Gun Control And Confiscation
Potential High In New York

By

James S. Mortellaro

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 (employment)

4) Concealed carry (unrestricted)

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 SafetyCommission." 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.

"This article was first published on www.rense.com web site."

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James S. Mortellaro is a Former NYPD Auxiliary Police Officer in the 47th Pct in the Bronx. He is a well known firearms activist and "I can tell you that my love for the law and respect for police is legend where I come from."   Jsmortell@aol.com