News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Office:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
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For Release: IMMEDIATELY, February 17, 2012
Doug Finch (315) 781-2030
Stand With Me And NRA Executive Vice President & CEO Wayne LaPierre In Albany On March 20 To Protect, Preserve And Defend The Second Amendment
Legislative column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,I,C-Canandaigua)

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." - Second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution

If you believe in the Second Amendment and your God-given right to defend your life, family and home, then come to Albany on March 20 and stand with National Rifle Association Executive Vice President & CEO Wayne LaPierre and me as we rally in support of the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

MARCH 20 - SAVE THE DATE, HELP SAVE THE SECOND AMENDMENT!

Tuesday, March 20 from 9:00 a.m. to noon, is the third annual Sportsmen and Outdoor Recreation Legislative Awareness Day, a free event held in the "Well" of the Legislative Office Building in Albany and open to all New Yorkers. Our event celebrates the Second Amendment, honors the proud heritage of hunting and recognizes the positive economic contributions of sportsmen. We are honored to have Wayne LaPierre as our event's keynote speaker. If you have never had the opportunity to hear Wayne LaPierre speak in person - his eloquent, passionate defense of the liberties of law-abiding gun owners from government's continued assault on their Constitutional freedoms is inspirational - this is your opportunity! Mr. LaPierre is being sponsored by Tom King, President of the NYS Rifle and Pistol Association.

However, this year's event is happening against the backdrop of a massive new push by politicians in Albany and New York City to restrict your Second Amendment rights.

YOUR RIGHTS ARE IN THEIR SIGHTS

In the past, I have repeatedly warned about the efforts of some liberal politicians to further restrict, reduce and even reverse your Second Amendment rights. My warnings have come true. The gun grabbers are ramping up a major new assault on Second Amendment Constitutional freedoms. In case you need convincing, consider the following:

ANOTHER LEGAL GUN OWNER FACES PRISON: Much like Ryan Jerome, Tennessee nurse and medical student Meredith Graves was visiting New York and possessed a legal permit to carry a firearm. She was arrested for trying to check-in her gun at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. Graves' only "crime" was attempting to do the right thing. She also could face a minimum of 3 ½ and up to 15 years in jail for being a responsible citizen.

GUN GRABBER LOGIC: HAVE A LEGAL FIREARM, LEGAL PERMIT, FACE UP TO 15 YEARS IN JAIL, HAVE AN ILLEGAL GUN, GET $200

Both Ryan Jerome and Meredith Graves' cases are prosecuted by the same city that routinely hands out $200 to anyone, including gang members, who turn in illegal guns. If you can, try to follow the gun grabber logic at work here: law-abiding citizens with legal gun permits attempting to check-in their legal firearms could face a maximum of 15 years in jail. A person off the street who hands in an illegal gun gets $200. How exactly does this make sense? I have introduced legislation to ensure pistol permit reciprocity between New York and other states so law-abiding gun owners are not the continued target of these senseless prosecutions.

DON'T LET THE GUN GRABBERS WIN! SHOW UP, STAND UP, AND SPEAK UP FOR YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS ON MARCH 20

Considered separately, the renewed push in Albany for microstamping - a mandate that I am 100 percent opposed to and have spoken out and written against - and the continued high-profile attempted prosecution of law-abiding gun owners is extremely troubling. Viewed together, they should sound a very loud wake-up call for every hunter, sportsman, gun owner and anyone else that cares about the United States Constitution and the causes of liberty and freedom.

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

Folks, it is decision time. Do you stand with the gun-grabbing politicians who want to dramatically increase the price of legal gun ownership and prosecute lawful gun owners as common criminals? Or, do you stand with our Founding Fathers, the United States Constitution and the right of every law-abiding citizen to keep and bear arms? If you stand with freedom, liberty and the U.S. Constitution, I know where you will be standing on March 20. You will be standing beside me, Wayne LaPierre, Tom King and S.C.O.P.E. President Stephen Aldstadt in Albany, as we stand together in support of the Second Amendment.

As always, constituents wishing to discuss this topic, or any other state-related matter should contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.


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