X

Gun law rushed through state legislator does not solve problems

Posted 2/4/13

To the Editor: Governor Cuomo and Addie Russell recently took shameless advantage of the tragedies in Webster and Middletown Conn. to push their misguided anti-gun agenda. They rushed this …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Gun law rushed through state legislator does not solve problems

Posted

To the Editor:

Governor Cuomo and Addie Russell recently took shameless advantage of the tragedies in Webster and Middletown Conn. to push their misguided anti-gun agenda. They rushed this legislation through in the dark of night in order to ensure citizens could not review the bill before it became law. In the few days since Cuomo signed this bill it has become apparent that the politicians who supported this bill are either totally incompetent or tragically stupid.

Cuomo, in his lust for legislation, crafted a law so sweeping that all it appears as if all NY police officers are now criminals. All police agencies use high-capacity magazines that are now illegal.

Most assault weapons bans have had law enforcement exclusions but Cuomo, Russell and the others completely missed this. Had this bill been available for review and comment prior to its enactment someone would have noticed this omission. It’s evident that the geniuses in Albany put a lot of thought into this.

Cuomo has repeatedly claimed that this law will not affect sportsmen. He is either incompetent or a liar. Most .22 rimfire rifles (the smallest and least powerful commonly available firearm) come with 10 round magazines that will shortly be illegal. You will be able to buy the rifle, but will not be able to buy a new magazine to make it function. This is like being able to buy a car, but not being able to legally buy tires. The definitions are so broad and sweeping that .22 Short competition target guns used in Olympic competition (which many would considered underpowered for hunting rabbits) are now classified as “Assault Weapons.”

The incompetence goes further: New York State has created a website that is supposed to clarify what is an assault weapon. A number of the firearms listed on this site are incorrectly identified: These people cannot tell the difference between a Browning .270 moose rifle and a Puma .22 bunny gun. It is evident that the people crafting and enforcing this law lack even a rudimentary knowledge of firearms.

The truly frightening thing is that these clowns are ‘leading’ our State. Unemployment is rampant. New Yorkers are losing homes to foreclosure. Schools across the North Country are facing insolvency and Albany continues to drag its feet on any meaningful assistance. Our State is in dire circumstances and Cuomo seems unwilling to achieve anything meaningful. Yet somehow - when Billionaire Bloomberg wants something – Cuomo is able to introduce and pass legislation in mere hours when he sees fit.

Dale Petry, Canton