2A
A Tale of Two 4473’s
From as far back as I can recall of the throes of gun control. It is the incessant, endless claims of not enough gun laws, we need more, and they should all be banned. Despite all the banshee screaming from the mountain tops, we are witness to bail reform, lenient sentencing if at all, day of crime release-rotating door policies, and the topics at hand, no prosecution henceforth for the tens of thousands of gun laws on the books.
Be a scholar and give it an hour of your time. You’ll find some of the multitudes of overlapping and exceedingly redundant laws; you might notice that many of them call out criminal acts that are also illegal no matter what method is invoked. For instance, it is, under broad definition, illegal to commit manslaughter and or murder. It is heinous without regard to how it is accomplished.
In current news, fresh from last evening, Hunter Biden, after five years in the making, has been finally charged with felony gun indictments. Namely centered and focused on false statements declared on the ATF 4473 yellow form which those of us in the hunting and firearm industry are intimately familiar with. It is required along with a NICS check for anyone in the United States who purchases a firearm from an FFL dealer, Private sales also require this in some states for private sale. My home state of New York requires this with the change of the State Police now doing the background checks.
Hunter, if convicted of felony counts may face a maximum fine of $750,000 and 25 years in jail. It is reported that the charges relate to lying to an FFL Firearms dealer, declaring a false Statement on the ATF4473 form, and possessing an illegal firearm for eleven days. No mention was made of illegally disposing of the 38 caliber revolver in a dumpster across the street from a high school. Technically, Hallie Biden did the deed of disposing of it, as reported. His very public drug use is in very clear violation of the declaration provision in the document and is a prickly charge to squirm out of. 11 days? By the casual read of current gun laws, there is no grace period for possession of an illegally possessed firearm. His lawyer is reported to claim, that no one was harmed so it doesn’t matter as the 11 days. Not as I read the laws…
These reported offenses are all part of black letter law that is in practice, treated as murky, discretionary. We should expect better from our DA’s and we certainly deserve better. It’s total bullshit in view of having the 4473 form in the first place. It either has the backbone to ensure noneligible applicants are thwarted in purchasing a firearm or a ruse of no intentional detriment.
The talking heads are predicting no significant jail time or fine, or should it go to the full extent, a daddy POTUS pardon would follow. As of the moment, it is conjecture, not based on fact. Vega odds are yet to weigh in.
I do know directly of another tale, not so long ago, where a Cornell student son, murdered his CEO father at point-blank range with a 12-gauge shotgun. I worked with the deceased up until the company was purchased by him and also knew the family. He was VP of sales at the time. I was not invited to the transition as I was not of a favorable opinion, seeking to have him fired. It is a long sordid story that you couldn’t begin to make up. His son committed the act a little over two years after I had moved on to start my own company.
The very public murder trial ended with a hung jury and then dismissed. The feds came back with charges stemming from false statements made on an ATF 4473 form. The result of that was the full prosecution of a common citizen and a sentence of 20 years plus 3 years of post-supervision. I have left out details and opinions of this abbreviated tale as the point of it to illustrate the ballistic version of two levels of justice currently in vogue.
The takeaway from this in my view: Despite all the claims of timing to the election, pollical dirty tricks, It has been a slow roll of nearly five years to even get this far on Hunter Biden. I think we can safely assume that if it had been one of Trump’s sons, it would have been prosecuted and the convicted corpse left to rot within a year’s time. At least figuratively, in reality, millions in fines and release from jail as a very old man. More importantly, should this be you or I, not of the beautiful people crowd, or politically connected to the party of the ass, we might also be left to rot in jail and destitute of any financial gains. Pay attention folks, the tale of two 4473’s is telling of so much more…
-MJ
© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
PR Book Release: Random Musings from the Left Hemisphere by Mike Joyner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Joyner Outdoor Media Proudly Announces the Book Release of Random Musings of The Left Hemisphere by Mike Joyner
CORTLAND, N.Y. – April 19, 2023 – The author’s latest book release is a collection of random musings made over the past decade in response to the many societal skirmishes and forays of maligned and upside-down positions taken by increasingly radical liberals and leftists of a divided country. The book features personal reflections and personal testimony of bearing witness to a profound event of survival. The new release is currently available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle.
Publisher’s Summary – “Random Musings of The Left Hemisphere” is a collection of personal opinions, reflections, and epiphanies gained from decades of hands-on living. A worldview fully grounded in compassion and sound reasoning is expressed that in stark contrast, refutes common false narratives perpetuated by the far left, academia, and a sympathetic media that has abandoned professional journalism in favor of activism and influencer self-gratification. We are over-saturated with utopian thesis-driven views formulated in a vacuum and regurgitated in never-ending echo chambers.
The latest offering from the author is a unique departure from his well-known outdoor book titles. A random glimpse into the thoughts, and observations of a left hemisphere dominant thinker. As an engineer, awarded worldwide patents, a passionate outdoorsman, and conservative by nature, these attributes are a natural fit for the project. The reader will find a frank and honest rendering of ideas and observations to ponder and consider.
Hardcover, paperback books, and Kindle – available now on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2R2ST1Q
Joyner can be made available for media requests by emailing: info@joynerourdoormedia.com
For further information on the author: www.mikejoyner.com
-MJ
© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
New York Gun Owner/Sportsmen Apathy
Well, my fellow sportsmen, turkey hunters, deer hunters, waterfowlers, and gun owners across the great Empire State, we can legitimately be labeled as apathetic, not in the game as evidenced by the preliminary results reported this morning. As it appears we will have to suffer four more years of a governor that openly defies the supreme court rulings on constitutional matters, and governs as an emotionally riddled suppository that caters exclusively to a radical left base.
I find this painful to openly state, but we deserve this, we let it transpire with little opposition.
Using estimates for 2020-2021, 4.5 million gun owners are thought to be among us in New York. Seven hundred thousand outdoorsmen participate in hunting pursuits, although no breakdown of gun ownership there. To be fair I cannot assert that all of those included in these numbers would vote single issue, even to preserve our constitutional rights. With the current results pegging Gov. Hochul at 3.022 million votes with a margin of 311,000 votes, a five-point spread, on its face, our group of “like-minded people” could have singled-handedly sent her packing in a landslide.
I’ve heard enough of the downstate runs everything argument… Total bullshit… We failed miserably to represent ourselves. If 68% of us 4.5 million gun owners in New York pulled the lever, scanned the ballot, tables would have been turned. “Put up or shut up” is an appropriate retort to this fail.
Would of, could of, should of, is of little comfort in the coming days when more restrictive gun control gets shoved down our throats while we hope and pray it gets remedied by the Supreme Court years later, assuming confiscation doesn’t happen beforehand. You can bet with our current representatives; they want to be first in the nation in the erosion of the second amendment. It is the one amendment that ensures the good keeping of the first amendment as the others. If you have paid attention at all in the last decade, there are calls for censorship, ending private gun ownership, for neutering anyone that can oppose leftist views. Gun control has always been about control of us. Our opponents have made it clear that safety is not even the real discussion here at all. Bail reform is a game changer for criminal rights over law-abiding citizens. Ten out of ten criminals approve of that message.
We could have stopped this yesterday, and it is clear we didn’t vote as a Tour de Force, nor participate in the fundamental right as a New Yorker. Those that oppose us would like to see our views removed from the landscape and they did show up and vote. To those of our ranks that did, thank you from a fellow patriot. To those that sat it out, and never registered, there is no tolerance for your bitching when it hits the fan. In my best New Yorker accent “You need to show up and vote.”
-MJ
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
NY SPORTSMEN & GUN OWNERS- CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS MATTER TO YOU ON NOV 8th 2022?
THE EXPECTED ANSWER- HELL YES, WITHOUT QUESTION…
A preemptive disclaimer- There is no sugar coating it, no regard for moderate positions, compromise, or apologists in this commentary. For those offended, not sorry, don’t let the door slap you on the ass on the way out. We cannot be sidetracked by the likability of the truth or the notion of being politically correct. This is an updated commentary from prior election cycles and we need to do far better.
A gratuitous ‘Yes’ response serves no one unless followed by conservative/constitutional core principles put into action. As a whole, gun owners, hunters, archers, trappers, competition shooters, and sportsmen in New York State fail miserably. Despite a large demographic and cross-section of the population, we effectively neuter ourselves each election cycle, and there is no valid reason to justify that being the case
To be fair, there are those among us that vote, participate in the political process, petition, and spread the word, you know who you are and this commentary is not intended to insult your sensibilities. Sadly too many sit on their hands when push comes to shove.
Despite the fly-by-night passages of the ‘Safe Act,’ and the emotional knee-jerk reaction of the stand in governor’s “Safe Act II,” an egregious assault on second amendment rights and further restriction on law-abiding citizens, our King ‘C’ was reelected with little opposition by our ranks. Shall we sit on our hands for the emotionally driven radical Hochul that replaced him? We literally had the numbers to vote the bastard out, but could not bother to show up and vote. Does all this sound too harsh? I have expectations of my fellow sportsmen and gun owners to stand up against this naked tyranny. It starts at the voting booth.
We tolerate increasing restrictions pertaining to gun rights, hunting, fishing, and trapping and we are being dictated to by those that have little to no understanding or working knowledge and generally allow us to pay our way while putting a virtual thumb on every aspect of our activities and inalienable rights. It is also to our further dismay that those that are bent on removing the first and second amendments and ending all hunting and fishing get ample access to our political system and yet we are far too apathetic. As a group, we allow this as we decry downstate politics. Sorry, but it’s total bullshit. We failed to see it through.
It is plain and simple. Why do we care in New York? New York in all its levels of government will waste no time in harassing us, even when faced with supreme court decisions. Despite knowing that they will be struck down for unconstitutional offenses, they would rather waste time and money just to keep a jackboot on our necks…
We decry that downstate dictates all things within the state politics and laws that are passed. In the case of issues of interest to gun owners and sportsmen, there is simply no truth to it. In the prior election had just firearm owners voted in mass, Cuomo would have been defeated. There is no plausible excuse for this had we voted consistently. Should we vote as a group, in mass, infringements on our rights including the first and second amendments, our beloved pursuits would see a return as unpinged and free from the constant assault and harassment that we continue to endure. There is much to be upended, reversed, null/voided, and restored.
If you do give a damn about your rights and freedoms and that of your loved ones, your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, and your brethren, the passive response, sitting out elections is not a responsible choice, and you must exercise your rights as a citizen.
We cannot afford to continue letting others do our bidding… See you at the voting booth?
-MJ
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Alec Baldwin, “Rust” Movie Set Shooting, What It Teaches Us
This is somewhat awkward in that the points I set to illuminate apply to the anti-gun, pro-gun control groups as well as target shooters, military, hunters, and other pro-gun groups. No, I have not dropped my conservative principles and drank from the poisoned liberal Kool-Aid… If I manage to influence one person to stop and think before picking up a firearm and conduct themselves responsibly then my purpose has been served. Please read thru to the end as there are several important aspects of common principles to get across.
As a disclosure, I am not a fan of the actor due to the observation of anti-gun hypocritical statements in interviews, tweets, etc. Very liberal, very anti-gun. This is not about personalities or ideologies. Unless there is some bizarre twist to the circumstances currently, we can assume that all involved on the movie set would be very upset over what happened, and did not start out the day expecting it to happen. It is a tragedy in the death of Halyna Hutchins, and the wounding of Joel Souza. I do not infer in any way that the actor would have intended this outcome.
The main point I wish to convey is that of personal responsibility when it comes to picking up, using, operating any item that is capable of lethal results and or unintended bodily harm. The news is emphasizing the chain of possession of the weapon and who might have tampered with it, or were proper procedures followed. Nothing against competent armorers or prop technicians, but something we in the pro firearm community are intimately aware of is that the most important and final responsibility rests upon the person who receives or picks up the firearm. In principle, this applies to knives, dangerous machinery, other weapons, etc…
Alec Baldwin, arguably in ignorance accepted the weapon as a “cold gun” as reported, as well as confirmation by those in control of it prior. The act of negligence still rests with the actor for not examining the chamber or cylinder (reported as a period piece, so likely a wheel gun) and confirming that all cartridges were in fact blanks. A consummate professional actor or any responsible person would insist that the weapon be shown/presented to them in a safe condition and then, only then take possession of it. Some of us might have further insisted on fully unloading and then reloading the prop gun to confirm fully for our own satisfaction. It will be the task of the DA, lawyers, and judges to sort out the charges and we’ll see if the equal application under the law applies.
The basic firearm safety rules are bible speak amongst sportsmen groups, military, target shooting community, and heavily promoted by the NSSF and NRA. There are too many others to list but rest assured. firearm safety is part of the culture. It is one of the very few activities where the participants expect zero tolerance for any mishap, where one is too many. Given that the number of firearms and the number of people who use them, the actual occurrence in legal uses is extremely low. That is of little solace to those injured or killed when it occurs.
For everyone who may come across a firearm and are not familiar, please take it upon yourself to learn these safety and handling tenets. For the rest of us, it is a normal and expected PSA.
GOLDEN RULES FOR SAFE GUN HANDLING
- Always treat the gun as loaded.
- Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
- Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
- Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it.
- Never point the gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy.
- Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.
- Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using.
- Always use proper Ammunition.
- Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting.
- If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun.
- Don’t rely on the gun’s safety to keep it from firing.
- Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don’t trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
2021 NYSOWA Spring Safari @ Sacandaga Lake
Photo: Ann Boles
NYSOWA Spring Safari at Sacandaga Lake
A long overdue and highly anticipated Spring Safari took place the second week in May in the town of Broadalbin. The Broadalbin Hotel would be our base of operations for outings on Lake Sacandaga, and gobbler chasing in secret locations in and around Fulton County. Originally scheduled to have taken place in 2020, it was canceled due to the pandemic lock-downs that we are all too familiar with.
From a most personal perspective, the safari was a heartfelt reunion for those of us that could attend. We do enjoy each other’s company and especially enjoyed a well ran safari by so many that I will thank here shorty. It was an outstanding spring safari. It was clear to this author that a year and a half is far too long for us as a group to not spend time together enjoying the outdoors. With the passing of beloved members over the the course of this down time, the loss of spending time together is ever so poignant. I will provide links at the end to those who helped make this a most memorable event.
A big thank you for setting up the event and doing the heavy lifting to make it happen goes out to Safari Chairman Stephen George from our group, Ann Boles, director for tourism for both Fulton and Montgomery counties and last but not least, Dan Ladd who is indispensable for making things come together and pitching in wherever needed. Flawless execution of many moving parts and for herding cats which we are world renown in a casual observation.
The Broadalbin Hotel was an ideal base camp for us, as it is steeped in rich history, and provided all we could ever ask for in warm hospitality, comfortable rooms, and wonderful table fare! We took advantage of a great 2nd-floor balcony for our impromptu get-togethers and a back area fire pit which we thoroughly enjoyed. The hotel provided easy access to all our activities and I might add a perfect place to stay for any outing you might want to pursue in the area. Highly recommended and there are many from our group that will be looking to return for overnight stays in our gateway to the Adirondack outings.
The outings for our safari included fishing, turkey hunting, hiking, canoeing, shopping, museum/historic site tours, and visiting craft beer breweries. Ann was our liaison with the bureau of tourism, and provided support throughout our safari and did an outstanding job in representing the county in all that it has to offer. There were so many places to see and activities to enjoy it would take far more than a few extended weekends to partake in them all.
Turkey hunting was my natural choice for both mornings, and it did not disappoint. I stepped foot in some of the best turkey woods I ever had the privileged to hunt in. Hunting beautiful dairy farms with well-managed forests was a treat I particularly enjoyed. The birds did not gobble much in the piece I hunted, but I did manage to call up jakes on both days in addition to a hen on the second. Other fellow writers drawn to the turkey woods had close encounters and there was a swing and a clean miss. A trail cam revealed a few weeks later that a few tail feathers were trimmed, nothing more than hurt pride to report. A big thank you to Jerrod Vila and his crew for putting this together.
After seeing up close the Great Sacandaga Lake for the first time during this trip, I might opt for fishing when I return. Brian Hurst who owns Fish Attractor Guide Service hosted writers from our group on the lake both days and they had action both days. A good time had by all as reported.
Our afternoon events would include a tour of Slipstream Canoes along with a live demo at the lake and a stop for a pizza party, a tour at the Adirondack Sports & Educational Museum / New York Outdoorsman Hall of Fame, and a preview of a large expansion currently under construction. A big thank you to Mike Hauser for sponsoring the visit to Great Sacandaga Brewing! We would enjoy excellent tastings at Great Sacandaga Brewing and Stump City Brewing in the afternoons, Meeting the owners and getting the rundown on their respective histories along with first-hand descriptions of each offering topped off great afternoons on both days while taking in what the area has to offer for visiting sportsmen and tourists.
Our first lunchtime presentation featured special guest Robert Smullen, NYS Assemblyman for the 118th District who took many questions and responded very candidly as a supporter of sportsman’s issues and second amendment rights. We had a zoom meeting with the NYSDEC and many questions and answers took place. We welcome the opportunity to have a direct audience and hope for more direct dialog in the future. A big thank you to Adirondack Outdoorsman Show (Mike Hauser) & Allwater Guide Services (Capt. Stephen George) for sponsoring a great lunch at the Broadalbin Hotel. The craft hamburger was outstanding in case you may inquire…
Saturday lunch was a special treat at the Pine Tree Rifle club which is steeped in history and has an impressive outlay of ranges and activities. We got a rundown of the lengthy and impressive history of the club, followed by a presentation and product demos from Black Street Archery.
Our main dinner event was held at the Broadalbin Hotel, followed by a member zoom meeting lead by president Chris Paparo. A big thank you goes out to Capital Region Pheasants Forever chapter, Franks Gun Shop, and Pine Tree Rifle Club for sponsoring the event. Our sponsors were in attendance and I personally enjoyed their comments and meeting them at our safari. On a side note, Dan Ladd and I made a quick stop at Franks Gun Shop and it is very impressive how much they carry in stock and the team of knowledgeable and friendly employees they have on hand.
Randy Gardinier, chairman of the Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation (GSLFF) gave us a rundown of the history of Great Sacandaga Lake, and a new hiking challenge: Fulton County Five, that includes a patch and certificate for completing all five trails. The trails are ideal for those new to hiking the Adirondacks. The trails that comprise the series are Indian/Stewart Lake, Kane Mountain Fire Tower, Mud Lake, Nine Corner Lake, and Willie Wildlife Marsh.
The event concluded Sunday with a few of us staying for breakfast at the hotel which I highly recommend. With a beautiful sunny day to greet us, the ride home was worth taking the more scenic route and worth the price of admission. The year’s spring safari was one I’ll long remember, and I encourage our members to come spend a long weekend with us in the future. I was duly impressed with my time here and will return in the future to enjoy it further!
Please check out the links below:
Adirondack Outdoorsman Show (Mike Hauser) http://adkshow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Adirondack-Outdoorsman-Show-79046747861/
Adirondack Sports & Educational Museum / New York Outdoorsman Hall of Fame https://wildlifesportsmuseum.com/ https://nysohof.org/
Allwater Guide Services (Capt. Stephen George) www.allwaterguideny.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AllwaterGuideNY
Ann Boles, director of tourism:Fulton and Montgomery Counties https://www.fultonmontgomeryny.org/staff/
Black Street Archery https://www.blackstreetarchery.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BlackStreetArchery/ https://www.yelp.com/biz/black-street-archery-johnstown
Capital Region Pheasants Forever chapter https://pheasantsforever.org/
The Broadalbin Hotel https://www.historicbroadalbinhotel.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hotelbroadalbin/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/historic-hotel-broadalbin-broadalbin
Franks Gun Shop http://www.franksgunshops.com/
Fish Attractor Guide Service https://www.facebook.com/Fish-Attractor-Guide-Service-1984435795130312/
Fulton County. https://www.fultonmontgomeryny.org/ http://www.44lakes.com/
Fulton County Five Hiking Challenge http://www.44lakes.com/fulton-county-5-hiking-challenge/
Great Sacandaga Brewing https://greatsacandagabrewing.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GreatSacandagaBrewing/ https://www.yelp.com/biz/great-sacandaga-brewing-broadalbin
Great Sacandaga Lake Fisheries Federation (GSLFF) http://www.gslff.com/
New York State Outdoor Writers Association (NYSOWA) www.nysowa.org
Pine Tree Rifle Club http://www.pinetreerifleclub.org/ https://www.facebook.com/pinetreerifleclub
Robert Smullen, NYS Assemblyman for the 118th https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Robert-Smullen https://www.facebook.com/SmullenForAssembly
Ann Boles, director of tourism:Fulton and Montgomery Counties https://www.fultonmontgomeryny.org/staff/
Slipstream Canoes http://slipstreamwatercraft.com/Slipstream_Watercraft_2/Welcome.html
Stump City Brewing https://www.stumpcitybrewery.com/ https://www.facebook.com/StumpCityBrewery/ https://www.yelp.com/biz/stump-city-brewery-gloversville
-MJ
© 2021 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Sportsmen & Gun owners- CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS Matter to you on Nov 3rd 2020?
Let’s Start with: HELL YES…
A ‘Yes’ response serves no one as lip service when it comes down to making a real difference. Core principles put to action is the only action that matters in your voices and your participation in the election process. We are learning first hand in real time with the supreme court that who wins elections has far reaching impact. The reaffirmation of the second and even the first amendment may be rightfully corrected in my lifetime.
Voting has started in some states, and if you are of legal age, eligible to vote you need to be registered and cast your ballot. To check deadlines to register click on the following: https://www.vote.org/voter-registration-deadlines/
I will not tell you what party to affiliate with, or whom you should vote for. I strongly suggest you look up each candidate, each party, and research their platform, their positions, and most importantly their past voting records and history. Too many change and flip flop to gain votes. We need steadfast constitutionalists, representing us as stewards of our constitution and champions of the first and second amendment rights we hold dear
The mainstream media, Facebook, Google, Twitter, youtube, and other social media actively steer your feeds and searches and what is presented to you on the first pages of your searches, Be mindful that others will forcefully tell you what is fact and what is not. It is evident the fact-checkers are also suspect. There is too much at stake and all the stops are being pulled. As opponents of our positions are happy in the adoption of the ends justify the means to gut the first and second amendments, disarm us, and to end hunting and fishing as dictated by special interest groups.
As a whole, gun owners, hunters, archers, trappers competition shooters, and sportsmen in our grand union and especially in New York State fail miserably in casting ballots, despite a large demographic and cross-section of the population in the nation and the Empire State. If it is not our responsibility who then should this be assigned to,? Leftest Democrats bent on a single-party rule, Marxists, Socialists, Radical Facisists? Political parties make strategic calculations based on mediocre participation and furthers the lack of respect of us by those we send to Washington to represent our concerns and core values.
To be fair, there are those among us that vote with firm conviction, educated on the issues, and especially on those candidates professed to protect our first and second amendment rights. You know who you are and it is not intended to disparage your good efforts.
We are being browbeaten and dictated to by those that have no understanding or working knowledge of history, the second amendment, sustainable wildlife conservation, and yet allow us to pay our way while putting a virtual knee on our necks in every aspect of our activities and inalienable rights.
The same folks that are quick to assert their first amendment rights are the very same that are bent on removing the first and second amendments for conservatives, those who refuse to kneel in front of them.
As a group, we allow this as we decry downstate and national politics. Sorry, but it’s total bullshit. We failed to see it through. Do we allow by the stroke of a pen to declare firearm owners felons by merely owning a legally purchased firearm? It can be argued that treason is being committed against the citizens of our country and entirely unconstitutional on its face.
The framers intended that the second amendment be written purposely to defend against a tyrannical government and acts of treason upon us. It is that plain and simple.
None of us alive today were born into servitude or as serfs to kings whom we broke away from in our founding. If you give a damn about your rights and freedoms and that of your loved ones, your neighbors, your brethren, the passive response, sitting out elections is not a responsible choice, and you must exercise your rights as a citizen.
We cannot afford to sit back and continue letting others do our bidding…
© 2020 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
New York Sportsmen & Gun Owners- Give a Damn about Constitutional Rights?
The expected answer would be yes, hell yes, of course, without question…
A preemptive disclaimer- There is no sugar coating it, no regard for moderate compromise or apologists in this commentary. For those offended, not sorry. We cannot be sidetracked about the likability of the truth or the notion of being politically correct.
An automatic ‘Yes’ response serves no one when it comes down to ideology, core principles put to action. As a whole, gun owners, hunters, archers, trappers competition shooters and sportsmen in New York State fail miserably. Despite a large demographic and cross section of the population in the Empire State, we effectively neuter ourselves and there is no valid reason to justify that being the case
To be fair, there are those among us that vote, participate in the political process, petition and spread the word, you know who you are and it is not intended to insult your sensibilities. Sadly too many sit on their hands when push comes to shove.
Despite the fly by night passage of the ‘Safe Act,’ an egregious assault on second amendment rights and further restriction on law abiding citizens, Our Governor was reelected with little opposition by our ranks.
We tolerate increasing restrictions by the state, counties and towns in firearm laws and those pertaining to hunting, fishing and trapping and we are being dictated to by those that have little to no understanding or working knowledge and generally allow us to pay our way while putting a virtual thumb on every aspect of our activities and inalienable rights. It is also to our further dismay that those that are bent on removing the first and second amendments and to end all hunting and fishing get ample access to our political system and yet we are far too apathetic. As a group we allow this as we decry downstate politics. Sorry, but it’s total bullshit. We failed to see it through.
All eyes are on Virginia for a possible showdown between a tyrannical governor/administration and second amendment rights. Calls for violent confrontation are more frequent and alarming. 85 of Virginia’s 95 counties have declared themselves as Second Amendment sanctuaries, modeled after immigration sanctuaries which are the unintended outcome of defying federal law. When by the stroke of a pen you declare firearm owners felons by merely owning a legally purchased firearm, it will end badly if it is not struck down. It can be argued that treason is being committed against the citizens of Virginia and entirely unconstitutional on its face.
The framers intended that the second amendment be written purposely to defend against a tyrannical government and acts of treason upon us. It is that plain and simple. One can reasonably argue that Virginia is on a collision course here. New York, California and a few others are predicted to follow suit.
Why do we care in New York? You can be sure that what happens in Virginia if successful in taking away these rights, New York in all its levels of government will follow suite and waste no time in doing so. As such, only one county in NY has followed the examples in Virginia in declaring themselves a Second Amendment Sanctuary. One has to ask why only one? Are we asleep at the wheel?
Getting back to the assertion that we do not act in mass as a Tour de Force…
For decades as a group we decry that downstate dictates all things within the state politics and laws that are passed. In the case of issues of interest to gun owners and sportsmen there is simply no truth to it. In the past election had just firearm owners voted in mass, Cuomo would have been defeated by an 700K-1.1M margin depending on what numbers you believe. There is no plausible excuse, especially if all gun owners, hunters, fisherman, trappers, archers voted consistently. Had we or in the future vote as a group, in mass, infringements on our rights including first and second amendments, our beloved pursuits would see a return as unpinged and free from the constant assault and harassment that we continue to endure. There is much to be upended, reversed, null/voided and restored.
On social media we present ourselves as all badass, full of bravado… cold dead hands before ever surrendering… Sounds good, seen the movie… How many will cut and run at the first shots fired, as the first bodies hit the ground? Surely not the best outcome we might all agree. Clamoring for a civil war means many atrocities, countless dead, and families forever torn apart and irreparably changed. No reasoned person wants this as we view life as priceless. If we believe in living as free persons of this country, neglecting to vote is irresponsible.
If this social media warrior energy, bravado were redirected to the voting booth, the political process, we might affect change that is needed and not fast enough I might add. It may end up with the Supreme Court squashing this before critical mass. Without regard to that outcome, we can act together collectively and suspend the infighting and bickering to save what is most important and dear to us.
None of us alive today were born into servitude or as serfs to kings whom we broke away from in our founding. If you do give a damn about your rights and freedoms and that of your loved ones, your neighbors, your brethren, the passive response, sitting out elections is not a responsible choice, and you must exercise your rights as a citizen.
We cannot afford to continue letting others do our bidding…
-MJ
© 2019 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
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