun buyback program. As per normal with these programs, the plan is to exchange gift cards for firearms.

Leominster residents may go to the Leominster Police Department between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Dec. 16.

The yearly Goods for Guns program in Worcester is sponsored by both UMass Memorial Hospital and Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early Jr.’s office.

Dr. Michael Hirsch is the medical director for Worcester’s Division of Public Health, as well as a pediatric trauma surgeon and longtime gun safety advocate.

“This isn’t just about crime,” Hirsch said. “It’s about public health.”

Turn in an operable gun and receive:

• Semi-automatic weapon: $75 gift certificate to a local merchant.

• Handgun: $50 gift certificate to a local merchant.

• Long gun: $25 gift certificate to a local merchant.

Also accepted are non-operable guns, live ammunition and firearm accessories (no gift certificates issued). Anonymity is ensured; no names will be asked, and no gun registrations will be required.

Of course, as per normal, I expect that they’ll get a bunch of junk guns that while technically operable are probably a bigger hazard to the shooter than the target. There will likely be a few decent guns in the mix from people who are just clueless as to what they have or what to do with it now that they no longer care about it.

What it won’t do is anything about guns in the hands of criminals.

Seriously, what kind of moron really thinks these programs disarm bad people? Come on, they can use the gun to knock over one liquor store on a Friday night and make more than that. Why would they give up the tools of their trade for such pathetic offerings?

Time and again, these programs happen and everyone pats themselves on the back over how they’re doing good work, meanwhile, it does nothing to address anything like actual problems. Nothing that prevents people from joining gangs or engaging in armed robbery, drug dealing, nothing.

But for gun grabbers–the people who support these programs so vehemently–it’s never been about actually combating violence. It’s all about the dog & pony show, the act of looking like you’re accomplishing great things without having to actually do anything meaningful.

In the meantime, the rest of us will be training with our firearms, guns that won’t show up at any buyback program in our lifetimes, and will provide an actual disincentive for criminals by being armed and vigilant.

Maybe someday someone will see these programs as an opportunity, though. Use the buyback program to get the guns, then provide them at no cost to law-abiding people who live in high crime neighborhoods. If that happened, I have little doubt that the thugs would decide quickly that they have no interest in sticking around.

But this lets some leftists feel better about themselves, gives clueless people a way to offload firearm related items they don’t want anymore without going through the effort of looking for a buyer who would pay fair market value, and gives us something to mock.

I guess everyone wins, in a way.