Boston launches site: "Owning a firearm in Boston"

[PATRON]

Well then they have to take the test over again.

 

[garandman]

Frankly, if you can't past the test, I sure as hell don't want to be around you. There are people who go out there (mostly "security guards") who don't even know how to load the revolver, eject casings, or what a sight picture is.

 

[bill o]

Frankly, if you can't past the test, I sure as hell don't want to be around you. There are people who go out there (mostly "security guards") who don't even know how to load the revolver, eject casings, or what a sight picture is.

My wife has arthritis and can't even grip a revolver well enough to fire it. She didn't even try when we lived in Boston.

 

[kalash]

Frankly, if you can't past the test, I sure as hell don't want to be around you. There are people who go out there (mostly "security guards") who don't even know how to load the revolver, eject casings, or what a sight picture is.

Even if the rest is arguably easy, there still shouldn't be a test to begin with. Also, it's not so easy if someone had never fired a gun before.

 

[SKumar]

The online guide is a way to “proactively engage legal gun owners as partners in public safety efforts,” the city said in a statement.

If they gave two shits about public safety efforts, they would look at the inverse correlation between gun ownership and violent crime rates. NYPD is limited to 15rd mags for their G17s and they made a big fuss about their safety, so why doesn't the same apply to the safety of citizens?

Until proven otherwise, I believe this is just a PR stunt to gain trust between (potential) gun owners and the city government. I do give them credit for doing something rather than nothing.

 

[GlockJock]

When I was still in Boston the only person worth talking to was the licensing officer, John McDonough iirc. He is the one and only person that decides the fate your license and he does NOT give out unrestricted easily. I think you're ok if you move to Boston and already have unrestricted, I don't think they downgrade you; otherwise, have fun jumping through hoops for years.

McDonough? Yup. But he's like Mary effin Poppins compared to Scobee back in the day....

 

[GlockJock]

Isn't requiring a license to merely possess let alone carry a firearm an infringement of the 2nd?? How is this any different from a poll tax or poll test?? And for the record I don't necessarily oppose poll taxes/tests as they aren't restricted via the Constitution/BOR.

The simple word "requiring" being mentioned in the same sentence as "infringement" basically answers your own question, no?... and I'd say it's different from a poll tax cuz with a tax, you can "bite the bullet" (pun intended) and just reach into your wallet and pay the tax... But you can reach into your wallet all you want, yet if the "licensing officer" in your town doesn't "like you" then you're shat out of luck.. (and shat out of your constitutional RIGHT).

+1

 

[amm5061]

Isn't requiring a license to merely possess let alone carry a firearm an infringement of the 2nd?? How is this any different from a poll tax or poll test?? And for the record I don't necessarily oppose poll taxes/tests as they aren't restricted via the Constitution/BOR.

As Rob likes to say, "The Constitution is void where prohibited by law in MA.". This also applied to the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 14th amendments.

 

[GlockJock]

When Boston sent out the letter to gun owners, I responded with a letter to the Mayor and Police Commissioner. Evens responded with a detailed letter that showed he'd read the letter and understood the points.

If everyone wrote him, he'd probably read them all. And we'd start being seen as an organized group, with political power.

I think maybe a lot of gun owners (not myself, but others) might be intimidated when thinking of writing the mayor or chief in their town...
Suggestion: maybe if you post your letter (maybe redaction the personal info, etc), or at minimum the talking points/letter structure/etc etc it might help those here who have "thought about" (yet never composed) a letter to the brass, etc.
If you listen to any local talk show, for example, every night they get someone who is a "long time listener, first time caller"...(host: "Where've you been all these years?" answer = "Too intimidated to call")

+1

 

[Oldarmy]

I like the way we do it in NH better.

 

[Waher]

Some people never write letters or attend public hearings out of fear of retribution. The 'suitability' issue in the Commonwealth makes that a real concern in places like Watertown and Brookline whom are always looking for any excuse to lord over the citizenry.Boston currently doesn't have that problem with regard to firearm licensing. But the city is known to engage in political retribution for other matters, so there is a chilling effect to not rock the boat.

 

[sieveboy]

Hopefully an accurate, slickly produced overview of the infringements they've heaped on us won't convince anybody that they've stopped. This is just a strategy readjustment to divide and conquer.

 

[Retired-LEO]

They failed to mention that no one is deemed worthy enough of an Unrestricted LTC in Boston, and contrary to their statement, protection of property isn't a legal reason in MA.

I know MANY people with unrestricted LTC's from Boston.

About half are public safety and the other half are NOT public safety.

 

[MichaelJames1971]

Even if the rest is arguably easy, there still shouldn't be a test to begin with. Also, it's not so easy if someone had never fired a gun before.

In VERY pro-gun South Carolina, this is part of the training for your CCP....I didn't hear any complaints from anyone when I took it. BTW, you were only allowed to test on the gun you intended to carry, which meant you had to buy one first. The goal was to demonstrate proficiency and safety and reasonable accuracy, not sure if the state allowed you to qual on one gun, then carry another. Nobody wants you to 'carry' if you're just going to be a danger to others out there....

 

[GlockJock]

In VERY pro-gun South Carolina, this is part of the training for your CCP....I didn't hear any complaints from anyone when I took it. BTW, you were only allowed to test on the gun you intended to carry, which meant you had to buy one first. The goal was to demonstrate proficiency and safety and reasonable accuracy, not sure if the state allowed you to qual on one gun, then carry another. Nobody wants you to 'carry' if you're just going to be a danger to others out there....

Half of the cops I know can't out shoot my daughter, who turned 21 last week and we will be at Headquarters Monday ("Yay! "says her, and Daddy also) for her "appointment" to submit her "application for something that shouldn't even require one" according to Madison, Jefferson et al, but...

Seriously, in all honestly I've said this here before, you, me, my wife and kids are in the range ten times for every one time my cop cousins and uncle are...(but in the interest of full disclosure, I'd be doing details and overtime like crazy also if it bought me - cash - the awesome "winter getaway" house that my Barney-Fife-accuracy cousin, Sergeant ____ owns along the Clearwater FL coast...)

Just sayin'

 

[Len-2A Training]

Frankly, if you can't past the test, I sure as hell don't want to be around you. There are people who go out there (mostly "security guards") who don't even know how to load the revolver, eject casings, or what a sight picture is.

I agree with you in principle but very few people were born knowing how to load, unload, fire a gun safely and hit a target. Training goes a long way to fixing those problems. I'm not an advocate for DEMANDING training, but that responsible people should seek it out on their own (but few do or will if not required).

My wife has arthritis and can't even grip a revolver well enough to fire it. She didn't even try when we lived in Boston.

My Wife has some similar issues and I'm sure she would not be able to operate a random revolver DA. I had her S&W 64 worked on to make it easier for her to shoot. She still safely shoots a semi-auto with decent accuracy most of the time.

I think maybe a lot of gun owners (not myself, but others) might be intimidated when thinking of writing the mayor or chief in their town...
Suggestion: maybe if you post your letter (maybe redaction the personal info, etc), or at minimum the talking points/letter structure/etc etc it might help those here who have "thought about" (yet never composed) a letter to the brass, etc.
If you listen to any local talk show, for example, every night they get someone who is a "long time listener, first time caller"...(host: "Where've you been all these years?" answer = "Too intimidated to call")

+1

Not only do I agree with you but I received a demerit here on NES for a post where I admitted that most are too scared to write or call those in authority in their town, but it is the only effective way when nothing is happening on someone's application. Someone got butt-hurt over my generic statement and complained to the Boss about my post. Meanwhile I received many pos-reps for that very same post. Funny how that works.

I had some very heated words with my Deputy Chief over the 5 month delay on my last renewal, but I still received my LTC and MG license (new issue) in the mail finally. And I'm still on friendly terms with the Chief and Deputy.

 

[rali]

My wife has arthritis and can't even grip a revolver well enough to fire it. She didn't even try when we lived in Boston.

I wonder if a decent lawyer could make a case for forcing Boston to allow a semi-auto under the Americans with disabilities act (ADA):

"A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment."

"Title I of the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, except when such accommodation would cause an undue hardship."

Using your own pistol rather than a revolver would seem like an easy accommodation.

IANAL, etc. The wording above is off the FedGov EEOC website, but I believe the ADA applies to gub'mints.

Or make for an significant damages award and some really bad press ...

R

 

[firestorm]

In VERY pro-gun South Carolina, this is part of the training for your CCP....I didn't hear any complaints from anyone when I took it. BTW, you were only allowed to test on the gun you intended to carry, which meant you had to buy one first. The goal was to demonstrate proficiency and safety and reasonable accuracy, not sure if the state allowed you to qual on one gun, then carry another. Nobody wants you to 'carry' if you're just going to be a danger to others out there....

Yes well in "Very pro gun south carolina" you don't require a license simply to buy and possess a firearm. So someone has the option of going from being a non gun owner, to buying a handgun and taking it to a range for practice without involving the state government and having to test on a skill they have had no chance to practice.

After having taken that time to learn how to use a gun, they then take your special course, do some live fire (Which they had a chance to do before, unlike our system) and get their carry permit, which ONLY COVERS CARRY. Completely different situation, but I suspect you knew that.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I wonder if a decent lawyer could make a case for forcing Boston to allow a semi-auto under the Americans with disabilities act (ADA):

"A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having an impairment."

"Title I of the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, except when such accommodation would cause an undue hardship."

Using your own pistol rather than a revolver would seem like an easy accommodation.

IANAL, etc. The wording above is off the FedGov EEOC website, but I believe the ADA applies to gub'mints.

Or make for an significant damages award and some really bad press ...

R

This is something I'd love to see pushed and I suspect if the right plaintiff came forward to Comm2A that they would be interested in pursuing this in Federal Court.

 

[kalash]

In VERY pro-gun South Carolina, this is part of the training for your CCP....I didn't hear any complaints from anyone when I took it. BTW, you were only allowed to test on the gun you intended to carry, which meant you had to buy one first. The goal was to demonstrate proficiency and safety and reasonable accuracy, not sure if the state allowed you to qual on one gun, then carry another. Nobody wants you to 'carry' if you're just going to be a danger to others out there....

Just because another state doesn't respect people's rights, my state shouldn't either?

 

[Waher]

The last unsuccessful challenge to the exam in Boston was in state court. BPD modified Moon Island after 1994 to meet the federal and Mass Architectural Access Board requirements for public areas and firing ranges (yes there are accessible requirements for public firing ranges). There's no reason Boston couldn't provide a .22lr autoloading pistol for the elderly or disabled.

 

[Mike S]

A couple of things here.

I'm most interested in knowing what the Burlington VT based "regional data sharing" involves. That, of course, is void of details.

Also, I did some digging on this group, Arms for Ethics. It appears that they are a sister group of the Fund For A Safer Future, which is a group started by the Joyce Foundation (Soros) following the attempted murder of Gabby Giffords.

Both AfE and FFaSF are funded by the same guy, David Brotherton, who works for a .org called the Kendeda Fund. (kendedafund.org). I couldn't find a connection between this fund and any of the usual gun grabbers.

I do find it interesting though that they seem to be playing "good cop-bad cop" with the two groups, as the FFaSF pushes the usual anti narrative. I suspect that the antis are changing tactics, disguising their efforts as "collaborative" with "faith leaders" and LEO's.

Also, of interest, in just over 5 years, the FFaSF has raised over sixteen million dollars.

The other thing that was interesting, not a single person asked Walsh or Evans why an ex Miami Herald reporter is advising anyone about MA law. Has she ever been in MA even?

 

[MichaelJames1971]

Just because another state doesn't respect people's rights, my state shouldn't either?

How, EXACTLY, is demonstrating proficiency with a firearm before being granted permission for CC a "disrespect" to your rights? I can't find the passage in the Constitution where it says we have a 'right' to be irresponsible and negligent and reckless.

 

[bigblue]

Never thought I would see a paragraph like this published by a .gov agency in MA:

"Find out how to get and keep a firearms identification card or license to carry firearms. We also have information on how to keep you and your loved ones safe."


Does Marty know this is connected to his city??


Followed of course by this nonsensical paragraph:

"According to Harvard’s Means Matter Campaign, gun owners aren’t more likely to be suicidal. But, gun owners are more likely to die from suicide, because gun suicide attempts are almost always fatal."

 

[Matt_SERE]

How, EXACTLY, is demonstrating proficiency with a firearm before being granted permission for CC a "disrespect" to your rights? I can't find the passage in the Constitution where it says we have a 'right' to be irresponsible and negligent and reckless.

On a base level the .gov is putting restrictions on your 2A right that "shall not be infringed".

 

[NickyBangBang]

Moon Island test was fun; got swept three times but the " instructor

 

[DispositionMatrix]

The MA Supreme Judicial Court threw a tantrum in the 1970s when a hand gun banning ballot initiative didn't pass to their displeasure and declared the 2A dead letter in MA because the "militia" according to them is the National Guard. Unless the Feds do their job and enforce the constitution within the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth will continue to ignore the constitution as much as it thinks it can get away with.

There is an excellent write-up on this somewhere.

 

[GaryO]

License to Carry
A qualified person can buy, rent, lease, borrow, possess, and carry handguns, rifles, shotguns, feeding devices, and ammunition.

By qualified, I'm sure they mean a legal citizen of the United States.
or do they mean Qualified my Martys standard? If we deem you worthy.
I see his name on anything and all i see is bs

 

[Dadstoys]

How, EXACTLY, is demonstrating proficiency with a firearm before being granted permission for CC a "disrespect" to your rights? I can't find the passage in the Constitution where it says we have a 'right' to be irresponsible and negligent and reckless.

If nothing else you have ever posted tells me your just some DU troll that most likely never touched a gun in your life , that's it right there.
Many of us have spent enough time around "Highly trained Professionals" and many of them are scarier than shit with a loaded gun.
Should someone looking to get into firearms ownership get some training ? IMHO yes.
I've trained a few hundred.
If you think that the whole moon island set up was in the interest of public safety, you got dropped on your head a lot as an infant.
It's a horseshit requirement ment as just another roadblock to gun ownership, and frankly not worth two dead flies .
Your thinking because you manage to put a couple of bullets on paper your now somehow now magically transformed into a competent and responsible gun owner is just showing us your ass.
It's not a pretty sight either.

 

[bigblue]

How, EXACTLY, is demonstrating proficiency with a firearm before being granted permission for CC a "disrespect" to your rights? I can't find the passage in the Constitution where it says we have a 'right' to be irresponsible and negligent and reckless.

What color is your Ferrari?