“A New Day -- A New Year”

When did the new millennium really begin? Last New Year’s Day or will it begin this coming New Year’s Day? Much has been written about this event in history and we have seen opinions on both -- I vote for the latter.

I recently saw the results of a public opinion poll taken by Newsday.com. The question: “Do you think more civilians should be allowed to carry concealed weapons?” The results -- 91.1% - Yes; 5.8% - No; and 3.1% depends on the circumstances. Total votes cast as of 12/26/00 -- 1,389. It is my understanding that the poll is still running. It can be accessed at http://www.newsday.com/features/daily/fcov1219.htm#poll

The use of the word “weapons” in the question is, in my opinion, a common misnomer and I will definitely write more about the use of this word by the media and politicos in a future column - I promise. A more appropriate description would have been “firearm.”

The question of firearms ownership in America has come under a lot of scrutiny mostly by liberal thinking folks and politicos. More recently and this past year by NYS public servants in the State Assembly, State Senate and by Gov. Pataki. “Pataki’s five point gun control law ” that passed earlier this year even though citizens throughout the state were calling Albany at the rate of 10 against to 1 for the legislation against honest law abiding gun-owners. At the time the law passed it was considered the most intrusive law in the country. Currently Pataki is not a friend of NYS hunters and firearms owners -- except maybe a few “cow-towers.”

Some folks in the entertainment and media industries feel that only the police and military should own firearms. Rosie O’Donnell (aka Tokyo Rosie) and Carl Rowan (syndicated columnist) both feel that you and I do not have a right to own a firearm. But as we know now they think it is OK if they themselves have the protection of firearms. They openly state that the rest of us don’t have that right. Recently it was reported that Rosie hired an armed guard for her children while they were in school. And Mr. Rowan shot an intruder who he says was forcing his way into his home at the same time he was writing in his syndicated column that you and I shouldn’t be allowed to own firearms.

Hunter and gun-owner rights are constantly threatened by new draconian laws that serve no purpose and do nothing to stop the criminal element. These laws “feel good” to some who just don’t know any better. Most folks quickly forget that we already have thousands of strict gun laws that are waiting to be enforced. While our lawmakers “make work,” justify their positions and salaries, the criminal element sits back and laughs at them and us.

During this past year I have personally participated, with others, in protests and demonstrations in Albany, Goshen and locally at Stewart Airport. From my vantage point, our 1st and 2nd Amendment Rights are threatened. The NRA has stated that if our 2nd Amendment can be threatened - our 1st Amendment will not be far behind. It is happening and I have personally experienced it. SCOPE (NYS) - The “Shooters Committee On Political Education” says that “the 2nd Amendment protects all of the rest.” In my opinion many NYS Public Servants are acting very much like “Fascists” even though they work under the guise of being a democrat or a republican.

The year 2000 was very significant for hunters, gun-owners and outdoor folks from Orange County and NYS as I see it. The “NYS Sportsmen March On Albany.” The Orange County Sportsmen/women March and Demonstration on Goshen” -- both during the month of March. Outdoors’ Coalition Folks’ Demonstration at Pataki’s “premature groundbreaking” of the Drury lane Interchange Project and the announcement of the lawsuit by SPARC Coalition, the Orange County Federation of Sportsmen Clubs and the Sierra Club against NYS re the Drury Lane and I-84 Interchange project. For 2001 I am predicting more peaceful actions by honest gun-owners and outdoor coalitions.

If you are anything like me -- I like to collect and read old quotations that I come upon from the famous and infamous. Somewhere in our life we may have read something that impresses us and sticks in our mind. I’ll close this column and the year with the following. The author is unknown to me. It is entitled “A New Day” but you can also substitute “Year” for “Day.” Enjoy!