In the first federal election after the Newtown shootings, the issue of gun reform and alliance with the NRA may well have turned the congressional primary last week in Illinois. Here in New York State, we are about to have what activists against gun reform are calling the first barometer on the issue since Governor Andrew Cuomo signed new restrictions on guns and ammunition into law.
The race for highway superintendent -- in the town of Brookhaven, in Suffolk County, out on eastern Long Island -- features Brookhaven Councilwoman Kathleen Walsh against Assemblyman Dan Losquadro. In theory, it concerns matters like snow plowing. On the ground, it has become a referendum on gun policy. As a Republican member of the legislature, Losquadro voted for the Cuomo gun reform bill. Since then, people who object to that vote have flooded his Facebook page with comments railing against him as a traitor. They've also got a page going called "Dan Losquadro Is Dishonest." (Update: To be clear, the Facebook page admin disavows the shooting video above.)
The vote happens tomorrow. Newsday notes that turnout for the special election could be low enough that any given special interest could swing the outcome.
Up top, a YouTube clip of people shooting up a Dan Losquadro campaign sign. UPDATE: After I posted this, the owner of the YouTube clip made it private -- his explanation is in the comments. After the jump, a flyer sent to us by Michael Hershkowitz (through our Facebook inbox).
Wednesday update: Losquadro wins.
Kathleen Walsh is a former Republican now running (pdf) on the Independence Party and Democratic Party lines. As with Losquadro, local Newsday describes Walsh as a supporter of Second Amendment rights. That seems to be part of the pitch against her in this flyer. Hershkowitz writes: "[I]t's a mystery why the full political machine is in effect for this relatively small special election. I'm certainly sick of the daily robocalls, flyers and commercials."
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NRA highway safety proposal - Every car on the highways and byways of New York must have one hand gun and one shot gun! There, safety can now be achieved!
With the opportunity to shoot the problem drivers on the road, commuter traffic jams will be a thing of the past! -Kevo
Nothing says "Responsible gun ownership" like a bullet-riddled campaign sign.
My thoughts, exactly-
Maybe it will have the same effect as making 103 year old ladies wait 7 hours to vote!
Fired from the 'pistols only' firing point.
Rules? What rules?
Nothing says "responsible gun ownership" like the Vice President, who the President put in charge of all things guns, instructing citizens to do things that are both illegal and against the advice of any gun safety expert.
@Gordona I noticed the same thing it says pistols only and what that guy has is certainly no pistol. So much for a rule abiding gun owner.
largenose,
I doubt anything but the gov't folks would be "responsible" in your eyes...
However, these possibly responsible, possibly not, gun owners are in fact, becoming "well regulated" by practicing.. They are shooting at a range and campaign signs make excellent targets, they are rigid paper (no ricochet, yet stand up straight), and are small enough to make it a challenge...
When you hate guns anyway, it doesn't matter what pains we citizens take, you'll never be happy. Case and point, the already stringent restrictions on ownership and yet you're calling ever for more....
Catherine, the point the shotgun is being fired from is either the first shotgun point, or the last handgun point. Either way, we had permission from the range officer to shoot that particular firearm from that shooting point.
RobDon. What proposals are "illegal? What's wrong with background checks? Who needs a military style assault weapon? How are banning them illegal? Who needs more than a 10 round clip? (If you can't hit it with 1, I don't want you around me.)
No I'm not a gun "hater". I dislike irreasponsible gun owners. I can name 8 houses on my block with more than 20 guns. All have children under 5 years old. ! keeps their guns locked in a safe. All firearms are loaded. 1 out of 8 responsible owners. Not a good ratio.
@Jake Albano, I just want to say thank you for joining the thread here. I appreciate the chance to hear from you.
larry74,
VP Biden who is in charge of the President's efforts on gun control advised women to buy a shot gun and just shoot it up into the air to scare off intruders (which is what he told his wife) and in a Field and Stream magazine said,
Shooting up into the air and blindly through a door are both irresponsible and in many cases illegal. This is who we should listen to on how to protect ourselves with guns?
And, thanks for asking specifics if you were unsure. Most here don't want to hear a different opinion so they choose to "collapse" comments with which they disagree.
Oh for God's sake, for the position of highway superintendent I would be much more interested in how competent they are in that job, including budgeting, management of a large, complex organization and the people and resources within. If the only thing Walsh has is an A rating for the NRA, it doesn't say anything for her other qualifications.
While this is a horrific poster on many levels, in light of the shooting in Newtown and the thousand people that have lost their lives since then it's a real tragedy.
LOVE IT! the good people of the u.s., the democrats, green party, independents, and others are not just arbitrary names but - the "NO GUN NO PROBLEM" religion. yes, it is a religion. it is the faith that respects and honors police not militia.
A religion???
This point could use some explanation, for me. I thought religion was associated with a belief in the supernatural (ie not measurable or explainable via the scientific method.)
But I could be wrong...
FYI. There is no talk of or legislation to ban or confiscate all guns. Tht's they way the gun hugers re-read any and all saftey regulation talk. Again. What's wrong with requiring every person haveing a background check prior to buy a weapon? I've been to gun "shows" tht didn't even ask for ID. And you're against closing these "gun show" loop holes?
Sure they're real brave when it comes to unarmed highway signs.
Don't misunderestimate a sign like that.
It'll turn you gay at 30 paces.
The good folks of Suffolk County should also know the positions of the candidates on other "roady-type" subjects: where do they stand on abortion, the space program, immigration reform, Iran, North Korea and the sequester!
Love me a woman with a bullhorn...
I don't give a damn if my roads are plowed and the potholes repaired....I want to know that the highway superintendent has a 100% rating from the NRA!
Why does anyone even bother with the Onion anymore? The stuff from right-wing crazy land is far wilder than anything that appears on their pages these days!
They have rendered satire obsolete.
As long as the Democrats continue to lack the backbone to end the 60%=a majority rule, the Republicans will do whatever they wish. They will stop any legislation that helps the regular people of our country from being passed.
Makes you wonder what the Democrats are up to.
So much for Joe Biden's advice for self-defense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jafkVM-jnbE
Alva: Bidens point about a shotgun being better than an AR15 for home protection is 100% correct. You have no integrity about gun issues, you buy into conspiracy theories about recent mass shootings, which is tantamount to spitting in the faces of the living friends and relatives of the actual victims. It's vile and despicable what you say, and the fact that you feel it advances gun interests also puts into question your intelligence...
And this video has no point? That many women would have trouble firing a 12 gauge shotgun due to the recoil?
I had no problem firing a 12 gauge at the age of 14. If she can't fire a 12 gauge there are smaller gauges with less kick.
you know what has a lot less kick? A .223 round. The same caliber that's used in an AR-15.
I'm the one who posted the vid, recorded, and now pulled it.
For the record, i'm about as far from a "right wing extremest" as you can get.
I believe that people should be free to live their lives as they see fit, and until you infringe on someone else's rights you are free to do as you see fit. I support gay rights and the legalization of marijuana.
My reasons for shooting the sign had nothing to do with his ability to preform as the highway super, but were in reaction to his pledge to vote AGAINST the NY Safe act, and his subsequent vote in favor of the bill.
My vote will reflect his dishonesty, and his failure to keep his word, not his stance on firearms. His going back on his word made me loose any confidence in him. He would be capable of LESS damage to our natural born rights as a highway super than he would as an assemblyman.
And for those of you claiming its out of line in sight of the recent mass shootings, look on my youtube page and at the video titled "The recent school shooting. " I'm just as heartbroken by the loss of life as any other rational person would be. However, the issue is not with firearms, the issue is with how we deal with our mental health system.
Jake: Admit it, you voted for Romney. He changed his stance on every issue, whenever the wind blew. You gun folks will simply vote for the gun guy/gal each and every time, no matter what. Go right ahead, but saying it was because of "dishonesty" and not guns is dishonest.
As a matter of fact, I did not.
I did not vote for obama either.
I was right, you voted with your guns...
Bwaaahaha! Yeah - I believe that one! The entire thing is about your gun fetish. You just don't have the guts to admit it.
C'mon Jake, try being a man - admit the truth. You don't need a gun to do that - do you?
Sounds to me like Jake came here and posted a perfectly rational and reasonable reply, and everyone else just behaved like trolls. Shouldn't progressives value a civil and polite discourse?
Lebo - How is voting for neither Romney, or Obama, voting with my firearms?
(guns are on ships, firearms are handheld)
Alva, dont feed the troll.
Jake: You are a libertarian gun nut, it's obvious. The only reason I commented on your comment is because you tried to fake us out with the "dishonesty" story. Just own your own identity next time, some of us took Psych 101 and we can read you folks...
If you look around, you will find various long islanders who contacted him or his office prior to the bill coming up to a vote.
He pledged that he would stand with our second amendment rights, but when it came time to put his money where his mouth was, he choked.
And, I am a libertarian. I am a firearms enthusiast, competitive shooter, and have not once denied it.
Oh, and am I the only one who noticed that as you slip further and further away from rational thought, you resort to name calling?
Much as you accuse "the gun lobby" of doing.
Jake: You want a pity party, or do you vote 100% with your guns? I didn't "call you names", I rightly pegged you as a gun nut. BTW, I don't accuse the "gun lobby" of anything other than lobbying for itself. I own a Glock 21, a ten round mag is fine with me, and background checks for all purchases. I am a gun owner, not a gun nut. I am a golf nut, but thats for another discussion.
Lebowski Dude, the Glock 21 holds 13 rounds. Cuomo says you can only have 7! You know how many bullets people need? The answer is as many as it takes! You are happy to be neutered? Well I am not, and neither is Jake. Jake I saw your vid and I loved it. And I love the song too. I'm a fan of Slayer, and metal in general. Keep standing up for our rights brother. If the liberals want gun bans, they can go to some socialist country. This is a America, and we have the 2nd Amendment!
This is also worth a look. You can buy an "80% lower" which is a lower receiver that has not yet been completed. It is unregulated, as it is not a functioning weapon, but with a very accurate jig (also unregulated), and a drill that can penetrate metal (which also isn't a gun, and therefor unregulated), you can have a lower receiver that is an unregistered, DiY project, and you don't even need a 3D printer. In other words, 3D printing is unlikely to have a significant impact on the state of unregistered guns, but this might still be a little scary. It's mostly a very fringy group of people (and just nerds) doing this, and the transfer of DiY guns I'm pretty sure is highly illegal, but I mean to communicate that this isn't a new problem.
Also, the government is not supposed to keep records of who owns what gun (except in certain states). Anything collected for a background check is supposed to be destroyed within a week or so of the background check taking place, so... I guess make of that what you will.
Yea, but the 3d printers have pretty much negated any mag ban that could come through.
Using your logic: Because people can break a law, they shouldn't make the law?
Since people can commit murder, there is no reason to have laws against murder. Makes perfect sense. Since people can make bombs, laws against making bombs are negated?
Very absurd. And while that may not be exactly what you said, it is the reasoned equivalent.
The YouTube video was made private. Someone doesn't want us to see it?
I was requested by others in the video to remove it.
Yee Haw! I done bagged me two Chevys and an old Ford! Had a bead on a Viper but it got away.
Why are we still letting these anti-government paranoid psychotics play God with us? Why are we still letting them control OUR government? Why is it that democracy gets hijacked by radicals far too often? Are we willing to watch our friends die just because we want to be civil?
Most reasonable gun owners know that assault weapons and thirty round magazines are for killing people not for sport. So why do they let the nutcases and the NRA speak for them?
The second amendment has NOTHING to do with sport.
I will mail you a crisp $100 bill if you can find where in the Constitution, or bill of rights, it mentions hunting, or sport shooting.
Also, the people control government, you dont like the direction the country is taking, get out and vote. Thats the beauty of our republic.
The second amendment was there to allow for a militia to be formed. We have a military now!
By the way Amendments are just that, Amendments. They are added and removed as seen fit!
You are aware of the role the militias played in forming our nation, correct?
You are aware of the fact they are no longer needed. You do know that when they were used we had no regular army with its own armory right. You do realize they fought for our formation not against it right? You are aware that the so called militias of today are terrorist organizations that are always getting recruits by claiming they will need to overthrow the government someday right?
Your pacifier is a sick toy of mental midgets , in my opinion. But then this is a democracy so until enough people get sick of the killing to force a vote on repealing the second amendment then all I can do is vote for any politician that is willing to try and outlaw automatics,semi-automatics and pistols.
An EXPANSION of the second ammendment would be far more likely to pass than a repeal the reason gun laws at the national level are what they are is about 2/3 of the states support them roughly at their present level
We shall see.
"The second amendment was there to allow for a militia to be formed. We have a military now!
By the way Amendments are just that, Amendments. They are added and removed as seen fit!"
You are as ignorant as can be, the 2nd Amendment is here to protect the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It's purpose is to defend ourselves against tyranny. The truth is that the American people ARE the militia. Dont believe me? How about we go to a quote from the Father of the Bill of Rights, George Mason?
"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials."
— George Mason, in Debates in Virginia Convention on Ratification of the Constitution, Elliot, Vol. 3, June 16, 1788
"You are aware of the fact they are no longer needed. You do know that when they were used we had no regular army with its own armory right. You do realize they fought for our formation not against it right? You are aware that the so called militias of today are terrorist organizations that are always getting recruits by claiming they will need to overthrow the government someday right?
Your pacifier is a sick toy of mental midgets , in my opinion. But then this is a democracy so until enough people get sick of the killing to force a vote on repealing the second amendment then all I can do is vote for any politician that is willing to try and outlaw automatics,semi-automatics and pistols."
Listen Paul, as long as tyranny exists, and it always will, the 2nd Amendment will ALWAYS be needed. But there is a big difference between rights and needs. You don't NEED to be in this country, so if you don't respect our rights, I have a simple solution for you, LEAVE! Go over to Mexico where there is gun control, and when you see a gang of drug cartel thugs with AK-47s that are actually FULL AUTO, go up to them and tell them they are not allowed to have those AKs, and that if they dont get rid of them you're going to call the cops on them. I'm sure they will laugh at you real hard before putting you out of your misery.
Here's the solution: make it illegal to shoot people. - - oh.
so what if he vote for or against it. He's not running for a position that involves gun control. He's running for highway superintendent. which, to me he wouldn't want renegade gun on his highways anyway. Simple as that.
It is no more than a question of integrity.
He out right lied about his intentions.
Jake: Politicians lie, cheat, steal, and change positions, daily. You vote with your guns, much like my brother-in-law, but he at least is honest enough to admit it...
When is it right to steal a candidates campaign sign for your own use? I highly doubt the shooters made a campaign contribution for the signs.
Does anyone have a mirror of the video?
Clearly The hardest left candidate winning in a hard left Chicago district is every bit the indicator of national feelings on Guns as Steve Stockman winning in his district is.
"The right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED". In NY it says CANNOT be infringed. Mr. Losquadro violated his oath to protect that. So yes I am against him, and I applaud Jake Albano for using his 1st and 2nd Amendment rights to send Mr. Losquadro a message, if you can't be trusted to uphold your oath to the constitution, then you CAN'T be trusted with ANY elected position. These liberals and RINOs are a cancer on New York State, and we cannot allow the cancer to spread. Vote Kathy Walsh!
Losquadro for highway department superintendent. Using guns to shoot up a sign says something about the lack of maturity of this NRA sponsored group. There seems to be an element in this NRA group that are "a bubble off."
So you think it's mature to vote for a man who violates his oath?
No brainier here. You shave 5-10% of the Democratic voter base away because they oppose new gun control legislation as not all democrats are liberals, the dems are toast. Should have heeded Clinton's advice on this one. 2014 is going to be unforgiving. You take a small time election like this, and only the frothing people come out, this story will repeat itself all over the nation. They are literally 100's of grassroots Gun Rights Democrat sites popping up with up to the minute news about who our legislators are and what they do regarding gun control, and when its time to vote, especially in small elections, when everyone is sleeping, the frothing people come out, and gun control advocates are looking for a new job the next day.
I doubt however Suffolk is a barometer anymore than Chicago. They are one of only 2 or 3 counties who have not either adopted resolutions, or proposed resolutions against the NY safe act. I think Suffolk is a safe place for a gun control advocate, however step outside NYC, they would get burned badly.