Thursday, April 4, 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 …
Monday, March 4, 2013
The Democratic state legislator represents the Second Suffolk District, which includes Charlestown and parts of Chelsea.
[UPDATED Thursday, April 4, 1:14 p.m. to correct typo] Massachusetts Rep. Gene O'Flaherty was elected to his ninth term in November, serving the Second Suffolk District which includes parts of his hometown of Chelsea as well as Charlestown. He was recently reappointed as chairman of the House Joint Committee on the Judiciary, a position he has held since 2002. With the state budget season getting underway and legislators preparing to debate a new round of bills, Rep. O'Flaherty sat down with Charlestown Patch recently to talk about the job and some of the issues he will be discussing in the coming months. What's going on at the Statehouse right now? Every two years when we begin our legislative session, there are approximately 6,000 bills…
Friday, February 1, 2013
Since the Newtown school tragedy, 14 Massachusetts mayors have joined the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino hosted the Massachusetts delegation of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition on Thursday as they continued their push on Congress to enact national legislation that will decrease gun violence. “Earlier this week, I asked the City of Boston to stand with us on guns and say enough is enough,” Menino said in an event at the Parkman House on Beacon Street. “As mayors, we have a responsibility to our residents to do all we can to make our neighborhoods safer. Today, we’re calling on every community in Massachusetts to stand with us. We must keep the pressure on Congress to take swift action.” Menino praised the Massachusetts federal delegation for signing on to the Fix Guns Check Act, which would require …
Monday, January 28, 2013
The Saturday gathering coincided with similar events across the country.
About 200 people rallied in front of the State House on Saturday morning to demand tougher gun laws, including bans on assault weapons and background checks for all gun sales, according to Boston.com. The rally, organized by One Million Moms for Gun Control, coincided with gun-control rallies across the country. It happened a week after 700 gun rights advocates demonstrated in front of the State House. U.S. Rep. Ed Markey and state Rep. David Linsky of Natick, both Democrats, addressed the crowd, asking them to contact their legislators and demand tighter gun control, in particular in light of what they called a "flood" of letters from gun rights activists. “The overwhelming majority want and demand more effective gun laws," said Linsky…
Monday, January 21, 2013
U.S. Senator Elizabeth 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 U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren met to discuss gun violence prevention on Friday, Jan. 18, 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, during a publicized meeting 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 has 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 …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy doesn't mince words: 'No matter what outrageous new tool they use, the NRA cannot make a straight-faced case that sport shooters need military-style weapons to enjoy their hobby.'
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn) did not waste time ripping into the National Rifle Association and Apple on Tuesday for a newly-released app for iPhone and iPad that allows children as young as 4 to fire military-style weapons like M-16s and AK-47s. "The NRA seems intent on continuing to insult the families of the victims of Sandy Hook,” said Murphy in a press release. “How could they think it was a good idea to use the one month anniversary of the tragedy at Sandy Hook to release a game that teaches four year olds to shoot assault weapons? No matter what outrageous new tool they use, the NRA cannot make a straight-faced case that sport shooters need military-style weapons to enjoy their hobby." Here is the full text of Senator Murphy…
Thursday, January 17, 2013
President Barack Obama, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino all promised renewed focus on the issue this week.
The president, governor and Boston mayor all spoke out about gun control this week, promising to push for stronger regulation in the wake of the Newtown, CT school shooting that left 28 people dead. On Tuesday, while outlining his proposals for the 2013-14 state legislative session, Mayor Thomas Menino said public safety remains an important focus for the city. Included in his legislative initiatives is an act that would establish a gun offender registry in the commonwealth. Menino, who serves as co-chairman of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, said the group’s push for new legislation was “about making our streets safer.” State legislation On Wednesday, Governor Deval Patrick filed new legislation designed to strengthen gun control by …
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
Gun control laws are regulated at the state and federal level, but Councillor Stephen Murphy believes the city can effect change, too.
Returning this week to the role of Boston City Council president, after being unanimously elected to the position for 2013, Councillor Stephen Murphy got right down to business, announcing that he plans to take on an assault weapon ban this year. “No sportsman or gun collector needs an assault weapon. There is no sport in using an automatic rifle,” said Murphy, an at-large councillor from Hyde Park. The Boston City Council and Mayor Thomas Menino publicly supported a ban on assault weapons after the Newtown school shooting in December. Gun control laws are regulated at the state and federal levels, but Murphy believes the council can effect change in three ways: Murphy also promised to be actively involved in the rejuvenation of the …
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino writes about taking action against gun violence in the U.S.
- NEWS
-
Sunday, December 30, 2012
The following was submitted by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's office: As a parent and grandparent, I remain overcome with sadness, grief and outrage by the recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. This unspeakable act of violence will forever imprint December 14, 2012 in our hearts and minds, and my heart goes out to the families impacted by this senseless tragedy and the many others we have recently witnessed across the United States. As a Mayor who has seen too many lives forever altered by gun violence, it is my responsibility to fight for action. Now is the time for that action. Each day in the United States, 33 people are murdered by guns. Our nation has been brought to a tipping point. Now is the time for a real dialogue on national …
Joseph
1:03 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Spend your resources on disarming the criminals that have illegal weapons, not law abiding citizens that obtain weapons through proper channels. Once I wish politicians would admit the truth about gun violence. more ›