New Bedford, Massachusetts City Council Planning to Impliment Air Gun Ban!

Please Contact Your Legislators Today!

On Thursday, November 9th, a proposal was introduced before the New Bedford City Council to ban future sales of air guns, require licensing for existing air guns, and require that existing air guns be painted fluorescent colors. If approved, the proposal would be sent to the State House as legislation to affect the entire Commonwealth.

November 8, 2006 the Boston Globe published a story that announced the intentions of New Bedford City Councilor Brian Gomes to push for a statewide ban of BB guns and pellet guns.

"If the requested legislation is passed, future tragedies . . . will be reduced or averted because there will be fewer legal pellet guns, BB guns, and no replicas that could be mistaken for the real thing," said Gomes.

According to the article a "recovering" drug addict drew a pellet gun on two police officers who had entered a crack house. The officers fired their guns, killing the drug addict.

While this is certainly a tragedy for everyone involved, especially the officers, the Commonwealth should not be passing legislation banning lawful property based on an incident that occurred in between police and drug addicts in a crack house.

As expected, the measure was sent to the Appointments and Briefings Committee and will have a public hearing sometime December.

Removing the lawful use and ownership of air guns is not an appropriate response to reduce crime in New Bedford.  NRA is urging all of our New Bedford members to contact their city councilors and ask them to oppose this measure.  The New Bedford City Council can be contacted by phone at (508) 979-1455, fax (508) 979-1451, or visit http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/governmt/council/2006/CounMain1.htm for email contact information.

We also urge all NRA members in the Commonwealth to contact their legislators and tell them that confiscating air guns from lawful citizens is not the way to start off a new legislative year.

HELP DEFEND THE SECOND AMENDMENDMENT IN THE BAY STATE!

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!

For further contact information please use the "Write Your Representative" feature found at www.NRAILA.org.