- The law regarding gun registration in New York State
up until 1996, went something like this. You applied for a handgun carry
permit based on:
-
- 1) Hunting and target shooting
2) Residence (or business) permit
3) Concealed carry
-
- Up until about 1997, those with any type of carry permit,
had a carry permit for life. Simple. No renewal, no requalifying ...
just the permit. And for many, many years, there were so few problems with
permit holders, that there was no reason whatsoever, to change the laws
regarding concealed carry. This has not changed in the least. There is
and was, no provocation for government to have changed the system.
-
- Then came Schumer (a Democrat), Governor Pataki (a Republican)
and the newest member of the gun control team, the future governess of
our beloved state, and the only person in the history of the United States
of America to will have had (on the assumption this person is still married),
a First Man.
-
- When these travesties happened to the citizens of New
York, the laws began to change. The image of the police began to change.
The climate in the state, regarding the ability of a citizen to acquire
a carry permit began to change for the worse. And all the change began
in the so-called bedroom community of New York City, Westchester County.
-
- Westchester county is a beautiful place. In the northern
portions of the county begin the foothills of the Catskill Mountains.
The county itself is hilly and wild, filled with reservoirs in the central
portion. Reservoirs which are so numerous that there is no population to
speak of for hundreds and hundreds of square miles. Here is where literally
hundreds of UFO sightings have taken place, many if not most of these have
been of the triangular type. Why? Perhaps because the region is so sparsely
populated - on the one hand. On the other, more and more sightings have
taken place in largely populated areas.
-
- Westchester County is interesting in the extreme because
of many of it's dichotomous features. In scattered communities throughout
the county lay among the highest per capita income levels in the nation.
One of these is, of course, Bronxville. Nestled in the southernmost extreme
part of the county, it is popular with captains of industry and former
icons of money and wealth, not to mention power. In Bronxville lived the
former chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, the former president of
New York Telephone and many entertainers. I knew the police chief there,
one Mr. Steinmueller. A man of wonderful generosity mixed with a toughness
you could not imagine, when it came to bad guys. And the place is called
Bronxville because it's southern neighbor is the Bronx. Holy macaroni
cheese Bat Man, no wonder Steinmueller was so damn tough.
-
- Bronxville is not alone. From the South to the North
are many such communities. And the people there are very wealthy. Very
wealthy. In many portions of the county there are no local police. Although
this is changing, the State Police administered to chasing bad guys in
those places.
-
- Now for the bad news. Gun control began in earnest when
two police officers where killed during the nineties. By crazoids. Not
by licensed gun owners. Pataki, the traitor that I perceive him to be,
caved against the pressure of those left-handed democrackpots and even
more lefty Republicans who saw that the biggest and best way to fame, fortune
and getting elected, was to embrace the issue of gun control. What better
issue was there? And how the hell do you people think Schumer got erected?
Huh? By making himself the prophet of doom, the naysayer and the biggest
antagonist to gun owners ever in the history of the state.
-
- Today, he embraces _any_ issue which gives him an interview
on any radio station, newspaper or other venue. But gun control is among
his favorites. After all, it's what got him erected. How? By giving him
a very great deal of exposure, displacing a man who was the beloved of
Republicans and Democrats alike, Senator Alphonse D'Motto.
-
- Then came Hillary to pillory what's left. Left. Get
it?
-
- When the new law for controlling guns came to be, the
grassroots organization of the NRA, the New York State Rifle and Pistol
Association, of which I am a life member (much to my personal shame) did
very little to publicize the proposals. As a result, very few of us knew
of the changes. I am thus suspect of the NYSRPA. Very much so. When
I became vocal against the law, and against the NYSRPA's lack of action
in this matter, the NYSRPA ceased sending me the monthly newspaper and
failed to EVER send me my life membership card. I had to fight hard to
get the card and by that time, I realized something was not right. Cogito,
ergo ....
-
- NYSRPA did next to nothing to fight the law. And when
I complained to NRA, they told me that is was the NRA mandate to serve
gun owners on a national level and the mandate of NYSRPA to serve at the
grass root level. Guess what?
-
- You guessed it.
-
- So the proposal became law. Gun owners now had to reapply
for a five year permit. Renewals with a fee. And, the people who used to
manage the background checks and other administrations, the Westchester
County Police, now formed a group which called itself the "Public
Safety Commission." Gestapo division. These former cops now became
detectives whose sole duty was to administer this effort at gun control
and they did an admirable job from scratch.
-
- I received a call from the local detective who told me
he had to visit my home in order to make certain that my guns were properly
secured and made safe. Kind readers, I have been shooting for 53 years.
My guns are in a locked metal safe. There is a very thorough security
system installed with security closets and I designed it. There are no
kids ever entering this premises. My home is now invaded by a man whose
newest mandate is make sure my guns are short lived in my possession.
No lie.
-
- Anyway, I took time off the job and waited for the detective
to look at my home. All of it. He never showed. By late afternoon I decided
to call him. Be said he couldn't make it and rescheduled. Poor guy musta
been real busy. So much so that he did not have the courtesy to tell me
he was being delayed.
-
- Later, I found that if one has an employment related
permit, the Public Safety people will go out of their way to ensure that
there is a continued need. Otherwise, automatic demand to reduce the license
to another lower level or, take it away, whilst confiscating the weapons.
Nice huh?
-
- This in the face of life time licensing and no worries
about how weapons are secured, because here in NY, there were no problems
with us, just the bad guys. And they are not licensed. How in the name
of common sense do you administer and manage their guns? Assholitis in
the extreme.
-
- This, ladies and kind gentleman, is what happened in
New York City a number of years back. In the forties I believe. Now,
if you want to carry in NYC, you better be a cop or have demonstrated a
genuine need - or simply break the law and be a bad guy. Hell, bad guys
rarely get caught. To qualify, you must have been robbed on numerous occasions.
Or worse, killed. I recall one person who had been applying for a carry
permit for years on the basis of owning a shop in a bad neighborhood.
He had been robbed on many occasions and beaten often.
-
- His request was finally granted, for a premises permit.
Only problem was, he was killed the week before by a perp who decided he
wanted this man's nice watch. It was a Chase Durer. Worth about $150.
Fair trade eh? A life for a hundred bucks! And how many applications
for a premises permit? Well over twenty.
-
- God bless America and all the ships at sea.
-
- Westchester County is number two on the state's agenda.
First was NYC. Then Westchester. Next Putnams and soon, the entire state,
as Pataki wants one law for the entire state. Nice as lice.
-
- I have many friends in law enforcement. I have asked
all of them their opinion regarding armed citizens. Most are positive.
But there is that small element who look at you as if you just took away
their authority. The look says it all. "Who the hell are you to carry
a gun? Only _I_ have that authority!"
-
- Go to hell.
-
- New York State is on the way to mandatory gun confiscation.
I need your help. NRA and NYSRPA have done squat. You want to keep your
arms? Some of us had better start working now to protect what we love.
The shooting sports.
-
- Not to mention our own safety. For as much as they wish
to be, the police cannot be everywhere all the time. Unless of course
we become a police state. Then, they are. Even if they aren't.
-
- Jim Mortellaro
-
-
- Comment
-
- From Joseph Capp r
ifty@pipeline.com
To Jim Mortellaro
-
- 7-3-1
-
- I read your interesting article and found it very erroneous
especially about UFO researchers not being scientist. If you mean they
aren't the closed minded scientist that will explain away UFO sightings
and evidence with a few sentences without doing the slightest research
then you are right. Now to refute your premise.
-
- Stanton Friedman Scientist UFO Researcher
-
- Stanton T. Friedman was born in NJ on July 29, .1934,
was valedictorian of his 1951, Linden, NJ, high school class, and spent
2 years at Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ, before switching to the University
of Chicago in 1953. He received BS and MS degrees in Physics from UC in
1955 and 1956. Carl Sagan was a classmate there. He worked for 14 years
as a nuclear physicist for such companies as GE, GM, Westinghouse; TRW,
Aerojet General Nucleonics, and McDonnell Douglas on such advanced, highly
classified, eventually canceled projects as nuclear aircraft, fission and
fusion rockets, nuclear power plants for space.
-
- Warren Buggren, Ph.D. Chairman of the Board Nids
-
- Dr. Burggren is Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Professor
of Biological Sciences, at the University of North Texas, a research university
of nearly 27,000 students located in Denton, Texas. He received his Ph.D.
in Animal Physiology from the University of East Anglia in England. Following
post-doctoral studies in Denmark and Canada, Dr. Burggren accepted an academic
position at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. After fourteen years
at UMASS, he became Chair of Biological Sciences at the University of Nevada-Las
Vegas, a position he held for six years before moving to the University
of North Texas in 1998. Dr. Burggren's research, which involves both laboratory
and field studies, focuses on the relationship between genes and environment
in molding organismal development. He is the author of more than 130 journal
articles, book chapters and books in animal physiology, including his role
as co-author in Animal Physiology, one of the most popular college texts
on this subject. He has presented more than 100 invited talks in 10 countries.
From 19881995 Dr. Burggren was Editor-in-Chief of the University of Chicago
Press Journal Physiological Zoology. For his research efforts, Dr. Burggren
has been named a Barrick Distinguished Scholar, and has received both the
University and Community College System of Nevada Board of Regent's Silver
Medal for Research and the Medal of the University of Helsinki.
-
- Bruce S. Maccabee, Ph,D
-
- Bruce spent his early year in Rutland, Vt. After high
school he studied physics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester,
Mass (B.S. in physics) and then at The American University, Washington,
DC (M.S. and Ph. D. in physics). In 1972 commenced his long career at the
Naval Surface Warfare Center, presently headquartered at Dahlgren, Virginia.
He has worked on optical data processing, generation of underwater sound
with lasers and various aspects of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
and Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) using high power lasers.
-
- I could name a hundred more. But I think you get the
point.
-
- If you're into UFO as a researcher you're no longer a
scientist...at least that what main stream science says. How are you going
to collaborate with close minds and I mean closed? Many of them outright
lie, distort evidence, and eventually character assassinate any UFO expediencer
in their efforts to prove their points. Look at any attempt to really study
this matter by main stream scientist and it would remind anyone with and
open mind of the days of religious persecutions. I've 57 years old saw
two flying disk go right over my head in daytime on a beach in Atlantic
City(1963). Since then I've been following the UFO field. Yes there are
the ethically bankrupt UFO researchers and there are good mainstream scientist
who wish to study this however the church...excuse me..mainstream scientist
will defrock them if they do.......no more research money....not more papers
published. Science has lost it's imagination and Einstein said imagination
was the beginning of all great science.
-
- Joseph Capp
Vze2rtbu@verizon.net
-
-
-
- Comment
-
- From James Mortellaro
Jsmortell@aol.com
7-3-1
-
- Hello Jeff - This is an apology/clarification, one which
I owe to UFO and abduction researchers who obviously do not fit the profile
I defined in my essay. I regret not having either mentioned or more clearly
credited the serious researchers and scientists who study this phenomenon.
-
- People such as Stan Friedman and Bruce Maccabee are among
only a few of those scientists who have placed their reputations on the
line in order to study the UFO and abduction phenomena. There are many
more.
-
- In defense of my point of view however, in my essay I
refer to those so-called resarchers who make up the mainstream of people
who take up arms and call themselves experts. It is also true that even
those I admire, Jacobs, Hopkins, Maccabee, Mack and Stan, even they sometimes
come up with pairs of dimes which make me want to "holler New York."
This, however, is the nature of the beast. The beast without two backs,
which make up the UFO research community.
-
- God willing and the Comet don't hit, maybe someday we
will all cooperate together in this study. When and if that happens, we
will come closer to an answer than ever before.
-
- Jim Mortellaro, Ph.D.
-
-
-
- Comment
-
-
- From Tom King President, NY State Rifle & Pistol
Association 73377.1220@compuserve.com http://www.nysrpa.org via Jacob J.
Rieper, Legislative Director
-
- 8-9-1
-
-
- I am proud to be an American; thank God we live in the
"Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. A place where you can
say and write what you like without having your veracity or intentions
questioned. A place where questionable information can be passed on with
disclaimers to protect the agenda and integrity of individuals or groups.
-
- Upon receiving the email from Mr. Mortellaro via Joe
Eldred, who passed it on for informational reasons only, I was immediately
tempted to launch a heated defense of The NYSRPA. After some reflection
I realized that The NYSRPA doesn't need to be defended.
-
- Anyone who knows anything is aware of the role The NYSRPA
played in launching the largest mail and phone campaign in history, to
rally the people against the proposed "Pataki Legislation."
Those same people also know the integral role The NYSRPA played in forming
the SUMMIT 2000 group. By the way Mr. Mortellaro, your application for
life membership in The NYSRPA was processed in February of 1999, one year
prior to the introduction of the "Pataki Legislation". Where
were did that year go, perhaps it was spent in Westchester with the "Triangular
Type UFO's"?
-
- I was elected President of this organization in October
of 2000 and have attempted to fashion a more responsive and member friendly
association. I do realize that there are some matters that cannot be resolved
no matter what we do. I empathize with an individual such as you, Mr.
Mortellaro, who feels "personal shame" at being a member of The
NYSRPA and will try to do the right thing. Upon receipt of your membership
card I will instruct the Treasurer to refund the life membership fees you
paid in 1999. I will not contribute to a man bringing shame upon himself.
If however there is a legitimate problem that can be worked out please
contact me.
-
- About a year or so ago I made a statement that gun owners
are their own worst enemy. I still believe that to be true. The supporters
of the 2nd Amendment can not go two days without taking a shot at another
person/group who does not agree with their agenda even if the goals are
the same. It is time to wake up, we can work in different directions to
reach the same goal.
-
- The NYSRPA has set political, legal, educational and
facility goals that we feel are reasonable and attainable. We will help
educate the public so they can elect pro 2nd Amendment politicians. We
will in conjunction with The NRA support worthy legal battles to overturn
unjust laws. We will help The NRA build the best grass root organization
in this country. We will not support anti 2nd Amendment politicians for
any reasons and explain to the people why. These goals are stated as a
matter of fact not an attempt to aggrandize The NYSRPA or denigrate other
organizations. We joined this fight committed to victory.
-
- Help us win through attaining our goals or strive to
reach your own but don't block us with these petty rivalries. Time is
short, either lead, follow or get out of the way.
-
- Tom King
President NYSRPA
-
- Response
-
- From Jim Mortellaro
Jsmortell@aol.com
8-9-1
-
- Sir, my membership was not paid in 1999. It was processed
in 1999. I actually paid my dues in 1995. It took NYSRPA four years to
give me my card. Why? I stepped on it's hunting boots when I complained
about the lack of political expertise at the grass roots level here in
the lower part of the State of NY. It seems that we were the lost leaders
down this-a-way, bending low to the more important counties upstate.
-
- Sorry if you are offended Mr. King. I am offended as
well. We here in the greater NYC area were NOT informed of Pataki's intentions
until we heard the news on the local cable channel. It was in the Bullet,
but you see, sir, I was NOT receiving the magazine, as my membership had
not been processed, nor did I received the magazine for more than two years.
Kathy did not like me much.
-
- I will send my card back, and expect a refund of my dues.
I have gained nothing but abuse from NYSRPA. When this administration
came into power, it inhaled such a foul odor from the previous administration,
that the stench remains to this day.
-
- Hopefully, you will, do better. But you will do so without
me. More's the pity.
-
- Further, what is most interesting is your denegration
of legitimate UFO sightings here in the lower Hudson Valley. Use it well,
sir. For one has nothing to do with the other.
-
- But it does make good sport, does it not? This demonstrates
your lack of ability to argue the real merits of the case without having
to abuse me further. "Another UFO nutcase" was Kathy's expression.
-
- (Note: Kathy was the secretary. She was fired.)
-
- Let me know where to send the card.
-
- Jim Mortellaro, Ph.D. Member,
FPO (Memorial Lodge 100), SHIELDS,
NYS Police Alumni President, TCG, PC.
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