Page 22 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013

By JACKIE HILLY
It was a proud day for
all New Yorkers. With
wide bipartisan agree-
ment, New York has
passed the New York
SAFE Act of 2013 - one of the most
comprehensive bills in the nation
aimed at reducing needless gun inju-
ries and death. Provisions of this bill
will be a model for states across the
country as well as the federal govern-
ment.
Te NY SAFE Act of 2013 will
ensure the safety of New York fami-
lies and communities for many years.
It contains important changes to keep
guns out of the wrong hands. We at
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
are proud to have worked with Gover-
nor Cuomo on this historic legislation
and to have joined with Leadership
and Members from the Senate and
Assembly as the Governor signed it
into law. We congratulate the Gov-
ernor and legislators for their courage
and leadership in making New York
State gun laws the strongest in the
nation, said Jackie Hilly, Executive
Director.
Tis comprehensive package will
help save innocent lives like those of
the children in Sandy Hook, the rst
responders in Webster Lake, and New
Yorkers who each day are killed and
injured by guns. As a New Yorker,
a mother and someone who lost her
brother to gun violence, I thank the
Governor and the leaders of the Sen-
ate and Assembly for passing this leg-
islation so quickly, said Leah Gunn
Barrett, a board member of New
Yorkers Against Gun Violence.
Major provisions of the NY
SAFE Act of 2013 will:
Require universal background
checks: Every sale of a gun in New
York will now require a background
check of the purchaser.
Strengthen the assault weapons
ban: New Yorks current state assault
weapons ban will be strengthened by
making it a one-feature test. Assault
weapons possessed before the eective
date of the new law must be registered
and owners must submit to a back-
ground check.
Ban high capacity ammunition
magazines: New York is now the rst
state in the nation to completely ban
any high capacity ammunition maga-
zine that can hold over 7 rounds.
Make pistol permits renewable:
Te new law require 5-year re-cer-
tication of pistol permits for those
counties in New York that currently
issue lifetime permits.
Regulate ammunition sales:
Provide a comprehensive system to
regulate ammunition sales including
banning direct online ammunition
sales, tracking ammunition amounts
to alert law enforcement to large pur-
chases, and mandating background
checks for all ammunition purchases.
Increase penalties for gun crimes:
Increase penalties when guns are used
in crime.
Keep guns out of the hands of
prohibited gun purchasers: Te new
law will strengthen the states ability
to keep guns out of the hands of those
with dangerous mental illness.
Since 1993, New Yorkers Against
Gun Violence has been advocating
for common sense policies, including
banning assault weapons and high ca-
pacity magazines and improving the
background check system, to reduce
the incidence of gun violence in New
Yorks communities. More informa-
tion about common sense state and
federal policies to combat gun violence
is available at www.nyagv.org.
Jackie Hilly is executive director of New
Yorkers Against Gun Violence.
OP- ED
By DAMON K. JONES
On January 15, 2013,
the New York State
government passed his-
toric gun control legisla-
tion. Te signing makes
New York the rst state to enact tighter
restrictions on guns after the December
14, 2012, massacre in Newtown, Conn.
Te gun-control legislation makes
changes and additions to the exist-
ing state law, ranging from requiring
universal background checks for all
gun and ammunition sales, boosting
the states power to conscate rearms
from the mentally ill and increasing
penalties for gun-related crime.
Te new laws provide for an im-
mediate ban on semi-automatic ries,
shotguns and pistols with a military-
style feature, such as a ash suppres-
sor or a bayonet mount. Guns that had
been legal but are being banned would
be grandfathered in, but their owners
must register with the state.
Te legislation also limits ammu-
nition magazines to a maximum ca-
pacity of seven bullets, down from the
current ten.
Te legislation includes a Webster
provision, a life-without-parole sen-
tence for anyone found to have killed
a rst responder. Te provision is a ref-
erence to the Christmas Eve shooting
in a Rochester, N.Y., suburb where two
reghters were shot and killed.
An additional provision permits
gun licensees to opt out of having their
personal information available to the
public under the states Freedom of
Information law. Its reported that this
provision was inserted after the high
prole controversy when Te Journal
News published the names and ad-
dresses of handgun permit holders in
Westchester and Rockland Counties.
On January 14, 2013, as a repre-
sentative of a national law enforcement
organization, I attended the sessions in
Albany along with representatives from
the National Latino Ocers Associa-
tion and the Grand Council of Guard-
ians as the guest of Senator Malcolm
Smith. We met with Senator Andrea
Stewart-Cousins, the Senate Majority
Counsel, Senator Je Klein, Governor
Cuomos aide Larry Schwartz and we
attended a press conference to show
our support of the legislation.
What was notably absent were
the masses of police unions and orga-
nizations in support of legislation that
would keep illegal weapons o the
street. You would think that legislation
that includes life without parole sentence
for anyone found to have killed a rst re-
sponder, many law enforcement unions
and/or organizations would be in at-
tendance. Tis wasnt the case.
In the U.S., between 1990 and
September 18, 2012, there were 1,302
police ocers killed of which 1,132
(87%) were killed by a rearm (75%
were handguns). Police ocers carry
guns, yet 40% of all gun homicides of
Police Ocers are due to ambushes or
being surprised by suspects with re-
arms.
N.Y.S. passing a bill that puts
a ban on assault weopons, is a step in
the right direction in saving lives and
reducing the risk of a law enforcement
ocers encounters against an assault
rie. said, Darrin Green, Firearm In-
structor, President of the Long Island
Chapter, Blacks In Law Enforcement
of America
In a probe of illegal online rearm
sales conducted by the City of New
York, undercover investigation found
that 62% of private gun sellers they in-
teracted with were willing to sell guns
to a buyer who said he could not pass
the background check. In New York
alone there are 700,000 military style
assault weapons in homes that au-
thorities know about. Tis means an
unknown amount in the streets, cities
The Absence of Law Enforcement Unions and Organizations on our State Gun Legislation
OP- ED
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Applauds Passage of New Law
Making New Yorks Gun Laws the Toughest in the Nation
We rmly believe that the people
of Israel have a right to live peacefully
and free from terror. But we also believe
that the only sustainable way to achieve
this is through a negotiated two-state
solution. As friends of Israel, it is im-
portant we do whatever we can to reach
that ultimate objective: two states, liv-
ing side by side, in peace. We ask Israel
to stop building settlements because
they are illegal under international
law, an obstacle to peace and make a
two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a
shared capital, harder to achieve. Tey
are, ultimately, not in Israels long-term
interests. Simply building a fortress
without a negotiated agreement with
the Palestinians cannot deliver lasting
security for Israel.
I do not share your analysis regard-
ing the recent Palestinian UN General
Assembly resolution. Te UKs position
on this resolution was determined by
the guiding principle of ensuring a rap-
id return to negotiations. Given this, we
had asked Palestinian President Abbas
not to move a resolution at the UN
General Assembly in November. In
the period prior to the vote, we engaged
intensively to seek a commitment from
the Palestinian leadership to return
immediately to negotiations without
preconditions and that they would not
pursue immediate action in UN agen-
cies and the International Criminal
Court. In the absence of these assur-
ances, the UK abstained on the vote.
We must now look forward. Tis
year is an important one for peace in
the Middle East. Te UK will work
urgently with the United States, our
other international partners and with
the Israelis and Palestinians to drive
the peace progress forward before the
window for a two-state solution closes
forever.
Sincerely,
David Cameron
Te Honorable Edward Irving
Koch served as a member of Con-
gress from New York State from 1969
through 1977, and New York City as its
105
th
Mayor from 1978 to 1989.
ED KOCH COMMENTARY
Letter to Prime Minister David Cameron
Continued from page 21
Continued on page 23
Page 23 THE WESTCHESTER GUARDIAN THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2013
CLASSI FI ED ADS
Ofce Space Available-
Prime Location, Yorktown Heights
1,000 Sq. Ft.: $1800. Contact Wilca:
914.632.1230
Prime Retail - Westchester County
Best Location in Yorktown Heights
1100 Sq. Ft. Store $3100; 1266 Sq. Ft.
store $2800 and 450 Sq. Ft. Store $1200.
By BOB WEIR
On Dr. Martin Lu-
ther King Jr.s birth-
day, Im reminded of
a dreadful event that
occurred when I was a
rookie cop. April 4, 1968 is a day Ill
never forget. I was working the 4 to
midnight shift with my partner, Le-
roy Spivey, in the Bedford/Stuyvesant
section of Brooklyn, New York. We
were on radio motor patrol during
an unusually warm spring evening in
the predominantly African-Ameri-
can neighborhood. It would get a lot
warmer before the night was over. We
had been working together for about
a year as the rst black and white (re-
ferred to as salt-and-pepper) team in
our precinct, and one of the rst in the
city. Te tour of duty in the high crime
area had been pretty much a routine
aair during the rst half of our shift:
burglaries, robberies, vehicle accidents,
family disputes, etc.
Ten, about 8 oclock, a trag-
edy occurred that would change the
course of history. It began for us when
someone yelled over the police radio,
Martin Luther King was just shot in
Memphis. Leroy, an African-Amer-
ican who had often spoken proudly
of the man who for many years had
led the civil rights movement toward
equality in America, sat in stunned
silence. As I steered the car along the
dark street, I looked toward my part-
ner and said, Aw, dont believe that.
Its some jerk with a depraved sense
of humor. But a few minutes later, a
voice said, King is DOA. A sniper
got him. Leroy covered his face with
his hands and shook his head slowly
as if trying to block out the truth of
the message.
It was only moments later that
the shocking news swept the country
and the riots began. Calls for police
response ooded the airwaves, as a
segment of the population took to the
streets, burning and looting in a mad
frenzy of outrage and frustration. We
spent the next 12 hours racing from
one riot to another, chasing down
looters, handcung them and taking
them to a central booking location so
other ocers could process them, al-
lowing us to return to the street. I dont
remember how many arrests we made
during that long, tumultuous night,
but we worked continuously until 8 the
next morning. Although the violence,
bitterness, and hatred I witnessed dur-
ing that 16 hour tour would long be
remembered, the most unforgettable
sight was the intermittent tears that
lled my partners eyes as he struggled
with his emotions but did his job with
a profound courage and dignity. He
berated those we caught looting and
condemned them for besmirching the
memory of Dr. King.
Several times during the night,
when we collared someone who had
just crashed through a store window
and was running away with stolen
property, my partner would grab
them by the throat and push them up
against a wall. Tis is how you honor
the memory of Dr. King? he shouted
menacingly in the persons face. You
think this is what Dr. King would have
wanted? He hissed, struggling to keep
from pummeling those who used the
death of an icon as an excuse for crimi-
nal activity. It should go without say-
ing that the overwhelming majority
of black Americans had nothing to do
with those riots, but Leroy instinctive-
ly knew that a segment of the white
population would label the entire race
responsible for the behavior of a few
violent opportunists.
Te experience was dicult for
me, but it was devastating for my part-
ner. From his perspective as a black
man raising a family in the America
of 1968, not only had he suered the
loss of the most powerful spiritual and
political civil rights leader of the cen-
tury, but he had to endure the indig-
nity of seeing members of his race turn
to the streets in an orgy of destruction
that could only be detrimental to the
memory of his idol. I dont pretend to
understand the emotional roller coast-
er he and millions of other blacks had
to deal with as they faced an uncertain
future without their beloved leader.
King represented more than the civil
rights movement in America. He was
the conscience of a nation that needed
to be continuously reminded of its sins
against those who were being judged,
by the color of their skin, rather than
by the content of their character.
Prior to that horrendous night,
I hadnt understood the impact the
Nobel Peace Prize winner had on the
hearts, souls and minds of millions of
African-Americans. If it werent for
the tremendous display of courage and
character I witnessed from my part-
ner, I suppose I would not have been
able to see the other dimension to that
tragedy. Tanks to him, my education
was signicantly broadened in the
space of 16 hours, and I became more
proud than ever to call myself Leroys
partner.
Bob Weir is a veteran of 20 years with the
New York Police Dept. (NYPD), ten of
which were performed in plainclothes un-
dercover assignments. Bob began a writ-
ing career about 12 years ago and had his
rst book published in 1999. Bob went on
to write and publish a total of seven nov-
els, Murder in Black and White, City
to Die For, Powers that Be, Ruthies
Kids, Deadly to Love, Short Stories of
Life and Death, and Out of Sight. He
also became a syndicated columnist under
the title Weir Only Human.
WEI R ONLY HUMAN
An Unforgettable Night
and suburbs where our police ocers
serve.
No law enforcement ocer can
forget the February 28, 1997, LAPD
police confrontation with two heav-
ily armed and armored back robbers.
Eleven police ocers and seven ci-
vilians were injured, and numerous
vehicles and other property were dam-
aged or destroyed by the nearly 2,000
rounds of ammunition was red by
the two bank robbers.
Doing his or her daily job as a
Law Enforcement Ocer, and be-
ing equipped with a hand gun, is no
match for the criminal who decides
to break the law and is armed with
an assault rie, said, Darrin Green,
Firearm Instructor, President of the
Long Island Chapter, Blacks In Law
Enforcement of America. Tese con-
frontations lead to the ocer being
out gunned and posses a potential life
threatening situation.
Its amazing that Pat Lynch, presi-
dent of Te Patrolmens Benevolent
Association of the City of New York
is the only police union boss that has
publicly called for a ban of assault
weapons.
Tere is no legitimate reason
for an assault weapon with their high
capacity magazines to ever be in the
hands of a private citizen, said Presi-
dent Pat Lynch. Weve said it be-
fore, when police ocers were shot
or where armor piercing bullets were
used.
Illegal guns in urban cities like
Westchester are now more American
than Apple Pie. Not only there have
been public silence from many Law
Enforcement Unions and Organiza-
tions of the recent gun legislation.
Tey have also been AWOL on the
issue of illegal guns and the constant
reports of shootings. In Westches-
ter, cities like Mt. Vernon or Yonkers
youth gang shootouts are a common
occurrence within the city. Mt. Vernon
has seen approximately 42 homicides
from 2008 to 2012 and approximately
37 of which was by and illegal weapon.
Since 2007 Mount Vernon resi-
dents have been sitting in a wallow
of despair. As I ride through, I wear
my shades because I see the valley of
strange fruit that our city bares, said
Cynthia Turnquest- Jones, president
of Te Brown Mothers Group. I am
not unmindful of the trials and tribu-
lations of our mothers on a quest for
an arrest and the plethora of numb
minds plus deaf ears.
On January 15, 2013, the Ali-
ated Police Association of Westches-
ter held a press conference in front of
the Westchester County Court House
denouncing Te Journal News for its
printing of registered gun owners
names and addresses. If this organi-
zation was in Albany the day before,
they would of known that the previ-
sion gun licensees to opt out of having
their personal information available to
the public under the states Freedom of
Information law was included in the
new gun legislation.
Tese organizations sound more
like the NRA instead of focusing on
the laws that was passed to keep illi-
gal guns o the street, said Cynthia
Turnquest-Jones.
Te sensitive nature of the rally
is understood but as law enforce-
ment professional who actually lives
in the community that I serve. Many
Westchester unions, and police orga-
nizations have yet to rally about proac-
tive ways of taking illegal guns o the
street, safety and security of our jails
and the ineective policing policies
that have cities like Mt. Vernon and
Yonkers literally combat zone. Being
absent from the real life issues that af-
fects everyone continues the divide of
law enforcement and the communities
that they claim to serve, especially, the
poor white and brown communities.
Damon K. Jones is the New York Repre-
sentative of Blacks In Law Enforcement
of America.
OP- ED
The Absence of Law Enforcement Unions and Organizations on our State Gun Legislation
Continued from page 22
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Right to Bear
Arms
As a post script to the publication
of the home addresses of gun own-
ers, the late Federal Judge Richard
A. Daronco, was killed and it was
alleged that the murderer found
his home address fro the list as an
owner of a license gun.
Publication is a great risk espe-
cially for judges who serve us with
dedication, devotion and discipline
and little public acclaim.
As to the NRA argument that
the 2
nd
Amendment of the Con-
stitution gives the right to Bear
Arms, we must remember that
this amendment was passed in the
18
th
Century at a time when 95%
of American lands was occupied by
Indian, and necessary in the con-
tinuous wars.
Remember Washington, Jack-
son, Lincoln all fought the Indians
with muskets. Tere were no inven-
tion of assault weapons.
Tat is the forgotten history of
Te Right to Bear Arms; conditions
which no longer exist.
John N. Romano, Esq.
Yonkers, NY