Looking For Answers

[Lynda]

Last evening my husband and I attended a local Tea Party meeting; not my usual thing, but he goes. It was primarily about Second Amendment rights and the featured speaker was Representative Bryan Fattman(R), not my district but instrumental in filing legislation on Beacon Hill that affect MA citizens.

I listened to him speak, listened to the members express their concerns about the proposed legislation underway in MA which are public scrutiny of mental health records, liability insurance for gun owners, outrageous sales taxes on firearms and ammunition, the limiting of rounds from the current 10 to a magazine(effective 1998) unless the weapon was purchased prior(allows for 15 per magazine) and tighter background checks and the tossing around of the idea that the state should be the issuing authority and not local police chiefs.

While acknowledging that yes, indeed, this seems to be a gun confiscation effort state wide and nation wide, I came away more frustrated than when I went in.
I pressed him for answers that he could not supply. No one else can either even though they are responsible for considering these filed legislative pieces.

Who will be providing the insurance coverage? No one knows.
Why does it take an inordinate amount of time to RENEW LTCs when the law clearly states 40 days? And that's for initial licensing. He was told lack of funding.
How do they gain access to confidential health care records and who will be perusing them? That's not really clear.

I can't blame Representative Fattman as he is firmly against these proposals and also acknowledged that the leading Democrat in the House(Represenative Brewer) is not anti-gun and is a close personal friend of a head honcho in GOAL in MA. So we're dependent on friendship?

He, and another rep) have made it clear that this process will take at least two years because it needs to be "studied" by the MA legislature.

When I again pressed him about this time period and expressed my concern about the FEDERAL mandates and the impact it will have on state laws he had no answer.


Clearly we are not the only state involved in punitive legislation. Clearly there are strange bedfellows in politics.


Out of the 30 odd people attending this meeting only five had their licenses to carry. While I realize that carrying a firearm is a personal choice and the Second Amendment doesn't require one to be armed, I was a bit taken aback that so few people were exercising their right to do so yet were adamantly opposed to these proposed infringements.

I was also disheartened to see a letter drafted to Martha Coakley, Attorney General of MA, "imploring" her to uphold the Constitution, an oath she took when she assumed this office, asking her ever so politely," please, ma'am, will you be nice enough to take a stand against these proposals?"

Why are we asking and not demanding?

The time has come to dig in our heels, end these lackluster objections to the endless chipping away of our rights and stop being so civil about it. I'm not advocating armed rebellion and I'm not advocating breaking the law or taking the law into our hands.

The sad reality is that at some point it may very well come to this. Did you think you'd ever see the day?


It was an eye opening evening.

[sageprice]

Ben Franklin -- "The Masses are Asses"

[Arkiepharmer]

20 years ago I would have never believed I would see the day when we would have states that outlaw guns and legalize pot. These are crazy times.

[Das Sheep]

Pot falls into the bread and games category. I doubt many pot smokers violently protest.

[Fenix]

Pot falls into the bread and games category. I doubt many pot smokers violently protest.

They are too busy chewing on a pop-tart to protest.

[Lynda]

20 years ago I would have never believed I would see the day when we would have states that outlaw guns and legalize pot. These are crazy times.

They are indeed. After speaking with local LE to clarify a point of law I came away with the impression that the local area police chiefs, including mine, were not too keen on the proposed legislation and would be disinclined to chase after we "criminals" who own firearms. In fact, in the past, I've found them to be most helpful when I needed guidance and assistance.

[HDMM]

20 years ago I would have never believed I would see the day when we would have states that outlaw guns and legalize pot. These are crazy times.

I agree

[allen123]

20 years ago I would have never believed I would see the day when we would have states that outlaw guns and legalize pot. These are crazy times.

They are indeed. After speaking with local LE to clarify a point of law I came away with the impression that the local area police chiefs, including mine, were not too keen on the proposed legislation and would be disinclined to chase after we "criminals" who own firearms. In fact, in the past, I've found them to be most helpful when I needed guidance and assistance.

this is true where I live as well. as a younger man my friends and I were in to our share of mischief and had a stigma we associated the police with. as i've matured a bit, i've learned that treating LE as respected service members and citizens of our great land will get you way more mileage than avoiding and fearing them.

being a law abiding gun owner who knows my rights puts me in a much better light than most folks in the eyes of our local LE. the sheriff is an avid gun enthusiast and supports open/concealed carry and 2nd amendment rights. it will be interesting to see what happens if for some reason NC decides to take up any kind of ban or restrictions. i can't see it, but stranger things...

[HDMM]

Pot falls into the bread and games category. I doubt many pot smokers violently protest.

They are too busy chewing on a pop-tart to protest.

Mire than likely Cheetos