More press and paid event organizers at a gun control rally in Helena than actual protesters? Plus, the head of the Montana Shooting Sports Association noted that the only law enforcement-related gun control advocate to speak in Helena was a retired officer from California. “Apparently, nobody asked this retired California officer why he didn’t stay in California if he seeks of the level of gun control there,” added the MSSA’s Gary Marbut.
Press + organizers just might outnumber attendees at gun control “rally” in Helena, Montana. #mtnews #mtpol pic.twitter.com/VjboxLaAer
— John Barnes (@JBarnesMT) July 23, 2013
NEWS RELEASE FROM MONTANA SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION
(for immediate release – July 25, 2013)
Mayor Bloomberg’s Gun Control Doesn’t Play Well in Montana
Missoula, Mont. – Montana gun owners are upset that billionaire New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would attempt to foist New York-style gun control on the people of Montana. Bloomberg’s captive group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, will be pushing gun control at an affair at the University of Montana today.
MAIG lists three members in Montana, mayors John Engen of Missoula, Sean Becker of Bozeman, and Russell Nelson of Belgrade. A MAIG stop in Helena on Tuesday drew a very small group of gun control advocates.
Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association commented, “Montana gun owners don’t appreciate Bloomberg’s and his minions attempting to foist their New York culture on Montana. We don’t like their effort to deprive us of our heritage. Although they try to soft-sell it, there’s no getting around that they would ultimately like to see a totally disarmed population, with only the military, police, and criminals having guns.”
Marbut points out that MAIG has no proposals targeted at criminals, but is only focused on making access to firearms more difficult for law abiding citizens. “Under Bloomberg’s proposal,” Marbut continued, “a Montana citizen could be sent to prison for giving a firearm to a son or daughter for Christmas, unless that transfer were first recorded in federal computers.”
According to an AP story about the Helena affair, only one law enforcement-related person spoke in favor of Bloomberg’s proposal in Helena, a retired police officer from California. Apparently, nobody asked this retired California officer why he didn’t stay in California if he seeks of the level of gun control there.
Speaking about MAIG, the New York Post reports in a July 23rd article that “More than 50 original mayors have quit Bloomberg’s anti-gun group.” Many members of MAIG are reported to have been indicted for or convicted of various corruption charges, causing some informed gun owners to suggest that the group’s name should more properly be Illegal Mayors Against Guns..
Montana gun owners will stage a rally at the MAIG event at the University of Montana today to show the outsiders what Montanans think of such foreign gun control schemes.