Firearms Law and Policy Newswire - This diary is a brief report on the growing internal division among gun rights groups. The NRA affiliate in New York state has decided to stop participating in large protest rallies against the NYSafe Act. They plan to focus on funding their legal challenges in federal court and to register voters. (h/t WakeUpNeo)
State Capitol Building, Albany, New York
NRA board member Tom King laments growing ugly rhetoric at pro-gun rallies
by Ken Lovett for NEW YORK DAILY NEWS on March 31, 2014
Tom King is an NRA board member and is head of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association. According to him, with 41,000 members the NYSRPA is the largest NRA State Association in the nation. The NYSRPA is the lead organizational plaintiff challenging the NYSafe Act in Federal Court.
Ken Lovett is a political reporter for the New York Daily News. In his "Albany Insider" column on March 31, Ken Lovett wrote about Tom King's concerns with the increasingly angry and inflammatory rhetoric at pro-gun rallies.
King said he fears that the ugliness that has popped up at the rallies is actually hurting the pro-gun cause. He also said it's time to stop the rallies, arguing that they won't result in a repeal of the SAFE Act. He wants to instead focus on trying to get the law struck down in the court
Mr. King recently sent a letter to 100,000 supporters:
There is some discussion and finger pointing going on regarding the New York State Rifle & Pistol Associations (NYSRPA) decision not to be directly involved in anymore large rally’s [sic]; and rather than you hearing by rumor our reasons I thought I’d address the situation directly. The NYSRPA Board of Directors has decided that our time, efforts and assets are better utilized in the following ways:
- Funding the SAFE Act Law Suit to overturn this terrible law
- Registering voters
- Educating non voters on the importance of their vote and getting them to the polls
- Participating in small localized forums around the state where the message can be better heard
- Supporting our local groups to have their voices heard
- Supporting local grass root boots on the ground efforts
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After much discussion this decision [to stop participating in large public rallies] was reached for the following reasons:
- Since the large rally of February 28, 2013 ensuing rallies have dwindled in size. [...]
- Our voices are becoming more contentious and threatening [...]
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How do we do [win over the 46% of people who are in the middle on gun rights]?
Not by standing on stage screaming obscenities at Cuomo and certainly at large rallies where people stand on stage, pound their chest and tell the attendees to prepare for war. That frightens the very people we want to attract to our side, the people who will insure 2nd Amendment Rights for our grandchildren.
Source: NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
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Firearms Law and Policy Newsire - We would like to begin a newswire service, in which we collect gun law and policy news from all over the country. These can be brief reports as short as a few sentences or as large as a full diary. They could include your home state perspective or simply report something that happened. We Shall Overcome is the managing editor. We are just getting organized and welcome your input.
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