Ma. current gun laws are failing

Massachusetts gun laws are not working and need to be reformed. That's according to James Wallace, Executive Director of the Gun Owners Action League, who spoke at the Jan. 8 meeting of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen. In 1998, Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998, reputed to be the "worst gun laws in the nation", were passed. During the 10 years since passage, there has been an 84 percent drop in licensed gun ownership from 1,500,000 to around 240,000. During the same period, Wallace cited crime statistics which indicated that there was a 67 percent increase in firearm related homicides, 236 percent increase in assault related hospital discharges, 331 percent increase in firearm related Emergency Room visits and 590 percent increase in gun related outpatient observations. These statistics were provided by the Massachusetts Department of Health. Added to that is the "lack of oversight and accountability, overcharges in licensing fees, licensing delays and violations, and a complete lack of credibility and trust between gun owners and their government."...