Massachusetts gun owners and lovers of liberty have an uphill battle. Recent changes to Chapter 135 of Massachusetts law via H.4885 will come into effect soon. The changes to the Bay State’s license to carry law as well as carry law is one of the strictest of all the so-called “Bruen response” measures to date. The changes are so radical that advocates have said it’ll be impossible for gun owners to comply with the new law. We reported in the past about the raising of a ballot initiative to repeal the law. A brand new committee called the Civil Rights Coalition was just formulated to help make this a reality.

An August 22nd announcement introduced the group. “A group of concerned Massachusetts citizens has formed a State Ballot Committee named The Civil Rights Coalition to suspend and ultimately rescind the recently enacted H4885, An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws,” the release stated. “This new law, passed under the pretext of modernization, threatens the constitutional and civil rights of all Massachusetts residents.”

The CRC hits the high notes on what the Bruen response tantrum turned law would achieve.

The 116-page law, now Chapter 135 of the 2024 session, does nothing to address violent crime by criminals. It imposes no additional penalties for crimes committed with firearms by criminals. Instead, it mandates law abiding citizens to full registration of all guns, including muzzle loaders, enforces burdensome licensing on retailers, and bans magazines over 10 rounds, even prohibiting the transfer of those legally owned. The law also requires a live-fire test, despite limited access to public ranges, state not owning and operating any public ranges, and establishes multiple government registration and tracking databases, including one for lawful gun owners and another for issuing firearm serial numbers.

With Massachusetts a deep blue, left-of-center progressive utopia, the legislature and executives sure have some moxie by doing what they’ve done. The Democratic leaders are supposed to be for the people, the downtrodden, and underrepresented. They’re supposed to be in favor of civil liberties and civil rights, but clearly the donkey-riding pinkos just keep putting a little more goose into their step.

The forming of the CRC was a pivotal step for patriots in Massachusetts to execute. The law-abiding gun owner in the Bay State is a minority and the Second Amendment is treated like a disfavored right.

“Imagine the consequences of an ‘Act Modernizing the Freedom of Speech,’ where the government dictates where, how, and what citizens can say, or an ‘Act Modernizing the Freedom of Religion,’ restricting worship to government-approved practices,” said Toby Leary, Chairman of The Civil Rights Coalition. “This law is a calculated political attack on everyone’s civil rights. Today it’s firearm laws, but tomorrow it could be our right to speak, worship, gather, and be free.”

Chairman Leary is a small business owner, Second Amendment activist, radio and podcast host, and good friend to Bearing Arms. Raising the hypothetical questions, Leary puts proponents of these draconian measures to task. 

It’s doubtful that supporters of gun control will go through the mental gymnastics required to reconcile the analogues between Leary’s scenarios and the reality the gun grabbers want/have created.

The intentional consequences of this law are far-reaching and deeply concerning. For example, how does prohibiting a father and his 17-year-old son from CT, RI or NH from hunting in MA reduce crime? How does changing the licensing process to an almost impossible standard in urban areas help reduce crime where law abiding residents lack access to live-fire ranges?

Moreover, the financial burden this law places on law-abiding citizens, particularly those in urban areas or struggling financially, is significant. 

“This law disproportionately impacts those who can least afford it, creating unnecessary financial hardships that hinder their constitutional right to protect their families and property,” added Leary.

“We are asking those who care about civil rights and the violence affecting our communities to join us in this effort,” said Leary. “Let’s work together to find real, common-sense solutions to address the real causes of violence and deaths across our state.”

The coalition put out some alarming statistics in their announcement that are worth repeating. “In Massachusetts, 10 times more people die from opioid addiction and overdose than by firearms,” the release stated. “Yet, when crimes are committed with guns, prosecutors often plea bargain away the gun charges, allowing criminals to escape with minimal consequences to return to the streets to be repeat offenders over and over.”

The Civil Rights Coalition has a lot of work ahead of them in the next 30 days. They need to gather 50,000 certified Massachusetts registered voter signatures. It’s of the utmost importance that signers are properly registered to vote in the Commonwealth. The Coalition is inviting folks that want to sign or participate in their efforts to visit them at https://FightBackMA.org, or reach out to them via email at [email protected].

About The Civil Rights Coalition

The Civil Rights Coalition is a grassroots organization formed by private citizens in Massachusetts committed to protecting and preserving the constitutional rights of all residents. Our current focus is on repealing H4885, An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws, and ensuring that similar unconstitutional legislation does not erode the civil liberties that are the cornerstone of our democracy.