Cuomo awakens the sleeping giantBy Dick Nelson
Register-Star
Forget the NFC and AFC Championship football games and that the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens will clash in Super Bowl XLVII on Feb. 3, the biggest news this past weekend was the pro-gun rally in Albany.
It may have taken more than 50 years, but if the number of people who participated in a Guns Across America event in front of the state Capitol in Albany on Saturday is any indication of how New York gunowners feel about their Constitutional right to keep and bear arms, it appears Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act (SAFE Act) has awakened the sleeping giant.
An estimated 5,000 people took part in the national event — an occurrence that simultaneously took place in 49 capital cities across the U.S. — some drawing fewer than 200 demonstrators, others, such as the one held in Albany, attracting thousands.
Originated by Eric Reed, an airline pilot from Houston, the event sprouted wings the minute Reed placed the concept on his Facebook page looking for state organizers. That’s where Johanna Johnson-Smith — or JJ, as she prefers to be called — read and responded to Reed’s “call to arms,” and while she had no experience in organizing anything involving gun rights, she — in true Texas fashion — took the bull by the horns and turned the event into the biggest pro-gun rally this state has ever seen.
And, unlike other pro-gun and/or pro-sportsmen gatherings where participants were told to keep a low profile by being dressed in suit and tie and discouraged from carrying signs and banners, JJ’s message to the masses was to dress for the weather and display anything that would express the injustice.
And that they did. Carrying hundreds of handmade signs depicting their disgust and displeasure with Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and other legislators who voted in favor of the SAFE Act — a bill that essentially turned many law-abiding citizens into criminals — they raised signs that read: “Criminals Don’t Obey Gun Laws;” “Terrorists Love Liberals;” “Benedict Skelos;” “Impeach Cuomo;” “Repeal and Negate;” “Only Criminals and Government Want to Disarm the Public;” and “The 2nd Amendment isn’t about hunting.” And, to assert their right to own firearms and to denounce recent gun-control efforts, sisters Naphtali and Naomi Rothrock, of Sprakers, displayed a sign reading “I need over 7 rounds. Rapists are harder to kill than deer.”
Many of the attendees carried American flags, some of which displayed the Betsy Ross flag of 13 stars in a circle; others held the historical Gadsden flag depicting a striking rattlesnake and the words “Don’t tread on me.”
While Hudson’s Don LaValley and his son, Don, Jr., or Catskill’s Ed Rodgers, didn’t bring any signs or flags with them, both were impressed with the turnout and each got caught up in the enthusiasm, intensified with chants of “We the People,” “USA” and “Freedom.” There were probably hundreds of other familiar faces in attendance that hailed from Albany, Columbia, Delaware, Greene and Schoharie counties, but with a sea of bodies that stretched from State Street to Washington Avenue and beyond, many had gone unnoticed.
The event was heightened with up-lifting speeches from several guest speakers, including Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I District 112) who ended his soliloquy with a moment of silence for those who were killed in mass murders; Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin (R,C District 107) who, speaking of the governors newly passed anti-gun law said, “This was abuse of power by a man who wanted to be president but now never will,” and, “The battle is not over. It has just begun.”
To his credit, former Sen. George Amedore — who just lost his 46th District seat to Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk — was there speaking about the importance of preserving our Second Amendment rights, and New York State Rifle and Pistol Association President Tom King, galvanized the group further with his words, saying later that the NYSRPA or the NRA aren’t going to stand by and let the Cuomo administration take away our liberties guaranteed by both the U.S. and state Constitutions.
Before stepping away from the podium, King presented JJ with a $1,000 check to help cover expenses.
In addition to the NYSRPA contribution, a box was passed around to help cover expenses for this and future rallies and, according to JJ, when the box was brought back to the staging area it was stuffed with bills of every denomination, including $100s and $50s. Unfortunately, JJ never received any of the money, saying it was high-jacked by Lisa Donavan, Vice Chair of the Upstate Conservative Coalition’s Political Action Committee. Why Donavan thought her group was entitled to the donations, which JJ estimated to be in the thousands of dollars is something she is determined to find out. “Other than laying $600 out for the Porta Potties, the Upstate Conservative Coalition had little to do with the event,” JJ said, adding that Donavan added insult to injury by wanting another $600 to cover the cost of the Porta Potties when the NYSRPA check is cashed.
Other than that, JJ was pleased with the turnout and how smoothly and peacefully everything went. “You never know what can happen with a group of this size, but all of the participants — which included a large number of women, children and other family members — were extremely well behaved,” she said.
Curious as to why Donavan walked away with the box of money, and after speaking with JJ, I emailed the UCC asking for Donavan to call me (the UCC website http://www.upstateconservatives.org/ doesn’t contain a phone number), but as of press time I haven’t received a response. Meanwhile, King later told me the NYSRPA, in conjunction with the NRA, will be filing a “Notice of Claim” prior to submitting a brief on the merits of the constitutionality of the new SAFE Act. Obviously referring to an email sent out by a Buffalo-area attorney who is getting ready to file a class-action lawsuit against the state of New York in Federal Court, King said “This is a very important proceeding and must be handled properly with the best Second Amendment lawyers, and we have two of the nation’s finest.”
To help offset attorney fees and other costs, King is asking everyone with an interest in maintaining their Second Amendment rights to support these efforts by making a contribution. This can be done online at: http://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=1033969&en=ajKJIXNDK9KSL7NGL8JOL9MXJkIML1PKJlI0IdOXKtI9G, or by regular mail by sending a check or money order payable to: NYSRPA, 90 S. Swan Street Suite 395, Albany, NY 12210.
In yet another fundraiser in support of the Second Amendment, the Federated Sportsmen’s Clubs Of Ulster County (http://www.FSCUC.com), in conjunction with the Grassroots Advocates for the 2nd Amendment (http://www.GA2A.org), is sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast and Rally on Sunday at the Accord Fire Company, 22 Main Street, Accord, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
It would also help if every gunowner in the country was a member of the NRA, and right now the grassroots lobby group is offering a life membership for $300. It used to be that you needed an existing life member to sponsor you, but with an all-out assault on gunowners, the NRA has forgone that requirement. If interested, call 1-888-678-7894.
