New York gun owners are PISSED. As you’d expect. Their legislators passed a bill attempting to strip them of one of their fundamental civil rights, and did so without even reading the drivel they were voting on. While the constitutionality of the bill is currently under challenge in the courts, the people are making their displeasure known. A massive rally outside the capitol building in Albany – attendance was estimated at 12,000 – gathered yesterday to protest the bill, a crowd some legislators said was the largest they’ve ever seen. The Times Union picks up the story with some notable quotes . . .
“This is probably one of the most egregious acts by government I’ve seen defying our nation’s history,” said Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua. “It’s time to repeal this law.”
And, of course, the president of the NRA was on hand to make his displeasure known.
“Your governor is willing to sacrifice the Constitution, your rights as citizens and the prerogatives of his Legislature on the altar of his own ambition and the ego of Michael Bloomberg of New York City,” said Keene, referring to the Big Apple’s billionaire mayor, a staunch gun control advocate.
This issue really does have the potential to have a lasting impact on the state of New York. There has always been a feeling that politics in the state are dictated by the residents of the city, with the mostly Republican upstaters being completely ignored. My money is still on the state splitting a la West Virginia. But either way, it shows exactly how divisive this issue has become in our country.
And here’s the account of reader Aaron W. who was on the scene:
I went intermodal today and parked at the Croton On Hudson spillover lot early this morning. Took an early train to Albany. Passenger load was light, even when a group of fellow travelers boarded in Poughkeepsie. The NRA hats and camo tipped me off. I minded my own business until there were about 20 mins left to go. I introduced myself, and as usual amongst beleagured NY gun enthusiasts, we quickly bonded and chatted until we got to the Empire Plaza . . .
As we approached, I saw protestors disgorging from buses. “Hmmm… that’s that NRA protest they’ve been talking about” said the front seat passenger. I caught the woman next to me staring at my NRA shoulder patch. I asked the driver if I could leave since I already found what I was looking for. “Those are my people” I should have said, but I just fled the minivan and merged with the teeming masses of RKBA enthusiasts.
Everyone drifted into the cavernous underground corridor beneath the Plaza. It connects all of the important government buildings, so for the functionaries that keep NY functioning, there is no need for exposure to sunlight and fresh air. The main Plaza was “closed for the winter” anyway – we gathered in a smaller, but still substantial part of the complex.
There were already a few thousand people, and more were coming in by bus. I would say the crowd peaked around 12:30 or so. Max attendance was probably between five and eight thousand people.
Many people addressed the crowd – I didn’t catch their names, and out of the perhaps dozen or so only two seemed to be particularly effective or forceful. Sorry to say, but David Keene wasn’t among the better speakers. The National Anthem was sung brilliantly by a young woman, another person whose name I didn’t catch.
Lots of State Troopers were present, mostly to make sure people crossing the street to and from the main body of the crowd didn’t get clocked by intracity drivers. They seemed generally friendly. They let people pet the horses, and smirked politely at the various iterations of “FU Cuomo” shirts and signs.
Someone pointed out an overwatch – a trio of men with a tripod mounted camera were surveiling us from a nearby rooftop.
Crowd periodically chanted “Cuomo must go!”, a deafening chorus of disapproval that made the hairs on my neck stand up – not just from the vigor and volume of it, but the unity of purpose that it represented.
The signs weren’t super-creative or witty, but there were a few decent ones mixed in. LOTS of AR-15 “come and take it” banners, both in Greek and the original English. Also quite a few crude representations of Cuomo and/or Obama as Hitler.
The saddest part of this is that we had to spend time, money and energy to try to roll us back to where we were. If we could run a sort of Windows system restore on the NYS government, we’d still be back to the Sullivan laws on handguns, a non-sunsetting AWB, mag limits, feature restrictions and all that jazz.
I’m still glad I went. It’s great to be amongst fellow pro-RKBers and speak as one voice to our so-called leaders in Albany.
Fracturing along political lines. I wonder how much more of this we’ll see. In states, I can imagine a few of these occurrences, nationally…we live in interesting times.
Civilian disarmament proponents have no qualms sacrificing my daughters’ virginity to a diseased rapist so that they (disarmament proponents) can feel good.
It is my honor and duty to protect my family and prepare them to protect themselves when I am not around. Sadly, we not only have to protect ourselves from the violent criminals in our community, we also have to repeal the efforts of our government who is working feverishly (at the request of other fellow citizens) to enable those violent criminals among us.
My daughter’s virginity is not negotiable. Do we have any choice but to split?
Sadly New York is run by the population of a little island lead by a troll.
Which seven states have Constitutional carry? I know that Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming, and Vermont do, but I am unclear what states make up the other three.
Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho (parts of), Montana (parts of), Illinois (parts of), New Mexico (unloaded).
via Wikipedia.
It’s becoming clear that the fracturing in America is no longer along the Mason-Dixon line, but rather rural vs metropolis. Federal and State governments are increasingly controlled by the whims of the urban elite and we are seeing policy after policy, initiative after initiative aimed at urban dwellers while rural America is increasingly ignored, or even worse, trampled on by these policies.
Sure, a hedge fund manager in Manhattan can’t contemplate why anyone would “need” an AR-15, but has anyone once ever mentioned the ranchers and landowners in the border states, hell even farmers in Upstate NY along the Canadian border, who have no choice but to defend their property and families themselves with the possibility of armed drug smugglers always a threat? What about all of the Americans who live in rural counties with small sheriffs offices who may take upwards of 45 minutes to arrive at a 911 call due to distance alone? That so-called “assault weapon” Mikey Bloomberg is so terrified of isn’t an assault weapon. It’s a tool, just the same as a shovel, an axe, a hammer or a snowplow. It’s part of a way of life.
There are plenty of city slickers, including many of us on this site, who have our roots out in the sticks, or have at least been introduced to and recognize the beauty of the rural American lifestyle. Policies that aim to cripple that way of life won’t just impact Americans in Texas, North Dakota, Wyoming, Alabama, etc…don’t think the government doesn’t know that its biggest obstacle to totalitarianism is rural America.
Why is everyone disrespecting MagPul and no other firearm related company? I bet everyone here carries a S&W, Springfield, Glock, Kimber, or some other big-name manufacturer, but are you going to stop doing so and boycott them because they too are continuing to sell to LEO agencies and states that have infringed on our rights? Are you going to “burn” your $2000 Colt rifle or your $500 Glock? We need to apply this attitude to all companies across the board if we are going to apply it to one.
Personally, I believe these companies should just cease ALL sales to anyone and everyone in states that have prohibited the EMPLOYERS from owning and/or carrying their products. This way there is no confusion, and a little “I support the Second Amendment” box on purchase forms becomes obsolete.
I live in Kentucky, the state that has the least amount of gun laws in America. Here our right to keep and BEAR arms is strongly protected, by law and our Constitution. I am also a LEO in Kentucky, and I believe in equal rights for all, regardless of occupation. Many LEOs seem to forget that we are the employees of the PEOPLE, not the government! The PEOPLE are the employers of ALL government agents and representatives. I am glad I live in a state that allows my fellow citizens to carry their firearms unrestricted without a license, and that also allows them to possess any weapon they deem proper. The only places a citizen cannot carry openly in Kentucky are K-12 schools, inside detention facilities and inside COJ facilities. All other government buildings MUST allow carry and are prohibited by law from instituting ANY type of firearm legislation.
People, MOVE to a free state such as Kentucky! Get away from these oppressive states, and gather with like minded individuals and representatives that respect what WE want! We must come together in these times, because soon we will be taking back what has been taken, and it will NOT be easy! Soon these PMags will be needed, because I don’t see the government rescinding the legislation that has infringed on our rights and liberties over the past sixty years.
It is time to UNITE, not DIVIDE!
Joe,
Really thorough and well written review! Thanks for all the info!
Ken Lua
Oceano, CA
That picture, just wow! He looks deranged, or like Russia just emptied their missle silos towards us. Or is he grasping his horns, ol 666Joe?
Wow. that’s the closest thing I’ve seen to mutual masturbation on TV.
Right now, you can get the lifetime membership (with no sponsor required) for $300.
http://slickdeals.net/f/5882224-NRA-Lifetime-Membership-300-no-sponsorship-required
I think we need to ignore him. He’s exploiting our passion to increase ratings and line his pockets.
Very few people even knew who he was before he latched on to this issue. Just forget about him.
Boston’s idea of combining an Irish pub with their police pistol range was well intentioned but poorly thought out.
Wish I was close enough to Feinstein to test the theory on whether throwing a bucket of water on her would make that wicked with of the west melt like Dorothy did!
Probably would wash off about 12 lbs of makeup based on that video, UUUGGGGHHH!
always had faith in magpul from the beginning of this.
great show of dedication towards the civilian crowd.
Of course no assault weapons were stolen, because there’s no such thing as an assault weapon.
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