Posted on 04/08/2016 1:21:45 PM PDT by pabianice
Let’s Talk Lexington (MA)
Have you ever gone hiking with a friend who tells you, “don’t worry about it, this is an easy climb”. Hours later you’re panting, out of water and 6 false summits from the top…
The recent proposal regarding discussion of firearms in Lexington felt a lot like this hike.
Imagine being invited to participate in a discussion. You happily oblige, you arrive at the time and place, excited to get going, eager to participate. The conversation begins and everything that’s being said to you is wrong, the facts being presented as supporting evidence are anything but. Not only that, the people who are sitting on the other side of the table, already have their minds set on what the outcome of this discussion should be. Their faith in what they accept, as truth, cannot be shaken.
It quickly becomes abundantly clear that you have wasted your time and efforts in preparation, that you’re not welcome to the discussion and that nothing you have to say is being heard, or accepted.
Total futility.
Last night the town of Lexington invited citizens and anyone who was interested, to attend their town meeting, where they would be discussing and voting on Article 34, of the 2016 town meeting warrant.
For those that don’t know, Article 34 started as a ban on many commonly owned firearms and magazines. This was quickly changed to a non-binding resolution when Lexington’s board of selectmen and chief of police refused to support a ban of any sort.
The problem with the current resolution is two-fold. First, it is written in a manner that is more of an instruction to discuss a resolution to present to the MA legislature that MA laws regarding firearms are inadequate, than it is a resolution to begin actual fair and balanced discussion.
It has a pre-determined outcome, “to inform the Great and General Court of its concern that existing Massachusetts laws regarding assault weapons (M.G.L. c. 140, § 131M) may not sufficiently protect citizens of the Commonwealth, and Lexington.”
If we know the outcome, why are we going to bother talking? The second issue regarding the article is that Lexington’s League of Women Voters have been selected to be the host and moderator. The LWV is known to be in collusion with Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown, a well-known group intent on destroying the Second Amendment. Furthermore, the LWV testified against the Second Amendment at every opportunity during the Chapter 284 hearings of 2014 held across the Commonwealth.
Getting back to last night in Lexington, after two hours of discussion, much of it dominated by the article’s proponent, Robert Rotberg, who presented “facts” that were pure fallacy, Lexington’s Town Meeting Members halted debate and voted to halt discussion and vote on Article 34. They excluded many people who waited hours to speak, so much for “discussion”.
The vote that followed reflected that the town meeting members were in favor of the kangaroo court outlined by Article 34.
Going forward, we would love to participate in a discussion about real solutions to problems prevalent in today’s society. Let’s take them on and talk about how we can better help individuals with mental illness, let’s talk about the recidivism rate for violent criminals in MA that is greater than 40%, let’s talk about America’s failed war on drugs and how that has fueled inner city violence for decades.
To have a real, meaningful discussion, both sides need to listen and participate, so far, only one side has listened, the other has been too busy broadcasting propaganda supplied by the Second Amendment hating billionaire.
We hope that changes soon.
781-698-4580
Lexington.
Where freedom was born, thrived for two hundred years then was killed by democrats.
If the Minutemen could see Lexington and the state of Massachusetts today they would disown them.
G_d forbid anyone should discharge a firearm without full advance governmental approval in the town of Lexington.
I passed the point long ago where I even considered it possible for the left to have an open discussion on firearms or on anything else. They always, without exception, have a predetermined outcome in mind. They never have any interest in facts. The only question is whether they can get what they want in one jump or they will need several smaller steps. The only answer is to oppose all proposed infringements on our individual God-given right to keep and bear arms, and to work to repeal all existing infringements on that right, infringements that are all unconstitutional.
We cannot compromise with evil. When someone threatens to rape our daughters three times, it is not a win if we negotiate them down to "only" one rape.
When we hold an executive office or control a legislative body, our priority should be to roll back the current losses and move the ball back downfield toward the goal line that is the Constitution. Holding the line without further loss is never enough, not when they will continue pushing.
They want to restrict black rifles at the moment, but it will swing back to pistols again in a few years. We need to repeal the laws restricting silencers and then repeal other silly and harmful gun laws, just nibbling around the edges to remove the worst of the worst, and then to remove the worst of what is left.
“...already have their minds set on what the outcome of this discussion should be.”
___
The 2nd Amendment has already determined what the outcome of any discussion regarding gun control should be.
‘This was quickly changed to a non-binding resolution when Lexington’s board of selectmen and chief of police refused to support a ban of any sort.’
Any arsehole in any town meeting can stand up and make a nuisance of himself.
That doesn’t mean everyone/anyone else goes along, or that anything legally binding takes place.
For the record, firearms are STILL legal in Lexington.
Bunp
So sorry. In Michigan we are looking to go back to constitutional hand gun carry. We have always retained the open carry right on all firearms.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.