Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more absurd… in comes Massachusetts and says, “Hold my beer.”
As if to prove to the world they weren’t quite restrictive enough in their approach to gun laws, Massachusetts recently passed some of the most intrusive and likely unconstitutional, anti-gun laws in the country. And if you believe their legislators (hint - you should), they’re proud of the fact that they did it and know full well they’ll get sued. If only we could all be so cavalier with the use of taxpayer funds to fight lawsuits for things we don’t happen to like or understand.
Massachusetts is already involved in ongoing litigation regarding their previous ban on so-called “assault weapons.” This new effort upped the ante on the rules surrounding that previous legislation and threw in some unconstitutional age-based gun bans, a ban on all magazines over 10 rounds, and while they were at it, put in place some overzealous licensing and training requirements for citizens to be able to even exercise their 2nd Amendment rights. In so doing, Massachusetts will effectively create a searchable database of gun owners, putting gun owner privacy at serious risk. And to cap it all off, if you plan to do business as a retailer in Massachusetts, you’ll have to share with the state a list of every firearm you have in inventory before you’ll even be allowed to sell it. That’s if you don’t go broke because you have a store full of now banned inventory it’s a crime to own. It’s a bureaucratic and policy nightmare.
What the legislation doesn’t do, however, is anything to actually stop crime or hold responsible anyone who uses a firearm for criminal purposes. More laws, more regulation, more red tape and none of it directed at the problem, criminals and criminal activity. You simply can’t make it up. If it weren’t so serious, and if it weren’t going to cost the industry boatloads of cash to fight it in court, it would be laughable. Instead, it’s another disgusting abuse of power and wasteful appropriation of tax dollars in defense of new laws to take away more of your rights.
The whole thing has me a bit frustrated. I hope you’re fired up by it too. We all should be. The Supreme Court is working overtime to clarify your rights and abilities to secure and use firearms, only to have to apparently repeat themselves over and over because the “toddlers” wouldn’t take no for an answer. There used to be a time when the law of the land was just that, the law. Now it seems if folks just shout loudly enough, repeatedly, it will force the Supreme Court to reconsider. Or even worse, they simply plan to ignore the court and don’t care any longer. Make it make sense.
Folks, this is why every single time we send someone to represent us at the local, state or federal level, it matters. People often tell me that local school board, city council or county commission races are irrelevant. That’s just simply not true. The major parties are always concerned with electability. The candidates who find success and get elected, even for what seem like unimportant races, who build their name recognition and finance networks, often move up the ranks. Someone who wants to take away your rights is much easier to beat in races that may seem inconsequential. But soon enough, these politicians rise to higher ranks and gain more popularity. Their electability increases and next thing you know, they sit at the top and everyone scratches their heads wondering how in the world they ever got elected. I challenge you to review a resume of just about any politician. Most of them have been involved in politics at another level.
We need to stop excusing politicians for their misguided and misaligned priorities and we need to vote. Primary election turnout in Kansas this year wasn’t even 25% of voters. We are allowing 1/4 of eligible voters to decide the fate of our future? If you didn’t vote, why not? You can hardly expect to be represented by people who believe what you believe if you don’t even bother to show up.
The shooting sports industry represents millions upon millions of people who use their firearms for lawful purposes. Our rights are at stake and grow more precarious with each and every election. We need to rise up and demand that our political leaders stop wasting our hard earned money so they can feel good about themselves and pretend like they’re actually doing something to stop violence. We need to get out the vote and make sure our voices are heard, loud and clear.
It’s always frustrating to me when people say to me, “Well, I’m just one vote and it doesn’t matter.” I’d be a rich man indeed if I had a dollar for every race that seems to come down to just a few votes. I’ve witnessed a major US Senate race come down to 524 votes, out of 334,000 cast. I’ve seen school board and city election votes with the margin of victory in the single digits. It happens all the time.
If you didn’t vote in the primaries or your local races this year, please make a point to do so next time. If you don’t have plans to vote in November, please reconsider. Pay a visit to the NSSF’s GUNVOTE website at www.gunvote.org to get educated and get registered to vote. Then bring your family, friends and neighbors to the polls. Give someone a ride if they need it. Elections are too consequential for us to sit on the sidelines. Make your voice heard and make your vote count. It matters.
Until next time,
Kenyon Gleason
NASGW President