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The New York SAFE Act is bad law for many reasons. One of those is that it allows for the release of personal information of those who have applied for and received permits to exercise their right to keep and bear arms (handgun permits) UNLESS that permit holder has specifically filed a piece of paper to “opt out.” Sheriff David Gould of Cayuga County, however, is refusing to provide those details, even for those who have not opted out. Yes, that’s in violation of the new SAFE Act, but it’s based on his own “common sense” view on the situation . . .

From syracuse.com:

The gun control law states that the name and address of a pistol permit holder “shall be a public record” unless the holder files an opt-out form with the county sheriff’s office.

But Gould said the requirement intruded on law-abiding gun owners’ privacy while helping the bad guys.

“That’s absolutely ridiculous,” Gould said. “I won’t release names to people who (file a Freedom of Information Law request). It’s not any of their business. They can FOIL all they want, they can do all they want, but right now, no one who legally possesses a weapon will be known by anyone.”

There’s something remarkable about this story. syracuse.com is a New York-based news outlet, but there isn’t a single remark in the article in opposition to Gould’s stance. There’s no typical “other side” balancing quote about saving the children or even a statement from the MAIG warehouse of pompous and condescendingly disappointed commentary. Could it be that the tide in the Empire State is starting to turn against the SAFE Act?

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48 COMMENTS

  1. My grandfather went to the Webster police station a few weeks ago. You know, the town where the mad man killed his sister, set a bunch of houses on fire and shot first responders…. on Christmas fricken Eve last year.

    He asked them what the law is for carrying ammo in your gun since he was confused. Their response was they didn’t care and would not enforce the new SAFE Act mag limit. I thought that was interesting.

  2. Clearly posting personal information to intimidate, take revenge or just harass in general is bad bad bad. I like to post the news originations, CEO, editors, reporters:r address, type/color/plate # of car they drive, their age, name and age of family, where their kids go to school….. get my point. It is no ones business.

  3. “common sense”…

    This Sheriff nailed it right on the head!

    Now where’s the asshat bloody shirt crowd?

    Bloomberg, gabby giffords and mr. giffords…

    the mother mothers…

    Crickets chirping!

  4. I’m glad he’s taking a stand. My county sheriff is also telling our fascist leaders in Albany to FOAD. The constitutionality of the (un)SAFE Act is going before the courts again in a few days, and I hope that common sense prevails. I won’t hold my breath though…

  5. To serve and protect, indeed. I wish more top LEOs were like him; it takes real guts to stand up to the Evil Empire™ State — especially as it might well cost him job, pension or even get him jailed.

    England did eventually rise up on their hind legs and kick that sod James into the sea. Perhaps it’s our turn.

  6. “The New York Safe Act is a bad law for many reasons.”

    The New York Safe Act is a bad law period. That is all.

    • True, but it doesn’t hurt to point out the reasons.

      Without precision, the best we’d be able to manage would be “Big Brother is ungood.”

      • I thought “Shall not be infringed” was dead eye accuracy. But I know, we have to work within the framework we currently have and with the people who we have to convince we’re not all a bunch of psychos as well as against our much “wiser and better” politicians who know what’s best for us.

        • We do not need to put up with unconstitutional laws. I have been thinking of how I could attract a bunch of true 2A supporters that believe in “Shall not Be Infringed” to come to Michigan.

          Detroit has lost its teeth, the blue can be purged and the red can be converted to white. Michigan I think with the right population influx can become an Independent state. One that can become an industrial powerhouse again. We then can shape up the government, build a state army with citizen volunteers.

          Mi will then be able to tell the Fed to FOAD on that with witch they have no authority. Federal NFA and other gun law enforcement will not be allowed, drug laws will not be allowed, and certain tax practices will not be allowed. We shall become a state of Free-Men (and women, “Men” being abstract for humanity)

          Bonus with bringing down the two party system in one state will destroy the “wasted vote” argument and can bring a tidal-wave of change across this nation!

          Hopeful? you bet. I hope that this nation can turn itself around and once again be America! Not in name only as she has been since just before I was born.

  7. There are very real consequences to publishing the names of gun owners. A few years ago, The Roanoke Times published the names and addresses of concealed carry permit holders in an online searchable database. This resulted in several women being found by their abusers and a parole officer being confronted by a felon.

  8. AFAIK, every State restricts DL information to LE only. Should absolutely be the same for conceal permits or any other permit to own a gun.

    • What’s to stop some hacker from breaking in, stealing the list and distributing it to his criminal friends to go relieve those people of their legal firearms with the purpose of being resold to other criminals. Nothing is secure, no matter what ‘they’ say.

      Any list is still a list. And no list is always better than any list. Apart from a shopping list and a prison list.

  9. The whole permit process in the Northeast needs to go away. It is a waste of money and is very often used to abuse gun owners for minor issues or disagreements with law enforcement.

  10. It’s refreshing and encouraging to see sworn officers of the law actually upholding the law, the supreme Constitutional law, that is, by nullifying these anti-freedom, anti-privacy measures. Still, in the long run, these kinds of isolated, ad hoc protest stances tend to create a crazy quilt of inconsistently interpreted and sporadically enforced laws. If some jurisdictions are allowed to be particularly lax, others may feel justified in being especially harsh, and the rule of law suffers.

    Regardless of the nature of the underlying laws, lack of uniformity is the foundation for lack of objectivity and transparency in law enforcement. Ultimately, wholesale, positive change must take place through formal legislative channels, reinforced by re-elections, in order to cement such change and ensure they are indeed for the better.

    Granted, along the way, we must take our victories where we can, of course, and as a fellow American I applaud and salute this Sheriff’s stand. However, let’s keep our eyes on the prize and not get too far down this road before we realize what it is with which we’re paving it.

    • Well said. However if you look at the NY counties who are fore/against the SAFE act, you will notice deep pockets of resistance to this positive change we seek. It may take years to undo the damage Governor Cuomo did in one night.

    • While you are correct, each official to take a stand increases awareness and provides a sterling example to the public and legislators both.

      May this man be remembered in song for the next thousand years.

  11. Looks like momentum is starting to swing back in our favor here in NY. Sheriffs’ in open defiance, and lawsuits (slowly) proceeding in the courts against the SAFE act gives me hope behind enemy lines.
    Now if I could only get my Sheriff to do something this awesome. I contacted him a while ago, and wasn’t impressed with his stance towards the new laws. His biggest concern seemed to be the quick passage of the laws. Instead of being concerned about its constitutionality, he complains about not being able to afford enough file cabinets for the opt out forms. Interestingly further, his department just received a big scary black armored truck. A kickback perhaps?
    Thanks for letting me vent.

    • Wow. Another reward for doing the government’s bidding. Spread the word about his obvious full cooperation with Big Govt & Big Bro. Your sheriff sounds like he should not be in such a powerful position when he is clearly siding against the legally armed citizens.

  12. There are two New York’s – NYC and its bedroom suburbs (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and to some extend Rockland counties) and the rest of the state. Sure there are pockets of communists in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany and Binghamton, but the majority of the state by land area is against the (un)SAFE Act. It’s too bad that more than half the population of the state is clustered around the city. The non-urban areas of NY are as red as Texas…but that doesn’t mean sh*t when we’re shackled to that corpse called NYC. FU Bloomberg, FU Cuomo FU Silver.

    • I lived in the Catskills.
      I can say your 100% correct.
      The State isn’t represented by its land mass but by its dumbass NYC population and surrounding counties including LI,

    • >> pockets of communists

      This kind of wording is the best way to make sure that no-one take seriously anything that you have to say.

  13. As a former New Yorker with a NYS permit.
    I have since the beginning been told when in NY. If you need a cop call a Sheriffs Deputy.
    They work for you, unlike the rest of the local LEOs who don’t.

  14. I am not sure how pro-2nd A he is. He stated he wasn’t against gun control.

    “Gould said that he wasn’t opposed to gun control, but the law as it was currently written. He applauded beefing up mental health checks, for example.

    “Something needed to be done, but I don’t agree with the way it was presented,” said the 44-year police veteran. “It was not professionally put together and thought out.”

    He expressed hope that amendments to the law being debated in Albany would eventually make it better.”

  15. There were no balancing remarks because this article was primarily about privacy, which is a hot issue right now with the NSA and all. While the media tramples on the 2nd at every chance they get, the 4th still has some life in it.

  16. My hat is off to you Sheriff Gould!Still some good guys around in law enforcement,not all jackbooted thugs!Be prepared and ready.Keep your powder dry.

  17. Never thought this country would be so turned upside-down and twisted. I have typically had very good interactions with law enforcement, and being female, that is important to me. I want to thank all of you men who stand up and do what’s right for We the People. I want to thank all the people who serve(d) in the military who might read this story. May God bless you and keep you & yours in His perfect peace.

    • The sad part is the people on the gun ban side that don’t understand what is wrong with gun ban lobby groups getting such private information.

  18. Oh, every single up-state county in N Y voted – non binding, and ignored by tbe overlords – against the SAFE act once it was enacted. (Let’s not say “passed” as they used procedural shenanigans on a par with those used for the Federal ACA. To begin with, Proconsul Cuomo used a procedure for “emergency” legislation, one presumes having suddenly discovered the invention of gunpowder hundreds of years earlier.)

    This urban, “progressive” culture imposed on the hinterlands by law is hardly just the coasts vs. fly-over country at a national level. N Y state, Washington state and California have exactly the same thing, writ smaller.

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