Keep and Bear Arms

NY RKBA Activists Must Unite to Pass Pro-Gun Bills!

NY RKBA Activists Must Unite to Pass Pro-Gun Bills!

by Lonnie "Glock" Wilson
glock17@tampabay.rr.com
with contributions from M. Justice and James Howell from Packing.org

May 3, 2002

While I do not live in New York, my countrymen do -- We stand together for our freedoms and liberties.

The State of New York, long considered the bedrock of gun control in this country, with laws that have strictly regulated pistols since 1911 with the Sullivan Act, for the express purpose of discriminating against immigrants, has long been one of the "Gun Control Utopias" in this country. It is believed by many that they will never see anything resembling shall-issue concealed carry in our lifetimes ever passing in New York.

However, if anything, times are definitely not the same. The 9/11 attacks hit New York City the hardest, and there has been a rise in pro-gun strength, while anti-gunners cower and continue to shove their ludicrous opposition to pilots carrying guns in cockpits, showing the American people what we gun rights activists have known for years: That the anti-gun movement supports terrorism by disarming law abiding citizens, and they will stoop to any low to do so. 9/11 told us one thing: A gun had by a pilot on each plane would have saved 3000 lives. Yet the anti-gun forces say that is not the case and continue to oppose efforts to allow concealed carry in states that still prohibit it, as well as states that continue to violate the 14th amendment equal protection clause and only issue for "good cause".

However, an interesting situation has occurred. The New York State Senate is considering 3 pro-gun bills. Though the enactment of these bills would not eliminate all of the unconstitutional restrictions on the 2nd amendment rights of New Yorkers, the bills do not, from my read, create further gun control. These bills are:

S2279 -- "Provides that a properly issued license to carry a pistol or revolver is valid throughout the entirety of the state, including the city of New York."

S2302 (same as A9560) -- "Establishes a presumption (rebuttable) that an applicant for a pistol or revolver license (including to have and carry concealed such a firearm) has proper cause for issuance thereof unless the prior moral, mental or criminal record of the person indicates that good cause exists to believe that any benefit accruing to the person would be outweighed by potential dangers to public safety that would be engendered by issuance of such license." (This implies that any reason you offer must be the reason the issue the license, unless they can prove your prior record shows that the public would be endangered)

S3746 (same as A941) -- "Limits a licensing officer's discretion in imposing additional licensing restrictions on a firearm's licensee not otherwise provided in the penal law." (NO restrictions. PERIOD.)

I don't think they are going to vote right away, but we cannot relax our efforts yet. Call and write your state senators and ask them to vote in favor of these bills. If you are not sure who your senator is, please visit the New York State Senate website -- a direct link to the "lookup" map is right here: http://www.senate.state.ny.us/Senatorbio.nsf/statemap?openform.

You New Yorkers need to call your State Senators first, and then the Assemblyman of your district, as well as members of the Assembly Codes committee. It'll probably pass the Senate, but the House is typically where pro-gun bills die. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN!!

You might say "Bleh, New York is anti-gun to the max! Why should we even try?"

Well, James Howell over at Packing.org had this to say, and I agree with him wholeheartedly in his strategic assessment:

Imagine a New York where CCW permits issued anywhere in the state would be honored anywhere in the state, including New York City. Imagine how quickly the crime rate would go down in NYC following the enactment of such a law.

Then imagine a New York with a shall-issue CCW. Anybody with a clean record would be able to secure a CCW, and would then be able to carry anywhere in the state (except the usual prohibited places, such as in school buildings, court houses, etc.).

It will happen, some day. And when it does, all the results would be positive. Crime rates would fall, and relations between the police and the citizenry would improve. New York would become a strong beacon for RKBA. What would that do for New Jersey? Maryland? Washington D. C.? California? None of them would be able to withstand the pressure to pass shall-issue legislation.

If you live anywhere in NY, and you call committee members from NYC proper, it's very likely they will oppose these bills from being heard. If they are blacks, latinos, or another ethnic group, you might want to remind them that nearly every unrestricted CCW holder in NYC are rich, powerful white folks, and that their constituents don't ever get permits because they don't have political connections. A few dozen people saying the same thing may make a dent.

If the Assembly Codes committee hears the bills, and if they pass it, then the pressure will be on Sheldon Silver (the Speaker of the House) to not try to kill it. This is probably New York's best shot at shall-issue CCW in decades! POUR IT ON!

Regards,

Lonnie "Glock" Wilson

Thanks to MJustice and James Howell at Packing.org for some of the text of this article from their message board postings in this thread:

http://www.packing.org/news/article.jsp/8016/

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Written By:	Lonnie "Glock" Wilson
	NY RKBA Activists Must Unite to Pass Pro-Gun Bills! NY RKBA Activists Must Unite to Pass Pro-Gun Bills! by Lonnie "Glock" Wilson glock17@tampabay.rr.com with contributions from M. Justice and James Howell from Packing.org May 3, 2002 While I do not live in New York, my countrymen do -- We stand together for our freedoms and liberties. The State of New York, long considered the bedrock of gun control in this country, with laws that have strictly regulated pistols since 1911 with the Sullivan Act, for the express purpose of discriminating against immigrants, has long been one of the "Gun Control Utopias" in this country. It is believed by many that they will never see anything resembling shall-issue concealed carry in our lifetimes ever passing in New York. However, if anything, times are definitely not the same. The 9/11 attacks hit New York City the hardest, and there has been a rise in pro-gun strength, while anti-gunners cower and continue to shove their ludicrous opposition to pilots carrying guns in cockpits, showing the American people what we gun rights activists have known for years: That the anti-gun movement supports terrorism by disarming law abiding citizens, and they will stoop to any low to do so. 9/11 told us one thing: A gun had by a pilot on each plane would have saved 3000 lives. Yet the anti-gun forces say that is not the case and continue to oppose efforts to allow concealed carry in states that still prohibit it, as well as states that continue to violate the 14th amendment equal protection clause and only issue for "good cause". However, an interesting situation has occurred. The New York State Senate is considering 3 pro-gun bills. Though the enactment of these bills would not eliminate all of the unconstitutional restrictions on the 2nd amendment rights of New Yorkers, the bills do not, from my read, create further gun control. These bills are: S2279 -- "Provides that a properly issued license to carry a pistol or revolver is valid throughout the entirety of the state, including the city of New York." S2302 (same as A9560) -- "Establishes a presumption (rebuttable) that an applicant for a pistol or revolver license (including to have and carry concealed such a firearm) has proper cause for issuance thereof unless the prior moral, mental or criminal record of the person indicates that good cause exists to believe that any benefit accruing to the person would be outweighed by potential dangers to public safety that would be engendered by issuance of such license." (This implies that any reason you offer must be the reason the issue the license, unless they can prove your prior record shows that the public would be endangered) S3746 (same as A941) -- "Limits a licensing officer's discretion in imposing additional licensing restrictions on a firearm's licensee not otherwise provided in the penal law." (NO restrictions. PERIOD.) I don't think they are going to vote right away, but we cannot relax our efforts yet. Call and write your state senators and ask them to vote in favor of these bills. If you are not sure who your senator is, please visit the New York State Senate website -- a direct link to the "lookup" map is right here: http://www.senate.state.ny.us/Senatorbio.nsf/statemap?openform. You New Yorkers need to call your State Senators first, and then the Assemblyman of your district, as well as members of the Assembly Codes committee. It'll probably pass the Senate, but the House is typically where pro-gun bills die. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN!! You might say "Bleh, New York is anti-gun to the max! Why should we even try?" Well, James Howell over at Packing.org had this to say, and I agree with him wholeheartedly in his strategic assessment: Imagine a New York where CCW permits issued anywhere in the state would be honored anywhere in the state, including New York City. Imagine how quickly the crime rate would go down in NYC following the enactment of such a law. Then imagine a New York with a shall-issue CCW. Anybody with a clean record would be able to secure a CCW, and would then be able to carry anywhere in the state (except the usual prohibited places, such as in school buildings, court houses, etc.). It will happen, some day. And when it does, all the results would be positive. Crime rates would fall, and relations between the police and the citizenry would improve. New York would become a strong beacon for RKBA. What would that do for New Jersey? Maryland? Washington D. C.? California? None of them would be able to withstand the pressure to pass shall-issue legislation. If you live anywhere in NY, and you call committee members from NYC proper, it's very likely they will oppose these bills from being heard. If they are blacks, latinos, or another ethnic group, you might want to remind them that nearly every unrestricted CCW holder in NYC are rich, powerful white folks, and that their constituents don't ever get permits because they don't have political connections. A few dozen people saying the same thing may make a dent. If the Assembly Codes committee hears the bills, and if they pass it, then the pressure will be on Sheldon Silver (the Speaker of the House) to not try to kill it. This is probably New York's best shot at shall-issue CCW in decades! POUR IT ON! Regards, Lonnie "Glock" Wilson Thanks to MJustice and James Howell at Packing.org for some of the text of this article from their message board postings in this thread: http://www.packing.org/news/article.jsp/8016/