That_DT0 said_VVD ,_PUN the_AT0 maximum_AJ0 realistic_AJ0 hope_NN1 for_PRP new_AJ0 national_AJ0 laws_NN2 barely_AV0 meets_VVZ the_AT0 minimum_AJ0 standard_NN1 for_PRP real_AJ0 progress_NN1 ._SENT More_DT0 is_VBZ politically_AV0 achievable_AJ0 —_PUN and_CJC should_VM0 be_VBI made_VVN a_AT0 priority_NN1 —_PUN at_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 level_NN1 ._SENT Nine_CRD states_NN2 plus_PRP the_AT0 District_NN1 of_PRF Columbia_NP0 regulate_VVB ghost_NN1 guns_NN2 ,_PUN while_CJS the_AT0 Charleston_NP0 loophole_NN1 is_VBZ closed_VVN in_PRP 20_CRD plus_PRP D.C._NP0 Shannon_NP0 Watts_NP0 ,_PUN founder_NN1 of_PRF Moms_NN2 Demand_VVB Action_NN1 for_PRP Gun_NN1 Sense_NN1 in_PRP America_NP0 ,_PUN rattles_VVZ off_AVP a_AT0 list_NN1 of_PRF wins_NN2 since_PRP the_AT0 2012_CRD Sandy_NP0 Hook_NP0 massacre_NN1 :_PUN 13_CRD additional_AJ0 states_NN2 have_VHB passed_VVN or_CJC strengthened_VVN background_NN1 checks_NN2 ,_PUN bringing_VVG the_AT0 total_NN1 to_PRP 21_CRD ;_PUN 17_CRD states_NN2 and_CJC the_AT0 District_NN1 of_PRF Columbia_NP0 have_VHB passed_VVN red_AJ0 flag_NN1 laws_NN2 ,_PUN for_PRP a_AT0 total_NN1 of_PRF 19_CRD ;_PUN and_CJC 29_CRD states_NN2 plus_PRP D.C._NP0 have_VHB strengthened_VVN law_NN1 to_TO0 keep_VVI guns_NN2 from_PRP domestic_AJ0 abusers_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ Early_AV0 on_AVP ,_PUN we_PNP realized_VVD that_CJT Congress_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX0 where_AVQ this_DT0 begins_VVZ ,_PUN it_PNP is_VBZ where_AVQ it_PNP ends_VVZ ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD Watts_NP0 ,_PUN adding_VVG that_CJT gun-safety_AJ0 activists_NN2 must_VM0 do_VDI "_PUQ the_AT0 unglamorous_AJ0 ,_PUN heavy-lifting_AJ0 ,_PUN grass-roots_NN2 activism_NN1 in_PRP state_NN1 houses_NN2 and_CJC board_NN1 rooms_NN2 ,_PUN because_CJS that_DT0 is_VBZ how_AVQ you_PNP effect_VVB change_NN1 in_PRP this_DT0 country_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ There_EX0 's_VBZ ample_AJ0 room_NN1 for_PRP improvement_NN1 ,_PUN even_AV0 in_PRP New_NP0 England_NP0 ._SENT Massachusetts_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ has_VHZ the_AT0 nation_NN1 's_VBZ lowest_AJS per_PRP capita_NN1 rate_NN1 of_PRF gun_NN1 deaths_NN2 ,_PUN requires_VVZ a_AT0 firearms_NN2 license_VVB necessary_AJ0 to_TO0 purchase_VVI guns_NN2 —_PUN and_CJC grants_VVZ local_AJ0 law_NN1 enforcement_NN1 a_AT0 say_NN1 in_PRP whether_CJS an_AT0 applicant_NN1 receives_VVZ such_DT0 a_AT0 license_NN1 ._SENT To_TO0 buy_VVI either_AV0 a_AT0 pistol_NN1 or_CJC a_AT0 long_AJ0 gun_NN1 ,_PUN a_AT0 person_NN1 first_ORD must_VM0 apply_VVI to_PRP the_AT0 local_AJ0 police_NN2 chief_AJ0 for_PRP a_AT0 license_NN1 ;_PUN the_AT0 chief_NN1 can_VM0 deny_VVI an_AT0 applicant_NN1 's_POS request_NN1 if_CJS ,_PUN based_VVN on_PRP reliable_AJ0 information_NN1 ,_PUN he_PNP or_CJC she_PNP deems_VVZ the_AT0 applicant_NN1 a_AT0 risk_NN1 to_PRP public_AJ0 safety_NN1 (_PUL or_CJC to_PRP himself_PNX )_PUR ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ local_AJ0 police_NN2 ,_PUN after_PRP all_DT0 ,_PUN who_PNQ are_VBB most_AV0 likely_AJ0 to_TO0 be_VBI aware_AJ0 of_PRF a_AT0 person_NN1 's_POS violent_AJ0 inclinations_NN2 or_CJC previous_AJ0 encounters_NN2 with_PRP the_AT0 law_NN1 ._SENT That_DT0 decision_NN1 is_VBZ appealable_AJ0 in_PRP court_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 licensing_AJ0 system_NN1 is_VBZ a_AT0 large_AJ0 part_NN1 of_PRF what_DTQ makes_VVZ this_DT0 state_NN1 's_POS laws_NN2 so_AV0 effective_AJ0 ,_PUN says_VVZ John_NP0 Rosenthal_NP0 ,_PUN cofounder_NN1 of_PRF Stop_NN1 Handgun_NN1 Violence_NN1 ._SENT A_AT0 ban_NN1 on_PRP military-style_AJ0 assault_NN1 weapons_NN2 is_VBZ also_AV0 more_AV0 likely_AJ0 to_TO0 pass_VVI in_PRP some_DT0 states_NN2 ,_PUN as_CJS are_VBB red-flag_AJ0 laws_NN2 to_TO0 allow_VVI the_AT0 temporary_AJ0 removal_NN1 of_PRF firearms_NN2 from_PRP owners_NN2 judicially_AV0 deemed_VVN to_TO0 be_VBI a_AT0 danger_NN1 to_PRP others_NN2 or_CJC themselves_PNX ._SENT In_PRP Massachusetts_NP0 ,_PUN Rosenthal_NP0 says_VVZ gun-violence-prevention_NN1 advocates_NN2 have_VHB a_AT0 new_AJ0 goal_NN1 :_PUN Ban_VVB the_AT0 in-state_AJ0 production_NN1 of_PRF assault_NN1 weapons_NN2 ,_PUN which_DTQ already_AV0 cannot_NN1 be_VBI legally_AV0 sold_VVN here_AV0 ._SENT That_DT0 would_VM0 mean_VVI ,_PUN for_PRP example_NN1 ,_PUN that_CJT Springfield-based_NP0 Smith_NP0 &_NP0 Wesson_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 division_NN1 of_PRF American_AJ0 Outdoor_AJ0 Brands_NN2 ,_PUN could_VM0 not_XX0 produce_VVI military-style_AJ0 assault_NN1 rifles_NN2 for_PRP sale_NN1 in_PRP other_AJ0 states_NN2 at_PRP its_DPS large_AJ0 Springfield_NP0 facility_NN1 ,_PUN where_CJS its_DPS long_AJ0 guns_NN2 and_CJC pistols_NN2 are_VBB manufactured_VVN ._SENT 
