Banned in Massachusetts: “Compliant Rifles” Image Source: http://thearmsguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Black-Rain-Ordinance-NY-compliant-AR-15-newsletter-image.jpg
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Wednesday that she will enforce a ban on the sale of what she called “copycat” assault-style weapons, effective immediately. This new interpretation of gun law obliterates a decades old precedent on “compliant guns.” Not only did it make tens if not hundreds of thousands of weapons in Massachusetts illegal, but it will soon be copied in other anti-gun states and cities across the nation. Make no mistake, the anti-gun movement is alive and well and ready to seize every last firearm in our nation if given the change.
In reference to the new interpretation, Attorney General Healey made a number of noteworthy statements. “Gun manufacturers have manufactured these weapons as legal versions of prohibited guns.” “The gun industry doesn’t get to decide what’s compliant; we do.” “These weapons are illegal. They are copies or duplicates of banned weapons, and they cannot be bought or sold in Massachusetts.” What she failed to mention is what legal basis or crime statistics she is using to justify the ban. She mentioned recent shootings using semi-automatic rifles, but did not provide any facts or studies to show why her new ban would have any effect on those crimes. Further, she failed to mention that not a single person this year has been killed in Massachusetts with any type of rifle this year. She also completely failed to explain how she can bypass Massachusetts legislative body and create completely new legislation. Knowing that these types of rifles aren’t being used in crimes and therefore their ban would have no effect on preventing crime, it leaves few reasons other than a deliberate policy to ban guns for the sake of banning guns. If the bar for the limitation of Constitutional Rights comes down to how an attorney general feels, we are living in truly draconian times.
My purpose here isn’t to detail why Massachusetts is a communist state. I feel bad for the citizens oppressed by this and it will lead to more not less crime. Instead, I want to warn you that other state attorneys general will “copycat” this very quickly. This could lead to the “overnight” ban of literally millions of legally owned firearms that I am sure will all be dutifully surrendered to the authorities upon demand. Maryland is a state that comes to mind in this regard. I would recommend prepping legal challenges to this immediately with your state pro-gun organizations. In this way you may be able to preempt your attorney general thinking this is a good idea that can be imposed on you without challenge. If not and you live in a state that already limits “assault weapons,” expect this to be used to ban all of your AR and AK style weapons in the very near future.
By Guiles Hendrik
July 21, 2016
