Mayor Mitchell Speaks Out in Boston on Gun Reform

Mayor Jon Mitchell joined mayors from across the state in Boston last week to discuss ways to mobilize constituents and communities behind common sense gun reforms. Led by Boston Mayor Tom Menino, the group of mayors are members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG). MAIG is a coalition of more than 800 mayors nationwide and has more than a million supporters.

Mayor Mitchell, a formal federal prosecutor for nearly a decade, spoke out on the need for reform, “I don’t accept the notion that there is nothing we can do to reduce gun violence and tragedies like Newtown. There are plenty of common sense measures that could make a big difference.”

Mayors Against Illegal Guns advocates for a common sense agenda that will make it more difficult for dangerous individuals to purchase guns and easier for police and prosecutors to stop them. The mayors are calling on Congress to pass legislation that will:

· Require every gun buyer to pass a criminal background check
· Get military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines off our streets
· Make gun trafficking a federal crime
· Strengthen the penalties for straw purchase of guns.

In the wake of the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, Mayors Against Illegal Guns sent an open letter to the President and Congress calling for immediate action to reduce gun violence.

The letter stated, “We believe that with this latest national tragedy and the high incidence of gun violence that continues to plague our streets, we have reached a tipping point. The nation’s mayors pledge to work with you to build a safer America for our children and all of our citizens.”

The mayors acknowledged that stemming the tide of gun violence will take much more than just strengthening our gun laws. “We need to reverser the culture of violence in our nation do that a violent act isn’t the first response to settling a difference or compensating for a wrong.” They added, “We need to strengthen and more adequately fund our mental health system so that we can identify troubled individuals earlier and get them the help they need.” The nation’s mayors pledged to work with the President and Congress to build a safer America for everyone.