To the Editor:

In my previous letter one could probably sense my frustration with the liberal politicians in Albany. I would like to try to inform the members of the general public as to why I am so frustrated with this latest ill-fated attempt at gun control. For instance, raising the legal age to purchase or possess a semi-automatic rifle from age 18 to 21, the uniformed person will say great, no one needs an AR15 or weapon of war.

If I were to agree with you, which I don’t, this bill does not distinguish between centerfire and rimfire semi-automatics. This means you will need a license or permit to buy, or possess a semi-automatic .22LR rifle. You will not legally be able to allow your children or grandchildren under 21 years of age to shoot a .22LR in your own backyard. I ask you, what does this have to do with banning an AR15 or stopping a mass shooting? How many mass shootings have occurred with a .22LR? Wait, our appointed official in Albany, who was appointed to replace our latest disgraced governor, has gone on record saying she doesn’t need numbers as justification. How can this appointed official pass legislation which could affect our state for years to come?

Another of the useless bills passed applies to licensed gun dealers. We are already susceptible to numerous federal laws which keep our customers and the public safe. Now, I am supposed to lock all of my firearms in a safe or vault daily at the close of business. Idiots, I do not only have three guns to be put away and taken out each day, it would take me several hours daily to put everything into a safe. Not to mention, the potential damage to each one as a result of being handled daily. Another requirement is that I install (at my cost) numerous cameras, to be maintained by a third party. A camera at each point of entry and over my point of sales. This means all of your personal information will be on camera and able to be viewed by law enforcement.

How long before this information gets hacked? I am also required to store all ammunition out of the reach of all customers. I personally think this discriminates against the vertically challenged. According to new legislation, anyone under 18 is not allowed into my shop unless you are with a parent or legal guardian. They would not be allowed to purchase a scope unless their parents are with them.

How exactly will this stop another mass shooting? Your kids will not be allowed to enter the fishing section at Walmart since the fishing merchandise is sold in the same area as firearms and ammunition. This was obviously not well thought out, just like the rest of the legislation.

Additionally, gun dealers have to maintain a log book with all firearms bought, and to whom they are sold. Copies of this book are then to be sent to the New York State Police twice a year. I am already required by federal law to keep this log, called the A&D book with all of this information in it. People, if I have to send copies of this book to the NYSP it is in no uncertain terms FIREARM REGISTRATION! They will know exactly what you bought and when. I am also supposed to be inspected by the NYSP every three years. This is especially interesting since the NYSP already runs a full inspection and background check every two years when they renew my license. Why do the imbecile politicians feel the need to reiterate the same things already required by federal law? I would like to think the NYSP has better things to do, like put actual criminals in jail!! Let them do the jobs they were hired to do without this political nonsense.

I am sure that most Troopers don’t want any part of bothering the law-abiding citizens. The ATF inspectors already do a thorough job making sure gun dealers are maintaining accurate records. They don’t need the NYSP double checking their work.

The lawmakers also passed a bill regarding microstamping. They passed this law knowing full well it couldn’t be enforced as there is currently no microstamping technology. How does this stop a school or mass shooting? What do these bills have to do with banning actual assault weapons?

Now I am going to talk like a liberal, no I am not going to talk with my head up there, but I am going to discuss something I have not fully researched. I think it is safe to assume there are more kids under the age of 21 abusing alcohol than abusing firearms. So according to their logic, we need to place all convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores under surveillance. How many teenagers are killed each year due to alcohol related deaths? Oh, that’s right, our appointed official in Albany doesn’t care about the numbers. The liberals don’t think you are mature enough to buy a semiautomatic rifle until you are 21, yet you are mature enough to vote and join the military at 18 years old. Think about this, your son or daughter is allowed to join the military and be deployed to a foreign country if they are under 21 , but they can’t touch a semi-automatic .22LR in their backyard. Maybe you need to be 21 years old to vote and join the military.

The reality is nothing these fools have passed will stop another mass or school shooting because they don’t address the real issues. Nothing I have mentioned has anything to do with stopping criminals and the mentally unstable from killing our children and citizens.

Speaking of our children being killed. I know that this has nothing to do with gun control, but I want to point out the blatant hypocrisy of our appointed officials in Albany. I don’t care which side of Roe vs. Wade you are on, that is your personal belief. It is not up to me or anyone else to judge that either way, just like it is not up to you to judge me for legally owning and selling firearms. I find it quite hypocritical though for our appointed official in Albany, to fight so hard to protect our school aged children from being murdered while at the same time making it easier to kill the unborn children.

Like I said, it is not my place to judge people’s decisions as a private citizen, but it is my place to tell our appointed official in Albany to not be a hypocrite. I would think as our appointed official in Albany, that all children should matter. People, this is just the beginning of stealing our Constitutional Rights away.

Please speak up before it is too late. Let your local elected officials know this cannot be tolerated.

Scott Gray
Lisbon