By: J.D. Prose

Beaver County Times

Nobody in his right mind could oppose efforts to stem the flow of illegal guns into our communities, right? Well, we’ve never accused the National Rifle Association of being rational, have we?

It seems the NRA has targeted local mayors who joined Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the group founded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to keep guns, according to its Web site, “out of the hands of criminals.”

Pretty good idea, huh? Not if you’re the NRA, which sees any gun-control effort as a way for the guv’mint TO TAKE YOUR GUNS!

In a postcard mailed to local members, the NRA has targeted Aliquippa Mayor Anthony Battalini, Industry Mayor Nicholas Yanosich, Midland Mayor Angela Adkins, Monaca Mayor John Antoline and Mayor Joe Cisco Jr. of Ellport.

The NRA warns its members that “despite its very misleading name,” MAIG is really out to TAKE AWAY YOUR GUNS! Weaving its conspiracy theory, the NRA says MAIG is really a “front group” created to lobby for federal restrictions on guns.

Only it’s not, and the mayors we talked to are all pro-gun. Heck, a few even own guns themselves. Maybe they’re trying to TAKE AWAY THEIR OWN GUNS?!? Wait, what? That doesn’t make any sense, and neither does the NRA.

The mayors told us that the NRA is (Surprise!) distorting their views and the intent of MAIG. “They’re saying something altogether different than what I’m for,” Adkins said.

Yanosich, a gun owner, said he would “drop out immediately” if MAIG was anti-gun.

“I would never be against the Second Amendment,” said Antoline, a gun owner.

Gun owner Cisco, like the other mayors, said he had no plans to drop his MAIG membership. “It’s the duty of every mayor to be against illegal guns,” he said. “I will not back down from (the NRA) when it comes to illegal guns.”

Can we mention that the mayors have received commendations from the state police for their involvement in MAIG? State police or the NRA? Hmmm, we know which side we’re on.

Now to Aliquippa, where illegal gun violence has plagued the city for decades. We know Battalini, and he doesn’t like being targeted by anyone, especially a group that couldn’t find Aliquippa on a map.

Battalini, a gun owner, said he’s getting pressure from NRA “stupid asses” who don’t live in his city, including, as he eloquently put it, an “a—hole from Hopewell.” He’s not taking this well.

“The NRA, they’re full of sh—,” Battalini said. Sounds like MAIG just got a new slogan.