New Yorkers are Pissed

[armaborealis]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTdhVxva ... e=youtu.be

I don't normally link to YouTube videos...

For those who haven't been tracking, New York passed a draconian gun control bill called "SAFE." It creates a registration scheme for many common rifles, bans any mag >10 rounds (which had previously been grandfathered, which law abiding folks had bought at hugely inflated prices), bans future sales of any mag greater than 7 rounds, and all sorts of other stuff. The penalty for defying most of these things are felonies.

Folks in the upstate are not fans. Some quotes from the video, which was shot at a meeting in Upstate/Western NY when officials came to brief the locals on the law:
"And you're talking about responsible gun owners, but we don't have any responsible politicians, that's what we need..."
Derisive laughter after the state rep says you have to dispose of contraband... "Who's going to take them?"
"This is the same slippery slope as the Germans did..."
"Bring it on!"
"I get a sense of the audience here that there's not a lot of attitude for compliance... My question is, are there prisons being opened up for those of us who don't comply?"
Talk of Jury Nullification.
"If assault weapons are weapons of war, who are the police going to war with?"
"And when angry people get together, they form militias folks... This area is primed for that." *riotous applause*

As a note, these meetings were held in the middle of the work day on short notice, which is why you see a lot of retirees there. One of the speakers opposing SAFE was the local county sheriff. These are regular blue collar normal folks.

I hope the NRA, NYSRPA, and SAF win in court. I really, really do. Now is an excellent time to join or donate to any of those fine organizations that are fighting SAFE peacefully in the judicial system.

 

[11B3XCIB]

I watched the 30 minute version that's out there. There's a big focus on the County Sheriff who makes a point to ask the State officials "What's to keep this from happening next year with bolt action rifles?" to which he receives thundering applause.

In addition to being held in the middle of the day, they were going to have the press conference WHILE they were doing the Q&A with the citizens, in a different room. The people were shouting "The story is in here!"

The big issue is that they have made these magazines and rifles illegal, but haven't set any penalties! When asked what the penalties for the various things were, the spokesman said "I'm not here to debate this, I'm here to answer questions." To which the audience shouted "Well, answer the question!" He dodged it and gave some answer that it's up the the police and/or the courts to decide if 1) You'll be arrested or just ticketed and 2) If you're arrested then what your penalty beyond a fine will be. Scary stuff.

Also, a guy brought up a good point. The spokesman said he didn't know if big companies like Glock were going to make 7 round capacity magazines for the state of NY so guns meeting the new law could be sold there. A man stood up and said he'd spoken with a Glock rep who said that Glock WAS NOT going to make NY compliant (7 round mags) because they were afraid if they did, it would give the rest of the U.S. incentive to follow suit. It was mentioned that was the opinion of other major manufacturers, too.

I did like the part about jury nullification. Even if this is made illegal, one gentleman said, and you are taken to court, YOUR PEERS can free you. Basically telling everyone if this goes through, if it's not ruled unconstitutional, if/when you are selected to be on a jury, do the right thing. Laws are changed and precedents are set that way.

 

[John Canuck]

I would hope every American knows about jury nullification.

Juries go back to the Magna Carta where they were intended to be a bulwark against the government overstepping it's power. Things like the king making laws up as he went, and administering random, cruel and inhuman punishments against the people. Kinda sounds like NY.

The jury isn't a tool of justice, it's the last defense of liberty for the individual.

 

[armaborealis]

The sheriff actually released a pretty strong statement too:
http://www2.erie.gov/sheriff/index.php? ... y-b-howard

The SAFE Act has designated penalties. The Governor's representative didn't want to go into details because they are DRACONIAN. For failure to register a rifle, the first violation is a warning if you did not know about the requirement (I bet video evidence of you attending a meeting about SAFE counts as knowledge...) then it becomes a serious felony.

Here's some more:

Increase the penalty for possession of an unloaded firearm from a class A misdemeanor to a class E felony;
Increase the penalty for purchasing a firearm on behalf of another person who is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm (known as a "straw purchase") from a class A misdemeanor to a class D felony;
Increase the penalty for failing to report a lost or stolen firearm and ammunition from a $100 fine to a class A misdemeanor.
Make murder of all first responders punishable as aggravated murder and require a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole.

Even selling or giving ammo to a friend is arguably a serious crime now in NY!

Possession of a banned standard capacity mag is a felony in NY, seven years in prison per magazine. A disabled combat vet is being prosecuted right now:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/gun ... es-part-1/

If you have an unregistered AR-15 and seven mags in New York, that's at least 56 years in prison. There's some older guys in that video that look like they're not interested in spending 56 years in prison but sure as hell aren't planning on complying. After the first felony I guess the rest are free. :?

It seems like Upstate NY is one botched SWAT raid away from something very ugly happening.

 

[Midnight Raver]

It seems like Upstate NY is one botched SWAT raid away from something very ugly happening.

That may be true enough indeed. If their SWAT teams uphold the reputation for fire discipline and accuracy that the NYC police have, they will do even more damage to the populace with "their" assault weaponry...

You HAVE TO laugh at them! :lol:

 

[PCShogun]

What I am amazed about is that so few people understand the consequences of this law, and the laws being discussed at the Federal level. Its not just about a potential gun ban.If these SAFE laws are passed and made the law of the land, I feel people are going to die. Not the kids we are trying to protect, not the criminals we are trying to disarm, but the law abiding, respectful people who built this nation and defended her in foreign wars.

Many Gun-Grabber Supporters on the blogs seem to think this is a good thing!

I hear individuals saying they will not give up their guns. What will they do when they come for them? I think I know what some, perhaps many will do.

I hear individuals saying they will bury weapons in the back yard until enough people have formed up, and they will dig them up again. Why would they do that? I think I know why.

Many in law enforcement have already said this is an unconstitutional law, that they will not enforce it. What will they do if ordered to do so or face prosecution? I think I know.

Many of the armed forces have already said they will not enforce it. When you create a rift in your own armed forces, you are creating trouble for the nation. Why could happen if this occurs? I think I know.

Why does no one in power see what the potential is for pursuing on with this path? Are they that blind, or am I being a tad paranoid about what I see, hear, and feel with all these discussions? I have never felt this way before about ANYTHING our government has done, and I am worried. I am worried for me, my family, my friends, and my country.

 

[Midnight Raver]

Why does no one in power see what the potential is for pursuing on with this path? Are they that blind, or am I being a tad paranoid about what I see, hear, and feel with all these discussions? I have never felt this way before about ANYTHING our government has done, and I am worried. I am worried for me, my family, my friends, and my country.

You are NOT paranoid, I am just as worried as you are brother! I have never felt this way before either, but way too many things have been changing here in our country since we entered the 21st century- and certainly NOT for the better.

God help us all.

 

[TheGriff]

I think no one in power sees a problem because they write the laws so the laws don't apply to them:

Congress that doesn't participate in a ponzi health care system. (just the cronyism part)
People that get to have armed guards around them with more than 7 rounds in a magazine.
Their children that are protected by armed guards in school.

They don't see a problem, cause we better do what they say, or they will pass more laws to make law abiding citizens into criminals.

 

[V65Magnafan]

Just look north of the border:

Three-year mandatory minimums for:

Possession of a long gun mag +5 rounds. (Yes, AR-15s in Canada are limited to 5 rounds).

Possession of a handgun magazine with more than a 10 round capacity.

One British Columbia guy is now a criminal because he possessed a magazine tube that could be assembled into a prohibited magazine.

Possession of ammunition without a license.

Possession of a firearm without a license.

Possession of a formerly legal firearm that the RCMP decides arbitrarily is suddenly prohibited.

Having in your vehicle a legal handgun that is not: trigger locked, case locked, unloaded, not on a reasonably direct route to the range to which you are a member.

I could go on with more restrictions. Please don't think that most of these laws could not be passed in some U.S. states.

Canada is just the try-out zone.

 

[armaborealis]

V65, we may see some New Yorkers move to Canada for the better gun laws there.

:cry:

I never thought I'd say that Canada has better gun laws than a US state, but it may be the case. Certainly handguns look to be substantially less regulated in Canada, and many longguns too now that their registry is gone.