Another Mayor notifies Buckeye Firearms Assoc. of decision to resign from Mayor Bloomberg's gun control front group

By Chad D. Baus

Last month, Buckeye Firearms Association broke the news that Village of Walton Hills, OH Mayor Marlene Anielski had submitted to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg her resignation from the gun control front group known as Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG).

The news of Anielski's decision spread far and wide, and Anielski gave some high-profile interviews to further explain her motivations for the resignation.

Today, we can report that yet another mayor has notified us of her decision to resign from Bloomberg's MAIG charade.

Mayor Patricia J. Shontz, of Madiera Beach, FL, copied Buckeye Firearms Association on the following letter to Mayor Bloomberg:

September 9, 2009
VIA FACSI and U.S. Mail

The Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg
Mayor of the City of New York
253 Broadway, #9
New York, New York 10007

RE: Resignation from the Mayor Against Illegal Guns (MAIG)

Dear Mayor Bloomberg:

Upon careful review of MAIG statements and actions, listening to the concerns of many of my constituents, and receiving communications from the firearm industry, I hereby, effective immediately, resign my membership in the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition. I am withdrawing because I believe the MAIG is attempting to erode all gun ownership, not just illegal guns. Additionally, I have learned that the MAIG may be working on issues which conflict with legal gun ownership.

Further, I truly do not recall exactly how I even became a MAIG supporter, but I did believe its purpose was to combat the criminal acquisition and misuse of guns.

It appears the MAIG has misrepresented itself to the Mayors of America and its citizens. This is gun control, not crime prevention. The tactics do not target illegal guns, but the honest citizens and lawful dealers, essentially criminalizing all gun ownership. The MAIG makes no distinction whatsoever between law-abiding gun owners and criminals.

Mayor, I hope you will see that my resignation and the recent resignations of other Mayors from the MAIG coalition as a sign that things must change. We are all on the same page when it comes to stropping criminals from obtaining guns; however, to end lawful firearms ownership and destroy a lawful American industry is just wrong. I desire to uphold the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and to combat the criminal misuse of firearms.

Sincerely,

Patricia J. Shontz, Mayor
City of Madeira Beach, FL

Buckeye Firearms Association is pleased to be able to report that Mayor Shontz shares our desire to uphold the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, and to combat the criminal misuse of firearms. We commend her for strong, principled stand against Mayor Bloomberg's ill-named gun control front group.

All told, the MAIG website lists forty-nine Ohio mayors as members (Mayor Anielski's name having been recently removed). While some, such as Mayors Donald Plusquellic (Akron), Mark Mallory (Cincinnati), Frank Jackson (Cleveland), and Mike Coleman (Columbus) are known to be avowed anti-self-defense politicians, there are many others who, like Anielski, have likely been misled by Bloomberg into believing the group shares their values.

If your mayor is a member of MAIG, and/or if you'd like to help inform more MAIG members of the groups' true anti-rights nature, please contact them today! (Click here to download a letter the NRA provides to those who wish to contact their mayors.)

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms safety and concealed carry instructor.