Thursday, April 11, 2013
Mostly pro-gun control experts weighed in at the discussion, part of the senator's 'Policy Forum Series.'
Numerous experts from throughout the commonwealth weighed in on gun control issues during a forum held in Malden by Stoneham's state Sen. Katherine Clark Wednesday night. The panel mostly spoke of the benefits of increased gun control, and the challenges faced by policymakers at the state and federal level. The panel also accepted questions from the audience during a Q&A session. "This is a topic brought to the forefront (here) by continued acts of violence, both on the news and right here in our community," Malden Mayor Gary Christenson said. Panelists included Christenson, State Rep. David Linsky, Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis, Harvard professor David Hemenway, "Stop Handgun Violence" founder John Rosenthal, as well as Dawn Tringas …
Friday, April 5, 2013
Protesters urged lawmakers not to pass Gov. Patrick's proposed gun control bill.
Taking aim at Democrats, the media and others they say are attacking the Second Amendment, hundreds of gun rights activists gathered on the Boston Common Wednesday afternoon to rally to fight a bill that would tighten gun control. "Every time the government passes new gun control laws it creates a problem," Ying Li, an engineer who participated in the 1989 pro-democracy protests centered on Beijing's Tiananmen Square, told the crowd. The rally was organized by the Gun Owners' Action League and was partly in response to new gun control measures being considered at the State House, including Gov. Deval Patrick's bill to limit firearm purchases to one a month, reduce access to high-powered rounds of ammunition and require background checks …
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Warren is sponsoring three bills that would support gun control reform, a gun buyer background check, and making gun trafficking a federal crime.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Senator Elizabeth Warren discussed gun violence prevention on Friday, championing reforms including a criminal background check on anyone buying a gun in the country. "Now is the time to turn words into actions, to line up supporters and to mobilize all Americans behind common sense gun reform," Menino said after walking to the podium with a cane at the Parkman House. Menino joked with Warren, calling her the "senior" senator of Massachusetts, then turned serious about three major points key to gun violence prevention: Warren said she's sponsored three bills being unveiled next week that support those three points. Senator Charles Schumer, D-NY, is filing the Fix Gun Checks Act to close the gap in current …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Gov. Deval Patrick unveiled legislation on Wednesday that would tighten gun control laws in Massachusetts while increasing funding for mental health services and enhance background checks. Is this sensible, or reactionary?
Are new proposed laws regarding guns in Massachusetts and mental health services sensible and pragmatic steps, or reactionary measures that won't increase safety? Gov. Deval Patrick introduced new legislation Wednesday along those lines in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, CT. "I am encouraged by the palpable consensus in our Legislature that the time for action is now. All of us must pull in the same direction to bring about real change in this state and across the country," Patrick said in a press release. The bill would require gun purchasers to undergo background checks at gun shows, reduce access to high-powered rounds of ammunition, and limit licensed individuals to purchasing a maximum of one gun per month. Punishments …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Congressman Ed Markey sent a letter to Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday calling for a new assault weapons ban and improved background checks, among other measures.
Congressman Ed Markey sent a letter to the vice president Wednesday with proposed recommendations for his task force on guns. In the letter (attached), the Malden Democrat who represents Stoneham in the U.S. House asks Joe Biden to consider recommending “a new assault weapons ban that includes all semi-automatic weapons capable of accommodating an ammunition magazine greater than 10 rounds.” He also asks the vice president to consider “a ban on ‘drums’ or ‘magazines’ of ammunition that can carry more than 10 bullets, which were used to deadly effect in both the Newtown and Aurora kilings.” “These are weapons designed for war – not for hunting or protecting one’s home – and have no purpose except to kill as many people as possible without …
Monday, December 10, 2012
A Massachusetts gun owners group is lobbying for passage of a bill that would confer lifetime gun licenses—no renewals necessary.
Way too much red tape. That's the complaint of the Gun Owners’ Action League of Massachusetts, a group that is urging passage of a law that would abolish the requirement of having to renew a gun permit every six years, according to the Boston Herald. For comparison, Massachusetts vehicle drivers' licenses need to be renewed every five years. But the league says local police cannot keep up with timely gun permit renewals, and legitimate gunowners go license-less until the cops get time to do the paperwork. The law now allows 40 days for turning around license applications. In Boston, almost 1,000 people have applied for gun permits so far this year, with waits running about 10 weeks, the Herald quotes police spokeswoman Cheryl Fiandaca as …
Monday, August 6, 2012
Some of the state's top advocates for gun laws spoke at a press conference oN Thursday.
Do assault weapons and large ammunition clips need to be banned again in the U.S.? Advocates of expanding gun laws in Massachusetts, including some top law enforcement officials, spoke on the subject Thursday in Boston, according to the Boston Herald. Those who spoke at the Art Institute Boston included the State Public Safety Secretary, a State Police Major, Boston's Police Commissioner and the chairman of Stop Handgun Violence, a nonprofit that supports further gun control, according to the Herald. They asked Sen. Scott Brown and others in congress to end their opposition to a ban of assault rifles and high volume ammunition clips. A spokesmen for Brown told the Boston Globe that the Senator believes such control should be up to states. …
wayne pollard
12:40 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
Funny how none of these brilliant leaders have held public forums on economic growth, job stimulus, business initiatives, etc... Probably because it's not the 'hot issue of the month'.....I have an idea; Let's demand background checks on anyone running for public office...now wouldn't that be interesting.... more ›