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SCOPE President Nails 2A in His Albany Speech

Last week, Steve Aldstadt, president of The Shooters Committee On Political Education (SCOPE), was the keynote speaker at the Sportsmen's Awareness Day in Albany. What he had to say impressed many. I thought it prudent to share it with readers, many of whom are sportsmen and women concerned about the almost constant efforts to infringe on their Second Amendment rights.

“I am Stephen Aldstadt, president of SCOPE, The Shooters Committee On Political Education.  I’m glad you all joined us today to help educate our legislators on the meaning, the purpose, and the importance of preserving our right to Keep and Bear Arms here in New York.

A little history lesson is in order here if you will indulge me for just a few minutes.

Unlike any other nation, the United States was conceived on the notion that the power comes from the people and is granted to the government who are bound to work in the interest and by the consent of the governed.  To that end, the founding fathers crafted a document; The Constitution of the United States of America.  The Constitution laid out a foundation for a government with limited powers.   It spelled out exactly what powers were to be granted to the federal government, by the people.

The people looked at the framework, the constitution, and said this is good, but it is not enough.  What recourse is there in the event that the government goes beyond the constitution and begins to usurp powers that are not granted to them?  Another document was needed, a document that more clearly defined the limits of governmental power, a document that clearly defined and recognized the inalienable rights of the people.  And so the Bill of Rights was crafted and the first ten Amendments to the Constitution were adopted.

They were crafted and listed in order of importance

The First Amendment reads as follows;

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion

Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

Or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

But what if the government does not abide by the law? What if it does in fact abridge our speech, our press, our religion? What if the government forbids us from peaceable assembly and will hear no grievances? What guarantee is there that the power will remain in the hands of the people, that they will remain free men and not be ruled without their consent?

That’s why we have rule number 2, the Second Amendment:

A well regulated militia (All able-bodied citizens, well trained and possessing their own arms and ammunition) Being necessary to the security of a FREE state (A free state where individual citizens live with liberty)

The Right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed!

This document does not grant the right of people to own a gun, it recognizes that the people have the right to keep and bear arms, and declares that that right shall not be infringed upon.

At one time there were many who tried to argue that this right is not an individual right, they concocted a “collective rights” theory and tried tell us that the second amendment did not recognize a right of the people but instead granted a power to the state governments.

This argument was put to rest once and for all by the United States Supreme Court in the DC vs. Heller decision.

They also tried to tell us that the second amendment applied only to the federal government and was not incorporated to the states. They tried to tell us that the states had to respect our first amendment rights, our forth amendments right to be secure in persons against unreasonable search, our fifth amendment rights to a fair trial, our sixth, seventh. They tried to tell us that the Second Amendment was different, that it was somehow the only one that state government could completely ignore.

In fact Justice Sonya Sotomayor ruled exactly that in the appellate court here in New York.

However the United States supreme court ruled differently in the McDonald vs. Chicago decision just last year.

Now for the first time in recent memory we have ruling from the highest court in the land that states unequivocally that the Second Amendment means exactly what it says; The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed!

Again I want to thank you all for coming together with us today to exercise these rights, for joining our peaceable assembly to speak out and petition our government for redress of grievances.  Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, we; the gun owners and sportsmen of New York State have a few grievances.

We are tired of constantly having our rights restricted, taxed, licensed, and denied.  We are tired of being treated like criminals and blamed for all of society’s troubles while the real criminals are set loose on the streets again and again to prey on honest peaceable citizens.

We are here to say enough! We will support our legislators and our law enforcement officials in enacting and enforcing laws that target real criminals and violent criminal behavior. We do not give our consent to be scapegoated for political expediency. We are free citizens of the republic and we do not give our consent to be disarmed and treated as subjects of an all powerful government. “

I have a question for the Honorable Sheldon Silver; Mr. Speaker, What part of “Shall not be infringed” don’t you understand?”

DEC POSITIONS SLATED FOR ELIMINATION:

• Administrative Assistant, New Paltz
• Agency Program Aide, Albany
• Associate Counsel, Albany
• Associate Counsel, Ray Brook
• Calculations Clerks 1, Albany
• Carpenter, Belleayre
• Citizen Participation Specialist 1, Avon
• Citizen Participation Specialist 1, Albany
• Clerk 1, Belleayre
• Clerk 1, Belleayre
• Clerk 2, Belleayre
• Clerk 2, Belleayre
• Clerk 2, Herkimer
• Communications Operator, Erie
• Communications Operator, Erie
• Conservation Operations Supervisor 1, Belleayre
• Conservation Operations Supervisor 1, Belleayre
• Construction Equipment Operator, Little Valley
• Construction Equipment Operator, West Almond
• Construction Equipment Operator, Kirkwood
• Coordinator of Enviro. Enforce. Tech. Services, Albany
• Electrician, Belleayre
• Engineering Geologist, Albany
• Engineering Geologist 1, Stony Brook
• Engineering Geologist 1, Syracuse
• Environmental Chemist 1, Rensselaer
• Environmental Chemist 2, Albany
• Environmental Chemist 2, Rensselaer
• Environmental Chemist 2, Albany
• Environmental Education Assistant, Sherburne
• Environmental Educator 2, Fishkill
• Environmental Educator 2, Sherburne
• Environmental Educator 2, Sherburne
• Environmental Educator 3, Sherburne
• Environmental Educator 3, Wappingers
• Environmental Engineer, Utica
• Environmental Engineer, Long Island
• Environmental Engineer 1, Avon
• Environmental Engineer 1, Buffalo
• Environmental Engineer 1, Latham
• Environmental Engineer 1, Long Island
• Environmental Engineer 1, NewPaltz
• Environmental Engineer 1, Stony Brook
• Environmental Engineer 1, Stony Brook
• Environmental Engineer 3 Civil, Albany
• Environmental Engineering Technician 2, Albany
• Environmental Engineering Technician 2, Albany
• Environmental Engineering Technician 2, Albany
• Environmental Engineering Technician 2, Schenectady
• Environmental Engineering Technician 3, Albany
• Environmental Engineering Technician 3, Long Island
• Environmental Geologist 1, Schenectady
• Environmental Program Specialist 1, Albany
• Environmental Program Specialist 1, Stony Brook
• Environmental Specialist 1, Long Island
• Fish and Wildlife Technician 1, Delmar
• Fish and Wildlife Technician 1, Delmar
• Forestry Technician 1, Saratoga
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre
• General Mechanic, Belleayre

NYSOWA Honors Pete Grannis with Award

Rochester, NY. Oct. 22, 2010. The New York State Outdoor Writers Association (NYSOWA) honored Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis with its “Friends of the Outdoors Award: at its annual fall conference. Grannis was recognized for his commitment to the enjoyment of outdoor recreational opportunities available throughout the state and his continued efforts to encourage sportsmen to enjoy the natural resources that New York State has to offer.
This award is a special honor from the New York State Outdoor Writers Association given periodically to someone who has gone beyond the call of duty to protect and promote the outdoor experience. It recognizes the individual or organization that has made significant and long-lasting contributions to preserving and enhancing the outdoor experience.
Commissioner Grannis was selected for positive contributions and changes that he has made during his tenure as DEC commissioner. Among the changes with which he is credited is the increased communication with DEC personnel and the media. Ease of communications and access have contributed to greater information for the outdoors media and, consequently, for the sportsmen and women of the New York State. Scheduled press days and conferences have further increased information and understanding of the issues facing the DEC and the sporting community.
Commissioner Grannis has proven himself as a friend of the sportsmen by his support, advice and encouragement on such issues as the Youth Hunting and Trapping bills and allowing the use of rifles in many Southern Zone counties. He has instituted a 10-year pheasant management program and has initiated new management plans for deer and bear. His willingness to work with various groups within New York State government and to facilitate solutions to crises is illustrated with the successful efforts to save the DEC pheasant farm and keep the Moose River Plains Recreational Area open in the face of state budget cuts.

Shocker; Gov. Fires Grannis

Oct. 23,2010--Pete Grannis, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation since 2007, was fired Thursday by Gov. David Paterson. A state source said it was due to “poor performance and insubordination.”

A front-page story in Tuesday’s Times Union described one likely cause: the leak of amemo sent by DEC to the Budget Division that laid out in stark terms the possible consequences of the planned layoffs of more than 200 agency employees.
The unsigned, undated memo warned that fewer polluted sites would be cleaned up, fewer regulators would be available to oversee the potential natural gas drilling boom in the Marcellus Shale, and stocking of game fish could halt.
In order to avoid cuts to programs that protect human health or address immediate environmental damage, the memo suggests the most logical places for deep cuts would be outdoor recreation and sports — including skiing, fishing, hunting, camping and hiking.
“Many of our programs are hanging by a thread. The public would be shocked to learn how thin we are in many areas,” the memo stated. “DEC is in the weakest position that it has been since it was created 40 years ago.”
Paterson spokesman Morgan Hook confirmed the dismissal but would not comment. DEC spokesman Yancey Roy also declined comment.
A long-serving former Assembly member from Manhattan, Grannis was appointed to the top job in DEC by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2007. Grannis’ bio on the DEC’s website notes that he began his career in public service at the agency in the early 1970s, when he worked as a compliance counsel.
Update: In an interview Thursday night with TU environmental reporter Brian Nearing — who wrote the article on the leaked memo — Grannis said that Larry Schwartz, the governor’s top aide, called him about 4 p.m. Wednesday to demand his resignation over the memo becoming public.
”Here I am being called on the carpet for doing what we were supposed to do, for being asked to tell the administration what the cuts they want meant,” Grannis said. “Apparently facts don’t sit well with this administration.”
Grannis protested that the memo was not leaked with his knowledge, and left two telephone messages with Paterson, one Wednesday evening and another Thursday morning, seeking a chance to make his case. “Larry Schwartz said the governor would not talk to me,” Grannis said.
Calling Schwartz a “hatchet man” and a “thug,” Grannis released a harsh email exchange between himself and Schwartz during Wednesday and Thursday.
In one email, Schwartz wrote, “Avoiding me is not going to change the outcome. Either you cooperate with regards to your resignation or a release will go out saying you have resigned by the end of the day. All the calls that you are having people make is not going to change the decision. You can either do this in a cooperative fashion or a hostile fashion. That is up to you.”
Schwartz followed that with an email that stated, “It’s unfortunate that you have not contacted me tonight as we discussed in my office earlier today. This is to remind you that you are not to report to work tomorrow. If I don’t hear back from you by 10am tomorrow a press release will go out without your input. Failure to comply with this request and what I discussed with you today will result in your immediate termination tomorrow morning and the press release will reflect that.”

WILLIAM SCHWERD CHOSEN FOR THE NYSOWA M. PAUL KEESLER CITIZEN 2010 AWARD

Schwerd is Executive Director Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County / 4H NYS Shooting Sports Coordinator
For almost four decades Bill has dedicated his life, both professionally and private, to the promotion and education of all aspects of the outdoors; and in this position he has to be considered as one of the founding fathers and driving forces
in all aspects of the state’s sportsman and conservation education programs. In
addition to these skills and initiatives he continues to be very active in any issues, regulations and legislation that will affect the shooting sports and/or outdoors. Under his direction he hosts the annual Sportsman Educator Workshop which
attracts instructors from all corners of New York State. And as a Master Instructor himself, he directs and oversees hunter safety programs and issued over 1000 hunter safety certificates in Saratoga County alone last year. And considering he has been issuing these certificates for 35 years his shooting and conservation instructions has touched the lives of many who are enjoying the outdoor and shooting sports today . In fact, a number of those whom he instructed, are now instructors and carrying on the tradition themselves
Bill’s leadership has also touched and aided other professional conservation
organizations as well. These include being a member of the board of directors for the Friends of Fish and Wildlife that raised funds for the Division of Fish and
Wildlife’s centennial year celebration. And he was also a driving force in the development of the Becoming an Outdoor Family Program in both NYS and Vermont. Other leadership roles Bill has voluntarily undertaken in the past include the American Wildlife Conservation Foundation where during his tenure he presented conservation seminars on chronic wasting disease in whitetail deer and also on invasive species concerning Oneida Lake.
Always willing to volunteer to help in any conservation effort, Bill has also been on the Saratoga County Cooperative Extension steering committee for the development of the Capital/Mohawk Partnership in Regional Invasive Species Management that promoted invasive species management.
Perhaps the best way to show Bill’s eligibility and worthiness of this prestigious award is to list SOME of his previous recognitions.
1. 2009 induction into the NYS Outdoorsman Hall of Fame
2. Outstanding Conservationist of the Year - NY Chapter of Wildlife Society