‘Boycott New York State,’ Second Amendment leader suggests

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt of the address delivered by Gia Arnold during Saturday’s Second Amendment rally in Albion. Arnold is regional coordinator for New York Revolution.)

I am a mother, a wife, and a proud gun owner. I’d like to thank you all so much for attending today. If anything is important it is making our numbers known and coming together as a group to make our voices heard.

We are struggling as a state and we are struggling as a country. As our government claims they are here to protect us yet they continue to strip us of our freedoms and our individuality. They continue to work towards making us all government dependent and nameless.  They use their fear tactics and “our” money to make our success harder, and they turn the fearful into sheep. Our great country was founded in the hopes of allowing all free people to gain prosperity and success through their own hard work. It was created and has been amended to guarantee all people their human born rights, included in those the right to bear arms. What happened to the American Dream?

We the people, the law abiding gun owners, are forced to choose between following the law and choosing a method of civil disobedience, in resistance of the New York SAFE Act and other gun control methods constantly brought up by our leaders. We are forced to decide between losing our freedoms, and “obeying” an unconstitutional law. We will now be compared with several other “sexual abuse” crimes, including subjecting a child younger than 13 to sexual contact. I am outraged. And you should be, too.

We must do our best to boycott New York State. Do not drive on toll roads, and find another route. Do not purchase NYS Lotto tickets. Buy used vehicles, furniture, and clothes. Purchase your gas and cigarettes from the reservations if possible. Grow your own vegetables and foods. Raise your own livestock. Or barter your services and goods for others services and goods. Individually it will not change much, but together it will send a message. It is already being reported that New York State will experience massive noncompliance when the SAFE Act is fully enacted this Monday.  The choice is ultimately yours to make, but remember together we will send a message. And that message should be we will not comply.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Gia Arnold addresses about 200 people Saturday during a Second Amendment rally in Albion next to the Orleans County Courthouse.

Another goal we must focus on is educating the uneducated. There have been so many people who do not understand the mechanics of a gun, let alone the difference between a scary black semi-automatic rifle with added features that is being classified as an assault weapon and a not so scary wood grain semi-automatic rifle being used for hunting. The answer to that is absolutely nothing mechanically. And we must take our time to explain that to the uneducated without judgment.  We must continue to use science, statistics, and reason to explain that stricter gun control does not mean reduced gun crime. In many cases the opposite has proven to be true. Just look at Chicago. We must continue to voice our concerns to our government officials. We must continue to join together in support and make our numbers known.

This is not just about gun control; This is about constitutionally guaranteed rights. If you don’t think you should be concerned, you need to think again. Confiscation has already begun in Western New York. Under the pretense of mental illness, pistol permit licenses are being revoked from people being treated for anxiety. In a survey in 2011 by the substance abuse and mental health services administration as many as 26.8 million American adults were being treated with a prescription medication in relation to mental health. That is a lot of people that could potentially be told they are a threat and cannot own a firearm.

Another problem we are facing is the use of the word “mentally ill” There are many forms of mental illness most of which do not threaten another’s safety or their own. Not only will the SAFE Act negatively classify many good standing citizens as dangerous, but it will also deter many individuals from seeking the help they may need in fear of losing firearms they have owned or hope to own, and in fear of being negatively associated as mentally ill.

We as New Yorkers and Americans are facing many issues regarding gun control at state, national, and worldly levels, but the most important mission today is developing strength in numbers so that our voices will be heard. We will not comply with the unconstitutional safe act and we will continue to do all we can to fight for our rights.

(The Orleans County NYR will meet for the first time 6:30 p.m. Monday at Tim Hortons, 161 S. Main Street Albion. The group will discuss upcoming events, possible ideas for protests, training for our CERT (civilian emergency response team) and PERT (political emergency responsiveness team). Both of which are very important assets towards fighting for our cause.)

Gia Arnold
Holley