No one attended because anyone who moderately pays attention knows that these hearings are for show. The pigs on Bacon Hill will do what they want, confident that their moronic constituents will reelect them if they spew enough politically correct nonsense come election time.
MassHoles.
Exactly. A decade or so back, I went to one of these 'public hearings' in Rochester, NY, as they prepared to ban 'assault weapons' in city limits.
I went to the podium and spoke of my DCM-CMP program shooting competitions, and how this would ban my sport.
Many other people went to the podium ... some collectors, some competitors, some who simply objected because of the horrible definitions and all-encompassing nature of the ban (Glock pistols and 1911-style .45's were caught up as 'assault weapons) in the definition... even the humble Ruger 10/22 was caught up.)
At the end, the leader of the City Council stood up and said, "I have listened to all of you. However, I recommend to my colleagues to pass this legislation. I will NOT REST if there is even ONE ASSAULT WEAPON in this city."
In other words, "Yeah, but f*** you."