Now going to over 17,800 people every week! 
November 15, 2013
Gun Owners' Action League.

We are the largest civil rights organization in Massachusetts and   
we have been part of the fabric of Massachusetts since 1974
. 
 
GOAL News - Events and More

  

  • Letter to MA Legislature - Re: Firearms Legislation
  • DCR Hearings Continue - Please Attend! See below for more information.
  • Swampscott Issue - Town leadership gets strong message.
  • The Lucky 20 Raffle, 20 Guns - 20 Chances to Win! Support GOAL and you might win a great gun!  Scroll down for more information!
  • Follow GOAL on Social Media! Click the logos below and get the newest news first.
     

 

ALERT!  MA DCR Hearings Continue

Please attend last public hearing - please submit written testimony!

 

11/15/13 Update on the first four hearings.  Each public hearing has had an increase in attendance.  Last night in West Boylston there were over 40 people that attended and/or spoke out against the CMR.  They did a great job discussing the many issues with the drafts anti Second Amendment and anti hunting language.  

 

Before the hearing started a staffer form the DCR addressed the group and said that the anti firearms language was a mistake.  This is good to hear, none the less please keep the pressure on.  If you live in the Amherst area please attend the last hearing on Thursday 11/21/13.  If you know anyone that lives in the Amherst area, please urge them to attend and speak out.

 

Please see below for information about the last public hearing and what action you can take to help stop the CMR.

 ____________________________________________________________ 

 

GOAL has received notification that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has scheduled 5 public hearings regarding the adoption of a new CMR which will regulate what the public can do while visiting DCR park and recreational facilities across the Commonwealth.  It should be noted that DCR property can include grasslands, reservations, parks, forests, beaches, tidelands, pools, skating rinks, golf courses, campgrounds, rail trails, bike trails, forest roads, forest ways, ponds, lakes, parking areas, trailheads, parkways, boulevards, roadways, facilities, and structures.

 

If passed these regulations would make it illegal to possess or use firearms, would make it illegal to possess or use bows and arrows and would make it illegal to hunt or trap on the above mentioned DCR lands, for the full list of properties affected please click here and scroll down to page 27.

 

 

The hearing dates are as follows, all begin at 7:30 P.M.

  • Thursday, November 21, 2013 - Mount Holyoke Range State Park, The Notch Visitors Center, 1500 West Street (Rte. 116), Amherst, MA.  01002
Please note: Verbal and written testimony may be presented at the public hearings; however, parties are requested to provide written copies of their testimony.  Written comments will be accepted beginning November 4, 2013 until 5:00 p.m. E.S.T. on Friday, December 6, 2013.  Please submit written comments to Laura Dietz via mail to Department of Conservation and Recreation, 251 Causeway Street, Suite 600, Boston, MA.  02114 or via e-mail: [email protected]

 

If passed this CMR will drastically reduce where we can legally possess/carry firearms in the Commonwealth - it will have no effect on criminals, nor will it reduce crime.

  

A couple of bullet points for your testimony: 

  • 12.11 (10), which pertains to restriction of the second amendment right to carry firearms on DCR land - please request the complete elimination of this section.  Note: violent crime in the Commonwealth committed by licensed gun owners is virtually non-existent. Given that a MA resident has to pass background checks, take mandatory training and follow the law to the letter, why would the DCR wish to disarm any citizen that has gone through so much trouble to be legally licensed?
  • 12.11 (3), which pertains to additional restrictions of hunting on DCR lands, as compared to the current in-force regulations would include new restrictions at Harold Parker State Forest, Lowell Dracut State forest, and Willowdale State Forest.  Please eliminate all new restrictions in this section.  Note: Hunting is an important part of maintaining ecological balance. With numerous reports of coyote attacks on humans and pets, as well as an explosion in Lyme disease propagated by deer ticks, there is ample reason to retain hunting in as many public lands as possible.
  • The areas affected are vast and vague all at the same time.  If passed into law this CMR would place an undue burden upon licensed gun owners.  These are public lands paid for by our tax dollars, as mentioned above, we have to jump through all sorts of hoops to be able to lawfully carry, making that illegal will only endanger the law abiding.
  • Criminals will be undeterred by the CMR if passed.  

GOAL urges all of our members to attend these hearings and to provide testimony as requested above.

Open letter to MA Legislature - "Gun Bill" Priorities.

November 13, 2013 

 

RE: Firearm Legislative Priorities

 

Dear Legislator,

 

Over the past year there have been a long series of public legislative hearings conducted by the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. There have also been countless public forums and media interviews and articles all pertaining to proposed changes in the Commonwealth's gun laws. For many years, Gun Owners' Action League (GOAL) has been the leading advocacy organization representing over 16,000 members.

 

Since the disastrous passage of the 1998 Gun Control Act that has resulted in increased crime and the persecution of lawful gun owners, GOAL has been the only statewide organization that has sought to reform the state's gun laws.

 

GOAL is also the state's leading firearm education and safety organization. Through our office and our affiliated organizations thousands of citizens receive high quality training. Keep in mind that the state does not spend any resources providing safety education or training even though it receives millions of dollars in license fees.

 

Given GOAL's forty years of experience in the legislative arena as well as the firearm safety world we thought it prudent to offer our expertise and priorities for any upcoming legislation that may be considered. Any proposed legislation should include three main areas of concern. They are:


Swampscott Update
Selectman's gun comments trigger nasty debate

By Jonathan Phelps 
Nov 14, 2013 03:30 AM

SWAMPSCOTT - Selectman Barry Greenfield has come under fire for asking during last week's selectmen meeting if the town has the right to enforce a state law that requires guns to be locked up when stored in a home.

Greenfield's call to look into the issue has erupted all over the Internet and made the first-term selectman a target for gun-rights supporters from across the country. Since last week's meeting, Greenfield has been inundated with emails and phone calls, many of them making personal attacks, and petitions calling for his resignation.

Greenfield said yesterday the issue has been blown out of proportion online and his statements at the meeting have been taken out of context.

"If I could do it again, I wouldn't have brought up the question," he said in a phone interview. He would not comment further.

While the board agreed to look into Greenfield's request, Town Administrator Thomas Younger said in a statement yesterday that the town will no longer pursue the issue.

"Upon review by town counsel, the town would need to obtain either the homeowner's consent or have a valid search warrant based on probable cause," Younger wrote. "The town will not take any further action regarding this law and further reconfirms their support for the laws of our Commonwealth and the rights under the United States Constitution." 
 
 
GOAL Note: Thanks to all that took the time to contact Swampscott town leadership in opposition to this proposal.  Selectman Greenfield may very well have made "an error in judgement", however, the level of distrust displayed in his comments/thoughts is deplorable.  Once again, the law abiding gun owners of Massachusetts who already have to jump through all sorts of legal hoops in order to lawfully possess a firearm were disrespected and treated as potential criminals.  

Unfortunately after reading the comments in the article we are saddened to see that the town leadership is still missing a few key points.  Namely, the Second Amendment and our Bill of Rights doesn't "give you the right" to own a gun, it recognizes that the right exists as a natural part of life.  

Also, to say that the questions asked were "reasonable" once again show a lack of understanding of our Bill of Rights.  The question not only shouldn't have been asked, it shouldn't have been considered.

This was yet another case of an elected official conflating public safety and Civil Rights.  Infringing on one has no effect on strenghtening the other.
Senator Humason - Thank You to GOAL Members

Dear Fellow GOAL Members, 

 

I wanted to write to say thank you for all your help with my special election on November 5 for the 2nd Hampden & Hampshire District State Senate seat. 

 

I am pleased to report that I bested my opponent and will now have the honor of representing Agawam, Southwick, Granville, Tolland, Russell, Montgomery, Easthampton, Southampton, Westfield, Holyoke, and Chicopee (precincts 7A, 7B, 8A, 9A) in the Massachusetts State Senate.

 

You should know that the folks at GOAL were exceptionally supportive of my candidacy and I am certain it helped get me get me into the end zone.

 

I have always been proud to be a law abiding and responsible gun owner, a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, a member of the NRA, the Westfield Sportsmen's Club, and GOAL. 

 

I look forward to continuing my work on behalf of common sense on Beacon Hill.

 

Thank you, once again.

 

Most sincerely,

 

Senator Don Humason, Jr., 2nd Hampden & Hampshire District

 

www.DonHumason.org

The Lucky 20 Raffle is Back!

 

Enter and YOU might win a UTS-15 12ga Shotgun (stock photo, not actual gun)

GOAL's Lucky 20 Raffle is back - 20 Guns - 20 Chances to win!

 

 

 

 

The Lucky 20 Raffle is unique in that each ticket purchased has up to 20 chances to win.

The GOAL Lucky 20 Raffle is a great way to support GOAL's continuing mission to protect and defend freedom in Massachusetts while giving you an opportunity to win some great guns!

 

Here is the list of guns: 

  1. UTS-15 12ga Shotgun
  2. Anderson Arms AM15 .223 Rifle
  3. S&W 686 .357 Revolver
  4. S&W M442 .38 Revolver
  5. Kahr Arms P9 9mm Pistol
  6. Ruger LC9 9mm Pistol
  7. Sig Sauer 1911 .45ACP Pistol
  8. Walther P22 .22 Pistol
  9. S&W 1911 .45 ACP Pistol
  10. Rossi Circuit Judge .45/.410 Rifle
  11. Cricket 240B .22 Rifle
  12. S&W MP15-22 .22 Rifle
  13. Magnum Research .22 Rifle
  14. Mossberg ATR 30-06 Rifle
  15. Savage M11 .243 Rifle
  16. Savage MKII .22 Rifle
  17. Auto Ordnance M1 Carbine .30 Rifle
  18. Ruger 10/22 .22 Rifle
  19. Remington 870 20ga Shotgun
  20. Mossberg TR O/U 12ga Shotgun
Tickets are also available for purchase in person at GOAL 361 W. Main St. Northboro MA. 01532 

or via phone, 508-393-5333

 

Cost $10 per ticket 3/$20 or 10/$50. There is no limit to the amount of tickets you may purchase. Drawing will be held at noon on 12/27/2013 Winning tickets will be put back in the barrel for a chance to be drawn again.

 

Odds of winning are based on the number of entries. You need not be present to win. All federal and state gun laws apply. All guns are to be claimed within 60 days in Worcester, MA. Firearms may be shipped to another FFL at winner's expense. Please note that we can not send ticket stubs as it is a violation of federal law.

Join GOAL - Now More Than Ever

This e-mail and everything we do is made possible by GOAL Members. If you find information in this e-mail, or anything we do to be helpful, please consider joining, supporting, and or donating to GOAL.

 

"Protecting Your Freedom Begins Here"
Why You Should Join GOAL: Every intrusion on our Second Amendment Rights is an intrusion on all rights. The Constitutional rights and freedoms that you enjoy - and may take for granted - are becoming more fragile each day. Secure your rights for yourself, your family and future generations.

Join GOAL and become part of the solution today. 


 

 

GOAL Education: New Dates 
GOAL Training, take a class today and support GOAL

We've added new dates for select 2014 classes. Including: Basic Pistol, Utah Non-Resident CCW, Basic Metallic Cartridge Reloading and Precision Rifle Reloading with Jim Finnerty.

 

Also, we still have openings for our ever popular Art of Concealed Carry on December 5th, NRA Basic Pistol Course on December 17 and our newest class, Principles of Concealed Carry on April 22, 2014.

 

Click here to view the schedule - class listing.   

 

To register for any course, call Angela Fisher at 508-393-5333 ext 20.

Club Events

 

  • Swift River Sportsman's Club Meat Raffle - Friday, November 22.  Cocktail hour & Early Birds 6-7 PM. Raffles start at 7:00. Dozens of meat prizes including Prime Ribs, Lobsters, Chicken, Beef Roasts, Pork Loins, Kielbasa, Steaks and more!  We Hope to do five rounds of 10 prizes each!  Number of rounds depend on number of people in attendance. Door Prizes. Tickets for the raffles are sold only at the event. Club Fish Fry - Friday, November 22, 5:00 - 7:00PM.  Come out to the club for a fresh fried haddock dinner served with hand cut fries and homemade coleslaw.  Then take your chance on winning some meat in the Meat Raffle! All are Welcome!

  • Fitchburg Sportsmen's Club - Trap shoots on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. These are open to the public - the Club is located at 289 Rindge State Road, (Route 119), Ashburnham, MA. For  more information please contact Keith Maynard via email [email protected]. We usually have some hamburgers and hodogs available along with soda for purchase at a very reasonable price. 
  • Nipmuc Rod & Gun for the Club - Annual Turkey Shoot November 24th - Shoot a 22 rifle, handgun or try your hand at a bow. Prizes for the best scores for juniors and adults. 88 Fiske Mill Road Upton, MA from 10-2 pm more info (508) 473-9778.  Nipmuc is also a 2013 Toys for Tots collection center, bring your unwrapped gifts and help a kid have a better Christmas!  
  • The Tewksbury Rod & Gun Club's SCTP trap shooting program This competitive shotgun program is for youth shooters, no experience necessary, in grades 5 thru 12. Please contact Steve Stella, Tewksbury SCTP Head Coach at [email protected] or call 978-328-2120 for more info. The team is waiting to meet you!  

  • Wrentham Sportsmen's Association - November 3 - Military Rifle (Keith's Shoot) Sling Allowed - $20.00 entry fee. 1:00 pm start.   
  • Petersham Gun Club - Sporting Clays course open every Wednesday at 12 noon. Sundays open 10am till 1pm. Hot lunch served every Sunday. Contact   [email protected].

If your club has an open to the public event you would like to promote, please email the info to [email protected] 

 

 

Final Thought: "Guns On The Streets"
Fact: If we get violent criminals off the street, the guns/murders will go with them and we will see a massive reduction in crime rate. 
 
Our legislature needs to come to this realization and stop infringing upon our Second Amendment Civil Right in order to "reduce crime". 
 
Infringing upon one has no effect on strengthening the other.  
___________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for reading the Friday News, remember, this email and everything GOAL does is made possible by our membership.  If you are not a member, please get in the fight and join GOAL
 
Sincerely,
 
Mike Sweeney
Communications Manager
Gun Owners' Action League