NYFirearms.com is pleased to announce a membership drive for NYSRPA.  This event will last through the month of July and will offer memberships for NYFirearms.com members at a discounted rate.

The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association is a well rounded not-for-profit organization that was developed to preserve Second Amendment rights and to promote firearm safety, education, training and the shooting sports in general in NY State.  The organization brings a lot to our community.  I’m sure you’ve seen the email messages I’ve passed on that originated from NYSRPA and seen the posts about their legislative reports during the recent legislative session.

We would like to give something back to them by trying to promote and encourage new members to sign up for NYSRPA.  I would like to thank Jacob and everyone else at NYSRPA for their generous offer of $5 off a first time membership for any member of NYFirearms.com.

As a member of NYSRPA you will not only be supporting one of the largets Second Amendment organizations in the state but also receive many benefits.  These include receiving their bi-monthly publication, shop discounts and the ability to participate in their shooting events.  For a complete list of benefits visit the member benefits section of their website.

Cost to join through this special offer is as follows:

• Single – $20 (regularly $25)
• Senior – $15 (regularly $20)
• Junior – $12 (regularly $15)
• Family – $35 (regularly $40)

To take advantage of this offer you will need to use this application.   Note that this is different than the application on the NYSRPA.org website and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it.

Please take a minute to view their website and consider supporting an organization that supports our Second Amendment rights as New Yorkers.

This letter to the editor ran in the Rome, NY Daily Sentinel.  I think it’s well written and intelligent.  Too bad some people don’t have enough common sense to realize he’s right.

I am writing regarding Marie Coco’s column “Guns and the link we won’t admit.” Though I am happy to consider anyone’s opinion, this piece presented factual errors and faulty logic to make the case for more gun control. I use such terms not as diatribe or insult, but because I think that arguments for abridging freedom should be held to particularly high standards. I would like the opportunity to rebut Ms. Cocco’s piece not only because of her destructive ideas but also in an effort to encourage an intellectual lifting of the debate.

Ms. Cocco directly implies that the availability of guns causes people to commit horrible crimes. Inanimate objects cannot cause people to carry out any actions. Does alcohol cause drunkenness? Do wrenches cause people to fix their own leaky pipes? Do shoes cause more pedestrian traffic? I know that such statements are ridiculous: That is my point. The idea that guns cause people to commit crime is equally ridiculous, but it is the logic of Ms. Cocco’s piece.

Ms. Cocco describes James Von Brunn, a man with a long history of open, violent racism. Would such a man, ready to break the highest law, including murder, have ever hesitated to break a law against acquiring a gun? And in fact, laws did not prevent him from committing his crimes. As a convicted felon (whose felonies included illegally possessing guns) it is illegal for von Brunn even to touch a gun. Under the strongest possible regulation of guns, an outright total ban, von Brunn’s actions would have been no more illegal than they already are, and if he was not deterred now, why would he be deterred after a ban?

The gun trace legislation that Ms. Cocco mentions actually specifically states that gun trace data will be released to any law enforcement organization at any level in the course of investigating a crime. The only prohibition on law enforcement is that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will not release data if it is not in connection with an active criminal investigation. And that prohibition is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, among others.

Ms. Cocco also mentions Richard Poplawski and the crimes he committed with a gun identified as an AK-47, which Ms. Cocco implies would not have been possible if the “Assault Weapons” ban was still in force. This is not true. The AK-47 is a machine gun, capable of fully-automatic fire, and is not regulated by the “Assault Weapons” ban but rather by the National Firearms Act.

Perhaps the most important point here is that Ms. Cocco gives no indication of why we should think that stricter gun control will prevent crime. The examples she gives are in fact ones of why gun control does nothing to prevent crime. Other countries that have strict gun control do not see a decline in illegal guns, and criminals in South Africa, Russia, and even Taiwan , the Netherlands, and Luxembourg are just as quick to commit murder despite the fact that guns are not widely and legally available.

And what of the tens of millions of Americans who own guns under the current system of regulation yet commit no violent crimes with them? They don’t suddenly become filled with violence when they walk into a sporting goods store. The number of legal gun-owners far exceeds the total number of violent criminals, but Ms. Cocco lumps them all together as a threat to society. It is good that Ms. Cocco is looking for ways to reduce violence, but if she proposes to do so by abridging the long-held freedoms of American citizens, she should at least get her facts straight.

I did not write the following but wanted to share it with you.

Let’s set things straight right up front.  Yes, some guns are being smuggled into Mexico from the U.S.  Most are handguns.  It should come as no surprise that guns are smuggled into Mexico.  But, the problem being portrayed by the U.S. media and our government is not as it seems. Mexico doesn’t allow ownership of most firearms, so ordinary Mexican people seeking self-protection will find a way to get them into Mexico.  As for the drug cartels operating in the border towns along the U.S., they have other sources for their firearms; fully automatic weapons are what they want. The public US gun market can’t supply these.

Cartels buy their arms from countries around the world on the black market, or from countries wishing to destabilize North America.  They arm themselves from a worldwide multi-billion dollar black market of full auto military weapons including grenades, land mines and RPGs.  They also “procure” their weapons from within the Mexican military itself.

The drug cartels can easily afford to fly their arms into Mexico using their own fleet of aircraft on to remote airfields, or land them on remote Mexican shores, they do it with drugs all of the time.  The thought of drug cartels buying semi-auto AR15 or AK rifles in small quantities from U.S. gun dealers is viewed as a joke.  The only people fooled by all the political rhetoric are Americans listening to the likes of Attorney General Eric Holder and other anti-gun politicians.

The next time you see a news report of illegal full-auto weapons and grenades being found here in the U.S., you know where they came from.  It wasn’t from a gun store in Tucson or Phoenix.  The administration is right that gun trafficking along the U.S./Mexico border is a problem.  Not only do we have drugs and illegal aliens coming in our southern border, but we also have military arms and explosives coming into our country illegally as well.  That’s the issue and our government is being disingenuous in its argument.

Supreme Court Judge Thomas McNamara refused to rule on whether or not last week’s Senate “coup” was legal citing the New York State Constitution.  “Courts may well be suited to analyzing such a question and providing a reasoned objective conclusion,” Judge Thomas McNamara wrote in his decision. “Nonetheless, a judicially imposed resolution would be an improvident intrusion into the internal workings of a co-equal branch of government.”

Judge McNamara may have been referring to the section of the NY State Constitution that reads:

§ 9. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to do business. Each house shall determine the rules of its own proceedings, and be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members; shall choose its own officers; and the senate shall choose a temporary president and the assembly shall choose a speaker.

Hopefully this disagreement keeps any anti-gun bills from being voted on this session. Read an article about the decision here.

In an article written in the Times of Wayne County, County Judge Dennis Kehoe is said to be denying concealed carry permits to law abiding citizens.  Although they have passed all background checks and application information verified he is issuing permits restricted to hunting and target shooting.  Judge Kehoe is one of three County Judges that approve or deny a permit application.  Up until last month a pistol permit received in Wayne County was typically issued unrestricted, allowing the applicant to carry a concealed handgun wherever it is lawful to do so.   Judge Kehoe is reported to have changed his stance on restricting permits based on the increased number of applicants.  Wayne county has had 454 applicants so far this year which is more than double the number receive in the first five months of 2008.  Apparently Judge Kehoe doesn’t believe in peoples’ right to defend themseves ouside of their homes.  If you’re from Wayne County please write to him and express your concerns.  He can be reached at the following address:

The Honorable Dennis M. Kehoe
Wayne County Court
Wayne County Hall of Justice, Rm. 106
54 Broad St.
Lyons, NY  14489

Details are still emerging but it appears that the GOP has taken control of the State Senate.   News reports say that Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, both democrats, voted with the republican minority to remove Senate majority leader Malcom Smith of Queens and return the senate to republican control.  We’ll update as the situation develops.

Read about it in this article.

This morning state Senate leaders blocked members of NYSRPA, NRA and other pro-gun organizations from attending a meeting on microstamping today while the company that owns the microstamping technology, The Brady Campaign and New Yorkers Against Gun Violence were in attendance.

NYSRPA published a press release on the subject.

The Rome, NY Daily Sentinel published an editorial on President Obama’s comment that ninety percent of the firearms recovered in Mexico are traced back to The United States.

A link to the editorial can be found HERE.

Obama’s 15 words

“More than 90 percent of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States”

Those 15 words from President Obama are not true. But it doesn’t matter. Fake but accurate is good enough. Although debunked, the meme was repeatedly repeated by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen Diane Feinstein (D-CA), the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Times, NBC, the Chicago Tribune and others.

Factcheck.org says, “What Obama should have said is that 90 percent of the guns submitted by Mexican authorities and traced by the U.S. come from the U.S.” The number of guns used in drug-related crimes is unknown and probably countable. Where the guns are manufactured is not significant; it’s a serial number that would assist traceability. Most AK-47 assault rifles, for instance, don’t have serial numbers and would not be submitted to American authorities to trace. As the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms clarified for Factcheck.org, the 90 percent figure represents only guns that were submitted and could be traced.

But, gosh, don’t let accuracy get in the way of a good story. NPR certainly didn’t. They followed up concerns about the accuracy of the 90 percent figure with Polifact.org. Polifact concluded that the 90 percent number was wrong, but “We think the ATF number, presented in its proper context, provides legitimate and useful information to weigh when considering U.S. policy.” Huh? Give Polifact a Dan Rather Bobblehead Doll since they believe that for a good cause, fake but accurate is good enough. NPR, having checked its brains at the door, was greatly relieved to have its prejudices assuaged with verbal legerdemain.

It is useful to know that guns are being transported illegally into Mexico. It is not useful to lie about it. It cheapens the discussion and leads us to discount anything the speaker says.

Obama’s 15 words remind us that George Bush’s famous 16 words regarding Saddam’s pursuit of WMD toasted the brain cells the mainstream media, too. Whether Obama’s 15 words or Bush’s 16 words, mainstream media apparently consists of hounds that can’t hunt.

In Nordyke v. King the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco has ruled that the Second Amendment  is incorporated against the states and local governments.  The ruling was written by Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain with a concurring opinion from Judge Ronald M. Gould.  The suit was originally brought about in an attempt to stop Alameda County from passing an ordnance that prohibits firearm possession on county property in order to prohibit gun shows at the county fairgrounds.  The decision references Heller v. DC by saying that it abrogated Hickman v. Block (1996) which declared the Second Amendment only a collective right and not an individual one.  However, the courts decision says that the Heller v. DC ruling centered on the ability of individuals to defend themselves in their homes but the ordnance enacted by Alameda County did not directly impede or limit armed self-defense in the home and not all laws that make exercising a right more difficult are automatically an infringement of that right.

How is this important to us here in New York State?  The ruling applies to the states in the Ninth Circuit’s district which are AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR and WA.  Although New York is not in their district, this ruling can be cited in other circuits.  Even if cited by another circuit, the decision is not binding.

This decision comes after a previous decision by the Fifth Circuit Court decision to uphold the individual right to bear arms.  That district includes TX, LA and MS.

This is another positive step forward for individuals who wish to legally own firearms.

The senate passed the Wicker Amendment to the federal budget which ensures that law abiding Amtrak passengers are allowed to securely transport firearms in their checked baggage.  The way the amendment works is by forcing Amtrak to allow firearms in checked bagage if they use federal funding.  Although the bill was passed by a vote of 63-35, the voting record shows that Senator Gillibrand and Senator Schumer both voted ‘no’.  Schumer’s vote was no surprise but there was hope that Gillibrand would continue to support the rights of law abiding gun owners as she did in the house.  After voting against allowing the residents of Washington DC to own common defensive handguns I guess it was safe to say that her vote of ‘no’ was expected.  Based on her voting record since taking office in the Senate it’s safe to say that Gillibrand is no longer a supporter of second amendment rights.

In his state of the city address, David R. Roefaro, the mayor of Utica, NY declared war on illegal guns.  Although the intent is noble, the method will likely trample the right of law abiding gun owners.  Some quotes to note from his address include saying that guns are a “gateway to drugs and a recipe for murder.”  He also bragged about being part of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, saying that he joined the group of over 350 mayors to repeal the Tihart amendments which protect the privacy of gun owners claiming that it will aid in the city’s “access and studying the patterns of illegal guns” and prevent inhibition of the “success of National Criminal Background Checks.”  The Utica Observer Dispatch published an article on the address which is posted on their website.

It’s only a few days away!  On Saturday, March 28, 2009 forum sponsor Modern Defensive Training Systems along with AR15.com and NYFirearms.com will be holding a fundraiser for the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. The event will be held at the Gander Mountain Lodge in Henrietta, NY.  See more details in the forum post.

There are two seminars being held:

MDTS Threat Recognition & Management Tactics Interactive Lecture
• Lecture and non-physical interactive drills for those new to personal defense
• 10am-12pm
• 2 hrs – $20 donation to NYSRPA!

MDTS Practical Combatives Workshop
• Hands on workshop for anyone who wants to take their personal defense skills to the next level
• 1pm-4pm
• 3 hrs – $30 donation to NYSRPA!

You can save $10 by attending both sessions.  Get directions to the location.

As part of the state’s budget the legislature will decide whether or not hunting, fishing and trapping license fees will be increased.  The proposal hikes fishing licenses from $19 to $29.  The proposal comes from the DEC and all money collected stays with the conservation fund which stocks fish, surveys land and raises pheasants.

See the Rnews.com article here.

On 2/27/09 Bill number A06294 was referred to codes.  This bill revises the current state assault weapon ban making it more strict.  Significant changes include making the list of banned features larger which includes a muzzle brake or a vertical front grip.  It defines assault weapons as having one of those features as opposed to one being allowed under the current ban.  Detachable magazine is defined as “…can be removed from the firearm without use of any tool including a bullet or ammunition cartridge.”  Any firearm classified as an assault weapon under the new law would require the gun to be rendered inoperable, turned in to law enforcement or registered in a database created by the law.

This bill is very similar to the ban that was introduced last year and died in the senate.  With the democratic control of the state government this one may pass.  Please write your representative and encorage them to oppose this bill.

Eric Massa (D-NY)

House democrats sent a letter to Eric Holder opposing the rumored revival of the expired federal assault weapon ban.  Downrange.tv has a copy of the letter on their website.  A total of 65 democrats signed the letter and among those was Eric Massa (D-NY) representing New York’s 29th district.  Read the AP article about it here.