Masachusetts Carry Experiences

[6shootercarry]

I can only halfway agree with that. Constitutional rights may be denied to certain persons. Felons are not allowed to vote. Convicted sex offenders are restricted in where they can live and who they can talk to. People with certain mental illnesses are locked up for the safety of the general population. The list goes on.

I support "shall issue licensing" - because if done correctly, it is simply a standard and formal way of saying "This person has no felony convictions and no severe mental health issues, and may own and carry firearms."

Whereas "constitutional carry" basically says "You may carry a firearm...but if you are caught doing so with a felony conviction or severe mental health issue, then it's your ass.."

In short, "shall issue" is proactive, while "constitutional carry" is reactive. "Shall issue" also has the up side (if done correctly) of relieving FFLs of the burden of doing background checks on every single customer.

Anyway - that's my $0.02 worth on the issue. :) I think Mass definitely needs to have "shall issue" across the boards.

They also have a compiled alphabetical list of gun owners... I dislike that idea immensely...
it offends my libertarian sensibilities...

I used to feel like it was proper and right to prevent people from gaining access to arms. The idea of responsible and reasonable restrictions seemed well, reasonable... The more we allow the right to be infringed upon and reinterpreted the greater risk we put the right in... We jeopardize it by exposing it to reasonable restrictions. Look at the laws in MA currently, they are the result of years of accumulating restrictions which many non gun owning individuals have dubbed as reasonable... I've posted to this effect in the past and gotten mixed reviews... Every tolerable infringement leads to yet another in the name of reason... In total they become infringements, and are the reason we have this thread...

Good debate material...

I agree with joining G.O.A.L. Get involved...

As far as the FFL's... The "list" is unconstitutional and they know it... They press the issue and as you have indicated, it's never been pushed to the edge. I know of one FFL who was threatened by the AG.. It was just that, a threat... He's still doing transfers and selling guns...

Good thread for MA gun owners to meet and discuss/debate some of the issues.

[Phillip Gain]

To clarify my own positions:

- I support "shall issue" licensing for concealed carry (simple CORI type check).
- I do not support "may issue" licensing for anything.
- I am not opposed to "constitutional carry." (While it has shortfalls, I think it can work.)

- I do not support firearms registration.
- I do not support having a registry of firearms owners.
- I think anyone age 18+ should be legally able to own ANY gun, without restrictions.
- The only exception to ANY gun would maybe be Class III - perhaps "shall issue" licensing w/CORI check.

And yes, I agree that Massachusetts is WAY OVER THE LINE with its firearms laws.

[Phillip Gain]

One more note here. Massachusetts is definitely a "special case" of the 2nd amendment being trampled upon. Other states (which I like to call "free states") have had 'shall issue licensing' for years without it leading to more restrictions.

While Mass is a good example of "It CAN run amok" - it's not logical to assume that "It ALWAYS will run amok."