SAFE Act protects public and doesn’t infringe on Second Amendment

Editor:

I would like to address those who would have you believe that the SAFE Act somehow stands contrary to the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

New York State, through the legislative process (votes by state senators and assemblymen), passed a law that would do numerous things to help keep us safe from gun violence. This gun violence we have seen far too many times in school massacres, shopping mall shootings, etc.

Among other things, the SAFE Act prohibits magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Mass killings have occurred in the US when the shooter (with magazine capacities of 30 rounds) didn’t have to reload and could keep on killing innocent students and teachers, children, women and men.

Since the SAFE Act went into effect, a local gun shop mistakenly sold 164 AR-15 assault rifles to various citizens allowing the 30-round magazine to be utilized. The New York State Police intervened, as well as the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office and those 164 assault rifles had to be modified to only allow 10 rounds per rifle – a safe modification bringing those guns into compliance.

Why would a shooter need more than 10 rounds unless they plan to take out a bunch of innocents. As for the rights of gun owners being infringed, I call baloney! What about the rights of those students and teachers who were gunned down? What about the rights of those parents who thought they were sending their children off to a safe place?

Our Founding Fathers never envisioned a citizens’ arms race when they said the people have a right to bear arms. And this certainly doesn’t mean that anyone can buy any gun, anywhere, in any quantity without background checks. To this day, we still do not have a universal background check system in this country.

The SAFE Act is here to stay and will not infringe on my deer hunting season with my son this fall.

Thank you.

Al Capurso
Gaines