“UN--American Activities?
On July 14th, I was part of an upstate New York group of Pro 2nd Amendment Folks, who ventured down to NYC. We traveled by bus that started out in upstate NY and ended up across the street from the United Nations Building in a public park. Our purpose was to attend a protest/demonstration against the United Nations and rally with other folks. Our peaceful gathering expressed the concerns of many Americans who question the attempts of the UN at control of small arms globally.
We met with other Americans from as far away as the states of Washington, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Virginia and others. Permits were obtained and the event was planned by the Tyranny Response Team of NY (TRT-NY) (www.trt-ny.org) and the Second Amendment Sisters of NY -- (www.sasnewyork.com). It’s the same old story that we see in towns, counties, states and nationally. Anti-gun folks really think that if they can control and take all firearms from honest law-abiding citizens, then magically, the guns that are in the hands of criminals and terrorists will somehow be controlled. This has happened so many times in recorded world history when tyrants took over, controlled the people, and then methodically slaughtered the defenseless. I recently saw statistics that said during the 20th century somewhere between 60 to 100 million people were killed by their fellow man all over the world. This "holocaust on mankind" has been repeated many times over, around the world. We can trace it back thousands and thousands of years into pre-recorded history -- and yes to Cain and Abel.
Recently a pre-historical man was discovered frozen in ice, high in the Alps. The surrounding ice was in the process thawing, exposing the find. Scientists named him the “Ice Man.” They estimated that he was covered in ice for more than 5,000 years, when he was discovered. Recently it was determined that he was killed by his fellow man when an arrow head and shaft was discovered in one of his lungs.
The UN Protest/Rally had many great speakers who came from around the country. Some of the speakers included: Phil Longden, TRT-NY; Robert Teesdale, TRT National Director; Rodi Bestider, a SAS member with a new perspective of America’s Freedoms. She comes from a communist bloc country where guns can’t be owned by citizens; Larry Pratt, Ececutive Director of Gunowners of America; James Bruner, Executive Director of the New York Family Policy Council; Louis Wein, NYS Constitution Party and possible gubernatorial candidate for NYS 2002. Tom Chandler, Albany County SCOPE Chair; Maria Heil, National Chair Second Amendment Sisters; Ralph Rubinek, a descendent of Holocaust survivors; and there were many others.
Also a surprise, impromptu appearance
by Bernie Goetz , who as a NYC subway rider had to defend himself against four
thugs who tried to rob him. Bernie used his .357 handgun. Then left the scene.
For awhile the crime rate in NYC dropped because criminals didn’t know who
the “vigilante” might be. Bernie eventually was turned-in by a lady
friend. He was charged and is now considered a felon for defending himself.
Bernie is now collecting signatures so that he can run in the next election
for Mayor of NYC. When asked what he may have learned from his experience as a
survivor, of a subway assault, by four men. He responded “ Never take a
screwdriver to a gun-fight.”
To read more of the UN Protest in a great article please see: “Another David
Defeats Another Goliath” by Jim Crispino of the Sierra Times
(07.27.01) http://www.sierratimes.com/archive/files/jul/27/edjc072701.htm
With the approval of the Sierra Times at www.sierratimes.com
following are a few excerpts from that story:
“The relatively small group of protesters which gathered at the U.N. Plaza
on Saturday, July 14th, 2001, to protest the UN's conference on small arms,
had an international impact, when the conference was forced to approve a
non-binding Program of Action, minus two key paragraphs which U.S. delegates
refused to approve. One would have required the U.S. "to seriously
consider legal restrictions on unrestricted trade in and ownership of small
arms and light weapons." The other, would have us agree "to supply
small arms and light weapons only to governments, or to entities duly
authorized by governments." Both appear to set the stage for a government
monopoly on firepower, which is contrary to the founding principles of this
country.”
“The protesters, numbering about 500, loudly proclaimed throughout the day,
that the U.S. needs to get out of the UN, and that the UN needs to get out of
the U.S. Speakers continually aroused the group by expounding on the
importance of U.S. sovereignty, and 2nd amendment rights. They even had a
patriotic rock and roll band, "http://www.pokerface.com", for
entertainment.”
“To understand how this small group could have such international impact,
one must understand the pro-gun culture in this country. The 80 million U.S.
gun owners are consistently represented by a mere handful of activists at such
gatherings. A typical turnout for a gun rights rally can be as little as 20
persons. It took the efforts of dozens of people, planning and promoting for 8
months, to get 200 people to show up for the March For Liberty in Washington,
DC, in October, 2000. The same again for the March for Liberty II in October
of 2001.”
“This past spring, in Connecticut, gun owners killed a near fascist like
"Assault Weapons" ban, by turning out 700 at the capitol in
Hartford. This despite overwhelming control of the house and senate by the
Democratic Party, known for favoring gun control legislation.”
“Another factor is the huge e-mail and letter writing campaign which
preceded the rally. If 500 gun owners show up, it probably means that 50,000
others took time to write their representatives.”
“Again, these numbers are relative. On issues of a less serious nature, a
representative might receive ten or twenty letters at most. When he gets 500,
he has to take notice, It means the gun "nuts" are serious about
this one!”
“Gun owners need to wake up to the fact that they are a very powerful force
in politics. If 500 can stop the NWO, at least temporarily, imagine what
500,000 could do? Constitutional restoration would no longer be a dream. It
would be a reality.”
While I was filming and recording the event I heard from a few the attendees who said that when they walked across the street to the UN Compund they were stopped by guards at the gate. Many of attendees at the UN Protest had a sticker pasted to their clothing. It was in the form of a Gold “Star of David” (about four inches in diameter) with the words “Gun-Owner” in the center. Some folks who tried to walk through the gate were stopped and told that they couldn’t come in with the sticker on their clothing.
They idea for using this symbol came from Bob Glass, President of TRT-USA. Bob is Jewish and so is another US Pro2ndA Organization that espouses the use of the symbol -- Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO). So when one hears that the ADL is classifying the TRT in the same category as the KKK, Skinheads and other “hate groups” one wonders if they are well informed.
At the UN Building there were two sculptures. One was that of a large hand-gun with its barrel twisted in a knot and the other was a five ton block of confiscated small firearms mixed in with larger firearms that the average American Gun-owner doesn’t care to own. They even destroyed antique muzzle-loaders to use in this five ton sculpture.
The Rally site was almost completely
surrounded by NYC Police Barricades. So folks couldn’t walk directly in from
the sidewalk and the street. We were treated very nicely by the NYC Police
Department. And as always gun-owners, who are sometimes portrayed as nuts,
showed again that we are a very responsible, peaceful, passive group of
kindred spirits. Hope to see you at the next Pro 2nd A. Event -- if necessary.
* * *
Bob Ewald is looking for a few good men and
women --
Bob Ewald of Pine Bush who has been an integral part of the High School Outdoor Adventure Programs -- specifically the fly-fishing, gun-safety and marksmanship classes is now expanding his horizons to include Adult Education. Orange County Hunters, many years ago, were the first in NYS to promote Hunter/Gun Safety Classes through the Orange County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs. Rich Shannon of Monroe, Orange County Hunter Safety Coordinator, is also an integral of the Firearm Safety and Marksmanship classes.
Bob’s plans now are to enlist other experienced and some certified folks in order to offer a quality learning opportunity for interested parents and others in the Pine Bush School District. The six evening sessions will begin in mid-September and continue until the end of October. Students will actively participate and become more familiar with subjects such as: Gun Safety, Survival, Identification of Different Types of Firearms, Marksmanship, Hunter Safety, Sportsmen/women Ethics, the Imprint of Hunting In Our Culture, and Law Enforcement Firearms and their uses.
Each class will begin with a quality presentation on the topic of the evening (45 min.), a short (15 min.) coffee break, simulated firing using computerized large scale equipment, to familiarize the students with firearms and using them safely (45 min). Bob is looking for qualified instructors, for each of the 6 sessions, and Clubs to host or co-host. This is a good opportunity for representatives of Sportsmen Clubs to present information, to folks who may not be informed, may have some fears and aren’t aware of traditional activities that involve firearms, hunting and implements. So the courses would definitely be of interest to curious non-hunters.
If you’re interested in the classes as a student or as an instructor please call Bob Ewald, 845-361-5069 or email rbewald@citlink.net and also cc me.
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NYS Elk Restoration Project Meetings to be held in Grahamsville, NY at the Tri
Valley High School Cafeteria -- Corner of Rte. 55 and Moore Hill Road in the
Village -- 4 to 9 pm on 8/13. In Boiceville, NY -- at the Onteora High School
Cafeteria -- Route 28 (West of Rte. 28) 4 to 9pm on 8/14.
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Outdoor Liaisons appears every other week in the Times - Frank can be reached
at the Times or email forthebirds39@earthlink.net or 845-562-0941.
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