Massachusetts Emergency Powers Legislation Needs Your Help!

[ronbok]

State Senator Richard Moore (D-Worcester and Norfolk) has proposed Senate Bill 1401, legislation that would prohibit law enforcement or government officials from confiscating the "lawfully owned or lawfully carried" firearms of citizens during a declared state of emergency. S.1401 would also penalize those officials who choose to ignore this law and attempt to confiscate firearms.

Please contact your State Legislators today at (617) 722-2000 and respectfully urge them to write a letter to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, asking that S.1401 be released with a favorable report before the holiday break.

Contact information can be found by visiting http://www.mass.gov/legis/citytown.htm.

The Norfolk County League of Sportsmen's Clubs has responded with the letter posted on our website here and here on Northeastshooters.

 

[sy32478]

Not to belittle the effort, but isn't the confiscation of any legally owned property theft ?

If so, why would we need extra legislation be necessary when the existing laws would provide for the same treatment afforded all robbers, thieves, and burglars ?

Oh, right! This is mASSachussets.

 

[MetalgodZ]

Yes, it'd be theft, but when has that stopped government confiscation of anything?

If they're investigating a computer crime, they seize anything electronic and all media. Good luck getting it back...Even if you're found innocent, or are never charged.
If they're investigating a drug crime, they seize anything you possess (up to and including your house) and sell it. Good luck buying it back or getting compensated...Even if you're found innocent, or are never charged.
In LA after the hurricane, they were not only actively seizing guns from people, but they were going into houses of registered gun owners and taking them. Any bets as to who got them back?

The crap that's been passed since 2001 along with the already defined powers of the government during a time of "national emergency" combine to give almost unlimited power to seize, arrest, jail, etc. It's a very good idea to push this locally, since you're never going to see a shred of protectional federally.

Edit: Moore is my Senator anyway, so reason to send him a letter to give him a nudge on his own bill, but I took the time to do so for Paul Kujawski (Webster), and I'll post up any responses I get.

 

[b79holmes]

did mine

I sent emails to my sate officials last week after the a GOAL email.
I kept it very generic to not come across as a gun nut as I think my rep & senator may be a little left of moderate.

 

[WayneWong]

Done.

Emails launched.

Wong Way Wayne Wong

 

[PaulD]

I sent emails to my sate officials last week after the a GOAL email.
I kept it very generic to not come across as a gun nut as I think my rep & senator may be a little left of moderate.

Could you post here the basics of what you wrote? I'd like to email my reps too but I'd like to make it sound reasonable to them.

Thanks.

 

[Underwhere]

i'm not really an activist nor really don't have a great understanding on how to make one's voice heard by our representatives...but do you think emails are actually read by our elected officials?

Is there a better way to voice our opinions?

 

[Len-2A Training]

Letters and phone calls are paid attention to. In many cases they almost ignore Email and Fax unless it is from someone they actually know.

Told to me by some legislators and their aides.

 

[Coyote33]

I sent emails to my sate officials last week after the a GOAL email.
I kept it very generic to not come across as a gun nut as I think my rep & senator may be a little left of moderate.

There was a "GOAL email"?

While you are at it on this one, there is a list somewhere of other good bills.

 

[Len-2A Training]

GOAL sends Email alerts to Club Reps and Activists.

I do not believe they send Email alerts to all members, as many would complain of Spam and perhaps quit the org.

 

[dixidawg]

I don't qualify as either, but have recently gladly received emails from GOAL. If you would like to receive the emails I suggest you contact them and ask.

 

[calsdad]

Ah yes - another law. That is sure to stop them when the time comes and they want to go around collecting your firearms. That whole constitution thing sure worked well down in New Orleans when they tried gun confiscation down there.

Seems to me the more effective response to this type of behavior is ignorance and outright lying - as in: " Gee officer - I didn't think that you would be coming around to collect my pesky firearms - so I gave them all to my cousin Billy Bob up in New Hampshire for safe keeping - your'e welcome to go up there and try to collect them from him - but he doesn't take too kindly to that kind of stuff".

 

[MetalgodZ]

Ah yes - another law. That is sure to stop them when the time comes and they want to go around collecting your firearms. That whole constitution thing sure worked well down in New Orleans when they tried gun confiscation down there.

Yeah, I know...If TSHTF ever, it's not going to matter, but it's looking to be a short law, in plain language, which addresses a very specific prohibition without allowing to too much bending of the interpretation. If we could only get more of this type to replace the poorly defined, loosely worded laws which are passed again and again...

" Gee officer - I didn't think that you would be coming around to collect my pesky firearms - so I gave them all to my cousin Billy Bob up in New Hampshire for safe keeping - your'e welcome to go up there and try to collect them from him - but he doesn't take too kindly to that kind of stuff".

That'd be my response too, but I still wrote the letter. No sense in complaining without attempting to right things.

 

[Coyote33]

GOAL sends Email alerts to Club Reps and Activists.

I do not believe they send Email alerts to all members, as many would complain of Spam and perhaps quit the org.

I don't qualify as either, but have recently gladly received emails from GOAL. If you would like to receive the emails I suggest you contact them and ask.

I used to get their alerts, which is why I was asking, since I did not this time around.

 

[sy32478]

Yes, it'd be theft, but when has that stopped government confiscation of anything?

Again - not to be negative or belittle the effort but . . .

If they aren't going to follow what is plainly in the U.S. or Massachusetts Constitutions, why would one more law make a difference ?

I see it in the same way as we argue with anti-2s that one more gun control law won't prevent criminals from possessing firearms.

 

[Firetarr]

State Senator Richard Moore (D-Worcester and Norfolk) has proposed Senate Bill 1401, legislation that would prohibit law enforcement or government officials from confiscating the "lawfully owned or lawfully carried" firearms of citizens during a declared state of emergency. S.1401 would also penalize those officials who choose to ignore this law and attempt to confiscate firearms.

Please contact your State Legislators today at (617) 722-2000 and respectfully urge them to write a letter to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, asking that S.1401 be released with a favorable report before the holiday break.

Holy sheepshit!!! A dem working(however inocculous) FOR the Second Ammendment? In Massachusetts? Holy Shit!!

 

[Len-2A Training]

Richard Moore is a standup guy and attends each year's GOAL banquet.

Not every D is evil, just like not every R is a friend of ours.

 

[PaulD]

Holy sheepshit!!! A dem working(however inocculous) FOR the Second Ammendment? In Massachusetts? Holy Shit!!

Bill Richardson is better on 2A stuff than many of the Republican presidential candidates.

 

[Firetarr]

I am glad he is a stand up guy(it's about time a politician was), I was just blindsided by it.