All Orleans towns and villages join in opposing SAFE Act

Photo by Tom Rivers – New York Revolution, a grass-roots organization that formed after the state passed an anti-gun law in January, has rallied public opposition against the SAFE Act by attending many community events, including the Lyndonville Fourth of July parade, as shown in this photo.

Nine months ago the group didn’t exist. Now it has secured resolutions from the 10 Town Boards, four Village Boards and the Orleans County Legislature all in opposition to the state’s new anti-gun law.

New York Revolution also is mounting a voter registration drive. The organization wants citizens to be more involved in the political process at the local, state and national levels. A big goal: voting out Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his re-election effort next year.

Cuomo pushed the SAFE Act through the state Legislature in January, a process that many have decried because there weren’t public hearings. Many detractors also say the law is unconstitutional, an attack on Second Amendment gun rights.

Gia Arnold of Holley was outraged when the law was passed. The 23-year-old mother of three young children helped form the New York Revolution, and coordinated a SAFE Act protest by the county courthouse in April. She has become the state leader of NY Revolution and has attended gun rights rallies throughout the state.

She also has been working to secure the resolutions from the local governments, believing a unified front in Orleans would send a message to Cuomo that the law is roundly opposed in Orleans. She hopes other counties will follow suit.

“We are very proud we got them all,” Arnold said this morning. “It’s a big accomplishment for Orleans County and I hope Gov. Cuomo will take notice.”

Medina and Lyndonville villages were the last to go on record against the SAFE Act. Those Village Boards voted on Monday.

Arnold has been busy in recent months, attending government meetings, parades and gun clubs, trying to mobilize residents against what she said is an unconstitutional law.

“When the law was passed in January, I told my husband we couldn’t stay quiet any longer,” Arnold said. “There are too many people staying under the radar. We need to make our voices heard.”