Editor’s note: This is a copy of a letter sent to Massachusetts Sen. Michael Barrett and Rep. Tom Stanley on August 15.
To the editor:
I fully support the conditions in the recent Massachusetts gun safety law prohibiting the sale and purchase of “copycat” assault weapons as described in Attorney General Healey’s July 20 opinion statement in the Boston Globe.
The gun safety resolution passed at Lincoln’s Town Meeting this year illustrates both the risks and dangers of assault weapons, but also includes a clause reporting the finding of constitutionality of such laws of such laws in New York and Connecticut as determined by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015.
I am further appalled that Smith & Wesson recently donated $500,000 to fight Attorney General Healey’s decision. Smith & Wesson also donated $1 million to the NRA in 2015 to fight responsible gun safety laws.
Smith & Wesson were the beneficiaries of a state and local tax incentive program in 2011, yet they have contributed at least $1.5 million to fight responsible gun safety measures in spite of the financial benefits they have received from the tax payers of the Commonwealth. In effect, Massachusetts tax payers are financially supporting an industry committed to fighting laws that provide for the safety of those same taxpayers!
The Commonwealth must both rescind those tax benefits and support the attorney general’s initiative in support of responsible and common-sense gun safety measures.
Sincerely,
Gary Davis
21R Indian Camp Lane
Co-chair, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.
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