NEWS RELEASE
September 27, 2000

CONTACT:
Lawrence Savage
Citizens for Truth in Politics
P.O. Box 671
Sudbury, MA 01776
(508) 561-9107
(978) 443-3318 fax
[email protected]

 
(Boston, MA) -- Today the grassroots group, Citizens for Truth in Politics (CTP), announced a human rights rally at the steps of the Massachusetts State House on October 2, 2000 at 10 a.m. The purpose of the rally is to showcase the universally overlooked benefits to society of private gun ownership.

October 2nd , the first Monday in October, is a day when Americans traditionally focus on justice as the Supreme Court starts its term. "Justice for gun owners has been sadly lacking given the abusive laws passed recently such as the Massachusetts 'Chapter 180' gun control law." said Lawrence Savage of CTP. 

"Massachusetts now requires that a resident's photograph, fingerprints and personal information be entered into the Criminal Records Database simply for exercising a Constitutional right," said Savage. "These citizens must also notify the police and the State when they move. The State does not even require this of known child molesters. Honest gun owners are fed up with being treated worse than convicted criminals."

Advocates of this "Big Brother" law will use the first Monday of October to lobby for further oppressive laws. "While it's possible that these extremists are well-intentioned, they are terribly misguided," said Savage. "Criminals don't get licenses or register their guns. Massachusetts spends tens of millions of dollars every year keeping track of licensed, conscientious gun owners who have done nothing wrong, while unlicensed violent criminals ply their trades unimpeded. We think that money would be better spent chasing the felons."

"According to the Department of Justice, children who learn firearm safety and skills from their parents are much less likely to become involved in crime. For example, children who have participated in the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program have accumulated an outstanding record in this state of ensuring that carelessly and dangerously stored guns have been promptly reported and properly secured." Governor Paul Cellucci, a gun control advocate, is honoring the Eddie Eagle program statewide this week via a resolution.

"Americans use their right to keep and bear firearms over 5,000 times each day to defend against violent attacks -- a rate which far exceeds the rate of firearm injury and death inflicted by criminals using guns. The net effect is that guns save lives."

CTP is an independent group of civil rights supporters committed to informing Massachusetts citizens when their rights are threatened with further erosion for the sake of political expedience.