65°
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. ‒ The Daily Voice accepts signed, original letters to the editor. Email them to peekskill@dailyvoice.com.
To the Editor,
Did you know that there is a way that mentally ill criminals can legally buy guns in your community?
In New York State, when you buy a gun at a store, you have to have a background check. This keeps guns out of the hands of dangerous people. There is a loophole though. Guns that are sold at gun shows or through “private sales” on websites like Craigslist do not require a background check. The result is that there are people who buy dozens of guns at a time, mark up the price and sell them “privately” to people who want to avoid the background check.
Sadly, more and more we read about acts of domestic terror and mass shootings. And yet, our State Senator, Greg Ball, does nothing to make our community safer. As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, it is reasonable to wonder why Ball has not done more to protect our children.
I recently asked State Senator Ball if he would support an upcoming bill that helps protect our families. Instead of answering, he assured me with the stock talking point that “he is against illegal guns.” The problem is Ball has never seen a gun he would make illegal.
He is against making assault weapons and machine guns illegal. He is against making cheap "Saturday Night Special" handguns illegal. He even famously spoke against making illegal a super high-powered rifle that can shoot down a helicopter.
Ball has accepted thousands of dollars from a powerful Albany special interest group called the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Political Victory Fund and is proud of his A+ rating from the pro-gun lobby.
Instead, we need a State Senator who will stand up to the special interest groups and fight to make our communities safer.
Fortunately, a new bill is being submitted that would limit gun sales to one gun per person per month. Twelve guns a year. This is not an inconvenience to hunters and sportsman. Law enforcement strongly supports this bill because it would help close this dangerous loophole. Please call Senator Ball’s office at 845-279-3773 and ask him to keep guns out of the hands of mentally ill criminals.
Darren Rigger
Peekskill Councilman, former Peekskill Democratic Committee Chairman
1501 Prospect Terrace
Peekskill, NY 10566
845-598-3971
Comments (2)
Background checks would help determine that. Also, a person desperate enough to end their life by jumping off a bridge only takes themselves over the side. People who SHOULD legally be able to use guns should never have that right taken away! If it does ever get taken away because of criminals trying to avoid the background check or load up on (gasp, more than 12 guns in a year) firepower than perhaps society is to blame. We have the power to make the laws and voice our opinions. Hopefully well informed and educated individuals will be able to reach agreements and keep our communities safe while still respecting the rights of others.
Sounds like it maybe a credible idea. People kill, guns do not. People jump off bridges; should we make bridges illegal? Who determines what and who are mentally ill criminals?