Chapter 180 "Boston Tea Party 2008"

[GOAL]

Chapter 180 "Boston Tea Party 2008"

July 23, 2008 will mark the ten year anniversary of the signing of the 1998 Gun Control Act by Acting Governor Paul Cellucci. In last month’s edition of The OutdoorMessage™, we outlined what has become known as the “Decade of Disaster” that was created by the passage of Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998. It is no secret that these ill-conceived laws have done nothing to reduce crime or violence, instead the opposite is true. The erosion of our rights as citizens and the ever increasing violence on our streets is proof positive that change is needed. To mark the ten year anniversary, GOAL is urging our members to send the message to our elected officials that we are still waiting for meaningful reform if not outright repeal of Chapter 180.

We are asking our members to take a symbolic step by sending the note below to your local legislators, along with a Tea Bag. July 23, 2008 will be known as the Chapter 180 “Boston Tea Party 2008”. Our forefathers dumped tea into Boston Harbor to protest unfair taxes. So too will you be protesting the unfair treatment we all receive as lawful gun owners.

GOAL recommends that our members plan accordingly so letters arrive at the State House on July 23, 2008. As a reminder, your letter may take some additional postage and time to get to its destination. On July 23, 2008 let’s all send the message that these laws need to dumped!

Click Here for PDF Format
http://www.goal.org/PDF/BostonTeaParty2008.pdf



Boston Tea Party 2008



Dear Legislator,

In 1773 a group of our forefathers - tired of unfair laws and

taxes - dumped a shipload of tea into Boston harbor in

what is now known as the Boston Tea Party. Today I, a

lawful citizen of the Commonwealth, am sending you this

tea bag as a symbol of my protest against the taxation of

my civil rights and the unfair laws that have resulted in the

persecution of lawful gun owners. July 23, 2008 is the ten

year anniversary of the passage of the “Worst in the

Nation” gun laws, during which lawful citizens have been

stripped of their civil rights and crime has risen out of

control creating a “Decade of Disaster”. I ask you to do

whatever is necessary to reform the state’s gun laws with

respect to the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms.



Signed, a lawful citizen:____________________________

 

[Fsorrent]

ME Likes it!

 

[m44]

Hey if I wasn't underage (Im only 13) I would send a letter. I also still need to get a GOAL membership. Thats next on my list I just sent out my NES membership so next GOAL then the NRA .

 

[Dirtypacman]

I will be doing this - just reviewed the article in the GOAL members monthly this morning.

 

[Fsorrent]

Hey if I wasn't underage (Im only 13) I would send a letter. I also still need to get a GOAL membership. Thats next on my list I just sent out my NES membership so next GOAL then the NRA .

You have to be a particular age to send a piece of mail?

 

[Fsorrent]

Which legislators should we be sending these to?

 

[Mike-Mike]

I am in!

 

[m44]

You have to be a particular age to send a piece of mail?

No but, I believe you do have to be a voter to send a letter to a representative complaining about laws but I might be wrong wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Admin]

No but, I believe you do have to be a voter to send a letter to a representative complaining about laws but I might be wrong wouldn't be the first time.

Have one of your parents do it.

 

[m44]

Have one of your parents do it.

I already asked and they said yes .

 

[bostonshovel]

awesome..im in.

 

[drumenigma]

There's another kind of "tea bag" that I would like to give to the Mass officials. I think it would really send the message that we're a little disgruntled by their failure to do a good job.

 

[EddieCoyle]

What's going to happen when the state house starts to receive a bunch of suspicious bulgy-looking letters?

 

[Mike-Mike]

What's going to happen when the state house starts to receive a bunch of suspicious bulgy-looking letters?

Good point. I bet they are already aware of the protest but we need to do it anyway.

 

[Fsorrent]

What's going to happen when the state house starts to receive a bunch of suspicious bulgy-looking letters?

HMMM.....How bout instead of Tea, we send bags of flour!

 

[jar]

I'm torn on the idea. I like the concept of a mass protest, but I think the tea bag thing is kinda silly. My first thought is that a 22LR case would be great, but obviously that's got legal issues. I'll at least write some letters, if I can come up with one that doesn't read like a threat.

 

[Chris]

HMMM.....How bout instead of Tea, we send bags of flour!

Nah, but I like a little milk in my tea, so maybe some of that powdered creamer...

Seriously, JUST the teabag please.

 

[matt1956]

What's going to happen when the state house starts to receive a bunch of suspicious bulgy-looking letters?

that was my thought too... sad that sending them a tea bag could potentially lead to some folks being prosecuted... but think of the media mess that would bring to the state.

Still think it's a great idea.

 

[Fsorrent]

Nah, but I like a little milk in my tea, so maybe some of that powdered creamer...

Seriously, JUST the teabag please.

Yea, the white powder stuff probably wouldn't fly! Or we could send gun powder and when it reaches them...... I'll stop right there. kidding obviously.

 

[BOBKATT]

Awesome, I'm in. This is a great idea.

 

[Nickle]

Have one of your parents do it.

Nope, have BOTH of them do it, if the ywill.

 

[rwl1955]

Tea Bag

Awesome, I'm in. This is a great idea.

*******
Me too. I typed up my letter and just bought 2 teabags to send to my 2 State reps. I will send the letters to their Campaign offices instead of the State House.

 

[Negotiator]

that was my thought too... sad that sending them a tea bag could potentially lead to some folks being prosecuted... but think of the media mess that would bring to the state.

Still think it's a great idea.

While I think the letter is a good idea, the tea bag is questionable. I have a few contacts in the anti terrorist community who would caution against sending tea bags to the State House. Here’s why:

Let’s assume the legislators are aware of the campaign, are aware it’s being coordinated by our esteemed friends at GOAL, and decide to use the opportunity for political purposes, post Heller, then this could backfire. Lots of envelopes with suspect pouches inside would call in Homeland Security and the State house would be in a SWAT lockdown before you can say 1776. Then, the envelopes would be opened and the systematic “terrorist” letter attack would be revealed as harmless teabags but sent in by all those gun crazies that want laws on gun control repealed. Ugly political own goal on part of gun community if the legislators want to make political capital out of it, such as pointing out the irresponsible - and disruptive ( as you can bet the state house would be evacuated and Channel Five would have a field day) mailing of suspicious packages via the US mail .

Worse still is the above with the legislators ignorant of the campaign – the State house would be locked down, evacuated and all the suspect letters collected by HLS and the FBI…

I applaud the idea, but letters only I think if we want to avoid either a political misstep or mistaken terror attack scenario playing out.

 

[atmay]

One thing to maybe help avoid being labeled as terrorists....

Cut a corner of the teabag, empty out most of the tea leaves, so itll sit pretty well flat in the envelope.


Idk, might work, might not.

 

[Nitro]

lawsuits would probably speak louder then teabags

 

[wahsben]

You could cut off the cardboard piece that you hold when dunking the tea bag in the cup and send that in the envelope.

 

[dwarven1]

that was my thought too... sad that sending them a tea bag could potentially lead to some folks being prosecuted... but think of the media mess that would bring to the state.

Still think it's a great idea.

While I think the letter is a good idea, the tea bag is questionable. I have a few contacts in the anti terrorist community who would caution against sending tea bags to the State House. Here’s why:

Let’s assume the legislators are aware of the campaign, are aware it’s being coordinated by our esteemed friends at GOAL, and decide to use the opportunity for political purposes, post Heller, then this could backfire. Lots of envelopes with suspect pouches inside would call in Homeland Security and the State house would be in a SWAT lockdown before you can say 1776. Then, the envelopes would be opened and the systematic “terrorist” letter attack would be revealed as harmless teabags but sent in by all those gun crazies that want laws on gun control repealed. Ugly political own goal on part of gun community if the legislators want to make political capital out of it, such as pointing out the irresponsible - and disruptive ( as you can bet the state house would be evacuated and Channel Five would have a field day) mailing of suspicious packages via the US mail .

Worse still is the above with the legislators ignorant of the campaign – the State house would be locked down, evacuated and all the suspect letters collected by HLS and the FBI…

I applaud the idea, but letters only I think if we want to avoid either a political misstep or mistaken terror attack scenario playing out.

You're kidding, right? Just send the damn thing - only a paranoid gunny in this state could construe a lawful protest - sending a perfectly legal item - into a SWAT lockdown. (given how we've been abused over the years).

Well, too f***ing bad. If some idiot mail clerk gets upset about a little Earl Grey, tough. My teabags will be awaiting July 21 when I'll put them in the mail. Grow a pair and send yours in, too.

 

[Riverside]

Hey if I wasn't underage (Im only 13) I would send a letter. I also still need to get a GOAL membership. Thats next on my list I just sent out my NES membership so next GOAL then the NRA .

I could be wrong young fellow but I believe you have every right to contact your representatives whether you are eligible to vote or not. They are there to represent the citizens in their districts. You are a citizen the moment you take your first breath if your parents are citizens. Many adults are eligible to vote but don't. They too, are supposed to be represented. How well the representation is evolves into another whole category. I applaud you for being involved. Sign and send your own letter and send the tea bag as well.
It is really sad when folks think that sending a tea bag to elected representatives will get them in trouble. How far have we come to reach this stage in our democracy when we fear tossing tea into the state house?
Best Regards.

 

[Mike508]

I could be wrong young fellow but I believe you have every right to contact your representatives whether you are eligible to vote or not. They are there to represent the citizens in their districts. You are a citizen the moment you take your first breath if your parents are citizens. Many adults are eligible to vote but don't. They too, are supposed to be represented. How well the representation is evolves into another whole category. I applaud you for being involved. Sign and send your own letter and send the tea bag as well.
It is really sad when folks think that sending a tea bag to elected representatives will get them in trouble. How far have we come to reach this stage in our democracy when we fear tossing tea into the state house?
Best Regards.

Unless I'm mistaken, you're a US citizen the moment you're born on US soil regardless of the citizenship of your parents. We call them Anchor Babies.

 

[doobie]

Can out of staters take part?