NY STATE NEWS

NYC Alliance for the Second Amendment becomes a forum.

ANNOUNCING THE 2004 U.S. SERVICE RIFLE SMALL ARMS FIRING SCHOOL (SAFS)

NYSRPA PRESS RELEASE, Ohio Is Latest State To Enact "Shall-Issue" Handgun Carry Licensing Law

NY State PEF union anti-Bush, Pro-Dean

NATIONAL NEWS

IRS Moves to Threaten Second Amendment Newsletters, E-mail Alerts

Bullseye Indoor Shooting Range, St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

Why People Fear Guns

• Many of the people who are pushing Shotgun Only do not want any hunting at all.
• Some people get upset if they hear any shooting, even if it is miles away
• Few people can tell the difference between the sound of someone shooting a shotgun or a rifle in the woods. Many of the people who are hunting are already using shotguns hunting various game.
• Most people only think of deer hunting in Orange County but we have many hunting lands, both public and private where people also hunt various types of birds. Between several groups thousands of dollars are spent every year stocking hunting lands with birds across Orange County. In the fall anyone hearing a gun shot thinks that someone is hunting a deer with a rifle when many times it might be a bird hunter using a shotgun.
• If someone has a specific problem they can always contact the land owner

I see no need for a law that would require Shotgun Only in Orange County

CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH'S
2nd Annual Sportsmen’s Banquet
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
CLICK HERE TO SEE A REPORT ON 2002 DINNER

     The Dinner was great this year. The food was good, the presentation was great, the crowd was larger and everyone had a good time.
I am going to add some pictures in the next few days.

Gander Mountain is looking for a few good people
CLICK HERE TO SEE NOV.'S NEWSLETTER ARTICLE
CLICK HERE FOR MORE JOB INFORMATION

   Gander Mountain has the "HELP WANTED" sign out for people to work in the new Middletown store in the old Wal-Mart on RT 211 in Middletown. The target date for the new store to open is the end of March. They had a job fair for Department Managers/Team Leaders on 1/13/04 and they will have another job fair in February for hourly employees. They expect to have over 150 employees with most of them being part time hourly. They hope to be open by the end of March or first of April and they have a lot of work to do. Right now the store is gutted and they will soon be starting to fill the 120,000 sq. feet of floor space inside and another 18,000 sq. feet or so of outside space for boats and such. 120,000 + sq. feet of space is a lot to fill up and with all that space they are going to have a lot of what ever you want in every size and color made. They will have separate departments for clothing, camping, ATV, boats, paintball, and archery just to name a few and just wait till you see the firearms department!
     They will have as big, if not bigger, gun selection of all types as any place that you have ever see or heard of. Expect around 4,000 long gun plus just about every handgun that is being made today. And talk about a gun buy back program! They hope that you are going to be willing to trade some of your guns in because they want to have between 500 and 1,000 used guns also. Add to that a full gunsmith shop on site with several gunsmiths and you've got a store with the gun you want in the caliber you want with the gunsmiths standing by to mount that scope you want in short order. And just in case you need a new safe to store all your new guns in, they will have a separate room just for safes.
     Don't think that those interested in Archery are going to be left out. Not only do you get everything ever made, you also get an indoor Archery shooting lane to try your stuff out in. And if you have any problems or need some custom help the full service Archery Pro shop will be able to help you including custom arrow cutting.
     If you believe that "Man can not live with hunting and shooting alone" then wait till you see the Fishing Department. This department is going to have everything that you would want including a service department and with this area being one of the major fly fishing area in the North East expect one of the best fly fishing selections on the planet.and they are going to also have a "Bait Store" that has it's own outside entrance that will open early, (5 AM or so,) and stay open late.
     The only thing missing from this store that Gander Mountain normally has is a fish tank. Normally they put in a big fish tank but this store is built on top of Sam's Club and the weight of such a big tank would not be supported by the floor and it just might get a little wet in Sam's Club so they had to leave the tank out.
     It is hard to predict what the full impact of this store is going to have on Orange County and this area. This type of store will pull in people from an area of several hours of driving time. Expect people from all of the border states and with a train station within easy walking distance from the store, expect more than just a few people from NY City to take a day trip just to visit the store. With Woodbury Commons just a short drive away, also expect plenty of guys to drop the little woman off and then have a couple of hours to visit the store or many couples might want to do a little shopping at both places.

Patricia Wallace Pachyderm Club of Orange County host Jackie Brisacone

     Jackie Brisacone was the guest speaker at the Jan. meeting of the local Pachyderm Club. She is a Personal Assistant to Rudy Giuliani and has been with him for many years. Everyone had a good time and plans were made for the Club to work in the local community on several projects. The club is a grass roots Republican Social Club and it only cost $50 a year to join and is open to any registered Republican in Orange County. They are going to support Republicans in local races and promote grass root participation. Call 469-2441 for more information.
     They are working on a web site but for now the national web site is: http://www.pachyderms.org

Letter from Sue Kelly, 19th Congressional District

Thank you for contacting me with your opposition to the Homeland Security Gun Safety Act.
     I certainly understand your interest in this issue. My position is based on the belief that the answer to violence in our society will not be found by modifying existing firearms laws. It's a bigger problem than that, and it's inappropriate for the issue to be oversimplified by an exclusive focus on new regulations, especially those such as the Homeland Security Gun Safety Act, which fail to acknowledge a citizen's Second Amendment rights.
     Accountability-based measures are a central component of any approach which seeks to protect our rights and. our communities, and it's for this reason that any proposals which may weaken our focus on this idea must be viewed with a critical eye. I have worked hard to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals and those who possess them with malicious intent. You may be interested to know that I have introduced H.R. 291, legislation that would stiffen penalties for those who possess, brandish, or discharge a firearm during the commission of a crime. It is my belief that by punishing those individuals who act irresponsibly with such weapons, we can further protect our communities and the rights of law-abiding citizens.
     The Homeland Security Gun Safety Act, S. 969, has been introduced in the Senate. However, there is currently no companion bill in the House. Please know I will continue to fight to protect the fundamental right of all honest and peaceable Americans to keep and bear arms. Please feel free to contact me in the future if you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely, ~ Sue Kelly
Member of Congress

NYC Alliance for the Second Amendment becomes a forum.

     NYCASA started as a web site last year but has now changed over to a forum. (You think that you have it bad because you have restrictions!) New Link http://pub98.ezboard.com/bnycallianceforthesecondamendment

ANNOUNCING THE 2004 U.S. SERVICE RIFLE SMALL ARMS FIRING SCHOOL (SAFS)
CLICK HERE FOR THE NY STATE HIGHPOWER WEBSITE

     Have an interest in Service Rifle competition? The 2004 SAFS will be held at the Peconic River Sportsman's Club on April 3rd & 4th and at Camp Smith on April 17th & 18th. Here you will learn from national champions, receive one-on-one coaching, and qualify to purchase a surplus M1 Garand rifle from the CMP. For more information and a complete program, choose a link below:

• 2004 SAFS program, Microsoft Word format.
• 2004 SAFS program, Acrobat PDF format.

     Adult SAFS participants must be NRA or New York State Rifle and Pistol Association (NYSRPA) members, except for juniors and U.S. Armed Forces. Adult participants who join the NYSRPA at SAFS will receive a $5.00 discount on an annual membership!

NYSRPA PRESS RELEASE
Ohio Is Latest State To Enact "Shall-Issue" Handgun Carry Licensing Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Thomas H. King, Pres.
January 9, 2004 (518) 436-0161; tking@nysrpa.org

      TROY, NY January 9, 2004 With Ohio's enactment yesterday of a law mandating the issuance of a license to carry a personal firearm to law-abiding adults, New York State today is among a shrinking minority of states that continue to enforce a policy of victim disarmament. Today, 37 states have laws that either mandate the issuance of a carry license to every qualifying adult who applies, or else do not require that a law-abiding adult obtain such a license in order to carry a personal defense firearm. Three of those states - Connecticut, Vermont and Pennsylvania -border on the Empire State. Their citizens are freer than New York?s, and also safer. The parade of horribles constantly promised by the anti-gun Cassandras has never materialized, and never will.
     Governor Pataki mentioned "freedom" more than 40 times in his State of the State address this week. Nothing represents freedom more than a citizen's right to possess the tools that protect freedom and life itself. However, in New York State, a law-abiding adult's right to protect herself and her family is subject to the whim of local officials throughout the state. In New York City, an average citizen will wait six months to get a restricted license, limited to the place of one's home or business, the fees for which many cannot afford. However, the politicians and bureaucrats for some reason extend greater rights to real estate and supermarket magnates, film stars and radio personalities, and a handful of other citizens, as if they are more deserving of the right to self-defense than the rest of us. They are not.
     Gun control in New York has, like every other form of Prohibition before it, caused otherwise law-abiding citizens to take their chances with the law. It is racist in its origins and in its effects today. If Governor Pataki is serious about enhancing the security and the freedom of New Yorkers, he will follow the lead of 37 other states and demand legislation that at last recognizes the right of all law-abiding New York citizens to responsibly bear arms.

      The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. is New York State's largest and oldest organization for the advancement of the safe and skilled exercise of the people's right to keep and bear arms. Since 1871, the Association has been dedicated to the preservation of Second Amendment rights, the teaching of firearm safety, and the promotion of the shooting sports.

NY State PEF union anti-Bush, Pro-Dean

     The New York State Public Employees Federation, AFL-CIO, (PEF,) has announced in its publication, The Communicator, that it is totally anit-Bush and that the PEF E-Board backs Dean for prez. PEF launched its effort in November issue with the banner headline, "PEF moves to "Show Bush The Door In 2004."
     “Unseating the incumbent president is unquestionably the single most important thing we can do for ourselves as working people and as union members. ... the negative effects of George W. Bush are crushing us. We cannot endure, and we must not endure another four years of his policies and programs that are destroying all of the hard-won achievements we made in the late 1990s,” PEF President Roger Benson told the more than 800 delegates to PEF’s convention in September.
     The November issue also included a PEF Presidential Survey form that only asked what candidate do you think PEF should endorse in the Democratic presidential primary, would you be willing to volunteer, and "Would you be willing to make a voluntary monetary contribution through PEF to help defeat George W. Bush in November?"
     The Dec/Jan 04 issue included an article announcing "PEF E-Board backs Dean for prez," and another article "Join campaign to defeat Bush, Help change the course of American politics." This article called for volunteers to help "PEF and its international affiliate the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) wage a nationwide campaign to defeat President George W. Bush and his policies in the 2004 election." PEF shows that it is willing to put its money where its mouth is by asking for 2 different classes of volunteers, HEROES and WARRIORS. HEROES will be paid lost wages and benefits, paid travel, possibly a rental car, free hotel or apartment lodging and a per diem meal allowance. WARRIORS will not get paid but there may be some reimbursement for travel, lodging will be arranged by SEIU or it may be reimbursed and meals will be provided at a central location.
     This type of commitment is common for PEF as shown in another article in the Dec./Jan.04 issue that talked about how PEF backed Aileen Gunther, D, in the state Assembly race to help her win the Assembly seat formerly held by her late husband. Aileen was backed by many people from both sides because she promised to carry on her husbands legacy that included pro-outdoor sports and 2nd Amendment positions. PEF provided nearly 100 PEF activist to campaign door to door for Gunther and provided PEF members to staff phone banks in October.
     When you hear the press and other anti-gun people talking about how powerful the pro-gun organizations are just ask yourself why we can not even find 100 people to volunteer across the state, much less in one Assembly district? Can you ever imagine any of the pro-gun groups having enough money to even pay for meals for volunteers, much less pay a salary.

Thursday, January 15
     The ink is barely dry on the Supreme Court's devastating decision in McConnell v. FEC -- the so-called campaign finance case that GOA was involved in. That decision severely restricted broadcast communications, thus making it more difficult for GOA to hold legislators accountable on Second Amendment issues.
      Now, the IRS is already leaping forward to expand the Court's ruling to include GOA newsletters, e-mail alerts, and other Second Amendment communications.
      Put out for comment on December 23, 2003 -- when, presumably, no one would notice -- proposed IRS Revenue Ruling 2004-6 creates a broad new set of ambiguous standards which groups like GOA must follow in order to avoid losing all or part of their tax-exempt status.
      Under the proposed Revenue Ruling, the IRS would create a vague " balancing test" to determine whether GOA communications would be " permitted" by the government.
      If the communication occurred close to an election, mentioned an officeholder who was running for reelection, and was targeted to put pressure on congressmen through constituents in each representative's district, all of these factors would push toward outlawing the communication.
      Although the McCain-Feingold Incumbent Protection law was repressive enough, the proposed Revenue Ruling would go far beyond this anti-gun statute:

• Unlike McCain-Feingold, the proposed Revenue Ruling would not be restricted to broadcast ads. Rather, it would apply to newspaper ads, e-mail alerts, newsletters, and other communications by organizations such as GOA.
• Unlike McCain-Feingold, the proposed Revenue Ruling would not automatically exempt communications which occurred more than 60 days prior to an election -- or which fell below a certain monetary threshold.
• Unlike McCain-Feingold, the proposed Revenue Ruling would contain no fixed standards for compliance. Rather every GOA newsletter or alert would have to be published with the realization that the government, after the fact, could apply its vague criteria to determine that is was "impermissible."

      For example, when GOA learned that an anti-gun rider had been placed on a Defense authorization bill in September 2000, GOA alerted its members to this provision which would have allowed the Dept. of Defense to confiscate and destroy any military surplus item that had ever been sold by the government.
      M1 Carbines, 1903 Springfields, Colt SAAs, uniforms, ammo, scopes -- and much more. All these privately-owned items could have been confiscated and destroyed by the feds.
      GOA generated a groundswell of nationwide opposition against the confiscation attempt. But we especially targeted our focus on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
      The message evidently got through, as the Committee Chairman's office called GOA to discuss this problem after he received hoards of calls, postcards and e-mails from our members. The provision was removed, and Second Amendment rights were preserved.
      But had this IRS regulation been in effect in 2000, the agency (which then was under Clinton's control) could have RETROACTIVELY punished GOA, stating that our activity would have been impermissible if just one of the targeted Senators had been facing reelection!
      This new regulation would allow lawmakers to load up gun bills prior to an election, secure in the knowledge that GOA won't be able to let you guys know about them in time.
      GOA has formally lodged a protest with the IRS regarding this expansion and abuse of power. To read the GOA comments, go to http://www.gunowners.org/fs0403.htm on the web.
      It is imperative that this rule be defeated!

ACTION: Contact your congressmen. Ask them to write the IRS and demand that it withdraw proposed Revenue Ruling 2004-6. You can contact your Representative and Senators by visiting the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send them a pre-written e-mail message.
      Your Representative and Senators must submit their comments to the IRS by January 26.

------ Pre-written message ------

Dear

The proposed IRS Revenue Ruling 2004-6 is an abomination.
      It would put the government in charge of determining whether a broad range of newsletters, alerts, and other communications would be " allowed" by organizations such as Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association.
      Unlike McCain-Feingold -- which was bad enough -- the proposed Revenue Ruling would not be limited to broadcast ads. It would have no monetary threshold. And it would not be automatically inapplicable to communications which occur over 60 days before a general election.
      Please write the Internal Revenue Service by January 26, 2004 and ask it to withdraw this ill-consider ruling. When submitting your comments to the IRS, please address your letter to the attention of Judy Kindell, T:EO:RA:G, 1111 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20224.
      Sincerely,

Why People Fear Guns
By John R. Lott Jr., 1/3/04
CLICK HERE FOR WHOLE ARTICLE

      FOX NEWS: People fear guns. Yet, while guns make it easier for bad things to happen, they also make it easier for people to protect themselves.
     With the avalanche of horrific news stories about guns over the years, it's no wonder people find it hard to believe that, according to surveys (one I conducted for 2002 for my book, "The Bias Against Guns," and three earlier academic surveys by different researchers published in such journals as the Journal of Criminal Justice) there are about two million defensive gun uses (search) each year; guns are used defensively four times more frequently than they are to commit crimes.
      The rebuttal to this claim always is: If these events were really happening, wouldn't we hear about them on the news? Many people tell me that they have never heard of an incident of defensive gun use. There is a good reason for their confusion. In 2001, the three major television networks -- ABC, CBS, and NBC -- ran 190,000 words' worth of gun-crime stories on their morning and evening national news broadcasts. But they ran not a single story mentioning a private citizen using a gun to stop a crime.
      The print media was almost as biased: The New York Times ran 50,745 words on contemporaneous gun crimes, but only one short, 163-word story on a retired police officer who used his gun to stop a robbery. For USA Today, the tally was 5,660 words on gun crimes versus zero on defensive uses.
    (For additional information read the whole article)