NRA

The citizen petitioner is Longmeadow Selectman Alex Grant, who said he’s “looking forward to a nice debate on these issues” and that “[a]s long as we’re respectful, it’s going to be valuable for our democracy.” Local gun owners, however, appear to be anything but pleased about the opportunity for such a debate at the spring Town Meeting. Opponents of gun control in town wasted no time organizing and mobilizing against these measures. The N.R.A.’s “Institute for Legislative Action” targeted Longmeadow’s proposed gun control bylaws. Within weeks, signs started showing up on lawns in Longmeadow asking residents to “Vote No on Articles 20-30-31.” These signs include a link to a recently created web site, LongForLiberty.org. What they do not include is any mention of what articles 29, 30, and 31 are about.

We've replaced mob rule with the heavily armed gunman, but America has seen this before. In his Perpetuation Speech of 1838, Abraham Lincoln addressed deteriorating faith in government and the rise of the demagogue.