New York State Senator Fred Akshar speaks to guests gathered for a “town hall” style meeting on March 8 in Owego, N.Y. Nearly 50 people attended. Discussion centered on the SAFE Act as well as other topics.
The Tioga County Shooters Committee on Political Education (SCOPE), an organization dedicated to preserving Second Amendment rights, hosted a public meeting on March 8 in the Tioga County Office Building’s Hubbard Auditorium.
Nearly 50 people attended the “town hall” style meeting, which welcomed guest speakers Senator Fred Akshar, Tioga County Sheriff Gary Howard, and SCOPE President Tom Reynolds. Tioga-SCOPE Chairman, Glenn Hopler, and other SCOPE members were also in attendance.
SCOPE, a 501(c)4 organization, was founded in 1965; Tioga-SCOPE was formed in April 2015. Currently, there are SCOPE chapters in a majority of the 62 counties statewide.
Ways in which SCOPE, a 100 percent membership funded organization, are working to accomplish preserving Second Amendment rights is by; keeping members informed of legislation that affects Second Amendment rights, attending shooting sports events to increase awareness, educating anti-gun politicians, and supporting pro-Second Amendment politicians, among other efforts.
The March 8 meeting allowed residents to talk with their elected officials about gun rights and included discussion of the New York SAFE Act of 2013.
SCOPE is focused on the repeal of New York’s SAFE Act, which is a gun regulation law. The way the law was passed received harsh criticism by a good number of elected officials, organizations and the public, prompting several thousand people to swarm the state capitol in Albany on Jan. 19, 2013 in protest.
Akshar explained it is his belief today that a full repeal of the SAFE Act will not happen in New York State, and commented, “Don’t just blame Governor Cuomo. Republicans and democrats are also to blame,” and further stated, “Even if the Senate took it up, it’s never getting through the assembly because most are left-leaning Democrats from New York City.”
Reynolds, a 1963 OFA graduate, who now lives in Big Flats, explained to the audience that the New York State Senate is comprised of 31 Democrats, 31 Republicans, and one Senator from Brooklyn who was elected Democrat, however opted to caucus with Republicans. Reynolds pointed out that the slim margin is important for SCOPE to follow in regard to future elections so that the majority remains in their favor.
A discussion on a proposal to restrict the SAFE Act just to New York City was also brought up, of which Hopler replied, “Make your voices heard. Contact your friends and family to support that the SAFE Act be restricted to New York City only.”
Akshar also shared that he has seen a lot of positive change happen since his time in office due to grassroots efforts.
Akshar said, “Let’s focus on one piece of the SAFE Act, and then keep moving,” adding, “If you’re passionate about repealing the SAFE Act, everybody in this room needs to become one voice.”
Howard explained that one specific line item in the SAFE Act he does agree with is the mental health provisions, and also pointed out that the Sheriff’s office process involves an extensive background check on all individuals. Howard also mentioned that he now has a dedicated person at the Sheriff’s office that focuses time strictly on pistol permits.
Other discussions and questions included the next census and how that would affect redistricting, how encouraging more people to vote can make a significant difference, what happens to a person’s guns after they die, how grassroots organizations such as SCOPE can bring about change, tips to follow if you get pulled over while driving and have a weapon in your car, and the recertification process of pistol permits, among other topics.
Hopler said he was pleased to see a large turnout at the meeting and also encourages younger people to become involved.
Tioga County SCOPE holds monthly meetings and welcomes new members. For more information, contact Glenn Hopler at (607) 625-3463 or via email at scopetioga@stny.rr.com.
For information about Sheriff’s tips, pistol permits or recertification, visit tiogacountysheriff.com. For SCOPE information, visit www.SCOPEny.org.
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