New York is one of, if not the worst, state for gun owners in the United States of America with laws that are as numerous as they are convoluted and oppressive. One would hope that in a time of such strain and uncertainty, that there would be the slightest hint of compassion or consideration from our government. But that hope has been completely and utterly squashed. On July 23, two bills passed the New York State Senate: the Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act (S7762/A9945) and the Jose Webster Untraceable Firearms Act (S7763A/A9903). These unconstitutional and despicable bills were both introduced on February 14 of this year, and in a matter of months, they have already reached the Senate. In a few more months, they may be on Governor Cuomo’s desk. If passed, the bills would make it illegal to possess an unfinished receiver or have any non-gunsmith make any change or modification to a firearm — the former of which has been especially necessary for many since New York State forced gun shops to close, leaving no other legal means of acquiring a firearm.
Over 20 million Americans are unemployed as a result of the current pandemic. Americans are struggling to provide for themselves and their families to a degree that they have never seen before. Yet, in the midst of this suffering, the government of New York would like to make its citizens felons for merely adding an optic to their rifle or machining a piece of aluminum. There are no words to describe how much contempt these politicians must have for their constituents to pursue legislation that would result in decades-long imprisonments of those who have done no harm to anyone. Machining an unfinished receiver for the purposes of building a firearm is legal in virtually the entire United States. There is no epidemic of “ghost guns” (a term coined by California State Senator Kevin de León in a press conference, for which he has received ridicule to this day) being used in crimes, rather their use and construction is a widespread and interesting subculture within the firearms community. Furthermore, they are so widespread amongst gun owners, that it cannot be argued that they are not in “common use” without stripping the term of all sensible meaning.
Dear reader, I beg of you, if you are a New York resident, contact your Assembly Representative and inform them of your opposition to these bills. It is undignified to live your life in fear that everything you have worked for will be taken away over a few ounces of plastic or metal. There is nothing more deplorable and worthy of condemnation than so-called “public servants” who treat those who they represent not as citizens, but as subjects to be crushed under the heel of the state.
