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SCOPE President: SAFE Act pushing gun owners toward greater political awareness

By Howard B. Owens

Since passage of the SAFE Act, membership in SCOPE (Shooters Committee on Political Education) has more than doubled, Steve Aldstadt, the group's state president, told the Genesee County chapter last night.

There are now 5,400 members and new members continue to join at a record pace.

"Unfortunately it took something like the SAFE Act to get everybody aware and involved," Aldstadt said.

With some four to five million gun owners in New York, he thinks there are enough votes among those who value the Second Amendment to sway any statewide election.

SCOPE is pursuing a multi-election strategy aimed at eventually getting the SAFE Act repealed.

This year, SCOPE is concentrating on county legislature elections with a goal of voting out some of the legislators across the state who voted against a resolution calling for the repeal of the SAFE Act.

"If we can get rid of a few of those legislators who supported the SAFE Act this year, it will make a definite impact on those state legislators who are going to be on the ballot next year in 2014," Aldstadt said.

Working with the Freedom Coalition, SCOPE is helping to organized the Freedompalooza Concert in Altamont, which is Aug. 24.

That will act as a fundraiser for a massive voter registration drive of gun owners. SCOPE will work to identify gun owners who aren't registered to vote and get them registered.

"We are not a minority in this state," Aldstadt said. "We have enough people to effect any statewide election and win."

Changing the name of the governor will take more than just more voters, Aldstadt acknowledged. The GOP also needs to find a good candidate to run against Andrew Cuomo.

"Cuomo can definitely be beat," Aldstadt said. "He has so many negatives right now. It's just a matter of the opposition coming up with a credible candidate."

If the pieces fall into place, those politicians who supported the SAFE Act might be surprised at the results, Aldstadt said.

"I think when they passed this law, they thought people were going to get upset for a little bit, maybe have a protest or two, and then it would all go away," he said. "Well, it's not going away."

For more information about SCOPE, visit the Genesee County chapter's Web site.

Dave Olsen

GOP candidate? you can't trust them to protect our rights either.

My friend Chris Edes is seeking to be a candidate for governor next year, he is also the chairman of Monroe County SCOPE. Grassroots is the way to go. SCOPE is a great organization. Chris is a regular guy from western NY. http://www.vote-for-chris.net/

Aug 14, 2013, 10:58am Permalink
John Woodworth JR

John I agree with you.

Don party lines do not protect a 100% of your rights. "We The People" are the only ones who can ensure our rights are protected and we all come from different backgrounds and political parties. I know plenty of Democrats who are upset with Cuomo and his stance on Gun Control.

Don, no one party can 100% guarantee anything. There are always some people who join a political party just because, it may best fit their beliefs but, does not mean they agree with that party a 100%. Then you have politicians who join a party because, they believe that is their best chance to get elected and not because, they stand a 100% for that party's goals or beliefs. No one can make everyone happy.

Don, we all seen in the past where a politician promise to be in support for an issue and once elected be against. Obama and Cuomo are just a few of the puppets that, need to be removed. Big Business/Corporation are the actual violators of your rights. They control elections, they control the candidates, they control America. If the government was actually in charge then, big business would never leave America.

Don, "We The People" should take back control of our government and politicians need to understand they work for us and not themselves. However, have you ever seen a low income or lower middle class candidate? Most ever candidate has a tremendous financial backing otherwise, they would not be where they are. Money talks and BS walks. Politicians are invested in big business/corporations, look at Louise Slaughter (D). Her net worth has increased tremendously over the years as a Congresswoman. She is not the only one.

Aug 18, 2013, 6:31pm Permalink
John Woodworth JR

Hmmm, maybe, everyone should look at SCOPE's President Steve Aldstadt ideals and remind our Big Government that, "WE THE PEOPLE" are in charge. They seem to forgotten over the past thirty plus years.

Dave, I will look into your friends bid for Governor.

Aug 18, 2013, 6:36pm Permalink
John Roach

Dave, yes, the Conservative Party. Don't know where to find it online, but the party chairman, Mike Long, in March, called for outright repeal of the SAFE ACT. No tinkering with it, no adjustments or amendments, just repeal.

Aug 19, 2013, 2:36pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

Repealing the safe act, while a step in the right direction would only take us back to the same laws we had before, which were among the most restrictive in the country already. Gun laws need to ALL be repealed. No government, be it federal, state or local has the right to control responsible, peaceable citizen's property ownership rights. Looking at the national Conservative Party's website, they state that they fully support the 2nd amendment. There was no explanation of why it would be a good thing. NY law did not support the 2nd amendment before the safe act.

Don is quite correct.

Aug 19, 2013, 3:29pm Permalink
John Roach

Dave, I understand you're trying to drum up votes for November, and I don't blame you. But you are stretching this one a bit. Don is wrong.

And on an individual level, only one Council candidate so far asked the City Council to support a repeal resolution, which it did, and I t was not one of yours. It was John Deleo (R,C,I)

Aug 19, 2013, 4:58pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

No John, it is not about "drumming up votes" Nice try at marginalizing a person's position, old habits die hard huh? While i have pledged to help Jim and Lisa in their quest to serve Batavia, and i hope a majority of Batavians vote for them; that's not what my part in this thread is about. It's about not hoping to find a governor candidate (or any other office) who will pander to people's correct anger about this issue while still maintaining allegiance to the Republic party, which like the Democrats will sell yours. mine and everyone else's rights down the river when it becomes politically helpful. (see Patriot Act or the 11 GOP NY Senators who voted for the safe act including their leader, Dean Skelos). Elect a GOP Governor (who will most likely be endorsed by the Conservatives too) based on this issue and take your chances that you get a watered down half-ass almost safe act. Mark my words. The Libertarian party has ALWAYS backed everyone's individual right to own weapons and defend themselves, their property and their families.

So therefor, Don is still right.

Aug 19, 2013, 6:32pm Permalink
Daniel Jones

Dave - There is no national 'Conservative Party', there is the Conservative Party of New York, which is row C on ballots because their candidate, Carl Paladino (fusion with the Republican and independent Taxpayers line), received the third highest vote total on it's line during the last gubernatorial election. They have no other affiliates in other states nor is part of a larger organization. I don't mean to pick nits, but this stuff is more than a hobby to me. CPNY is purely it's own thing, there may be an attempt to form a national party, but they aren't in concert with the state party.

Aug 20, 2013, 1:55pm Permalink
John Roach

Dave, that link is to a group, not an organized national political party like yours or the Republicans or Democrats.. They are more like the Tea Party or Occupy movement.

Like Dan said, the NYS Conservative Party is a separate, standalone, entity

Aug 20, 2013, 9:07pm Permalink

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