SHIELDED FROM THE FREEZING RAIN BY UMBRELLAS, PONCHOS AND ASSORTED NRA AND WAR-VETERAN BASEBALL CAPS, A HEARTY CROWD OF GUN RIGHTS SUPPORTERS, COPS AND REPORTERS GATHERED ALONG NEW DORP LANE NOT FAR FROM MICHAEL GRIMM’S DISTRICT OFFICE AT AROUND NOON ON SATURDAY
According to an early report in the Staten Island Advance, “Taking aim at politicians from Staten Island to Washington D.C., the Richmond County Tea Party Patriots voiced their support for the Second Amendment and against gun control during a rally in New Dorp on Saturday. *** Bobby Zahn, president and founder [of the Staten Island ‘Patriots’ ] takes issue with local politicians over support of gun control, led nearly 100 supporters in voicing their dissatisfaction at a rally on New Dorp Lane near the office of Rep. Michael Grimm on the National Day of Resistance with hundreds of rallies expected to be held nationwide.” ( “Staten Island 'Patriots' takes issue with local politicians over support of gun control” by Maura Grunlund, 2/23/13, Staten Island Advance /silive.com [http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/02/anti-gun_control_group_takes_a.html])
The report is accurate if “... nearly 100 supporters” means a number like 125, which was my personal count at around 1:00 PM [ 100+ in the crowd at the stage, while at the same time 10-15 older guys stood across the street under awnings and the bank portico trying to stay out of the driving rain and 3 or 4 drivers in cars went back and forth on New Dorp Lane sounding their horns]. The actual number might even have been slightly higher because the calculation above does not reflect late arrivals and early departures.
Acting as MC of the event was Scott Fertitta, Richmond County Tea Party Patriot vice president, who spoke and introduced the program of about half a dozen speakers. Several of them called for the immediate repeal of the recently enacted New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013 (NY SAFE ACT), which one of the speakers indicated probably made the guns carried by the uniformed police officers at the edge of the crowd unlawful, if they were loaded to full capacity. At various times, Zahn, Fertitta and the other speakers fired away at State Sen. Andrew Lanza and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) and other local politicians who had supported that act. Michael Grimm’s announced support for various gun and high-capacity magazine bans also was criticized by several of the speakers.
There were several groups of people in attendance who were not from Staten Island. Brooklyn Tea Party President Frank Russo and a small contingent of the Brooklyn Tea Party introduced themselves to their Staten Island counterparts. As part of all that, there was a specific discussion about and a recognition of those living in the Brooklyn part of the Grimm congressional district for the purpose of future activities.
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Hudson, NY Alderman David Marston, an outspoken anti-gun Democrat, had to apologize for his February 22nd E-mail to Joanna Johnson-Smith, New York State organizer of Gun Rights Across America. He had said, “Its really neat that all you gun toting tea party psychotards are so interested in the goings on of our little City.... On the other hand, I guess its not surprising, considering you ideologues aren’t interested in actual policy, but rather grandstanding on mythical narratives of victimization....” ( From “NY Democrat calls gun rights advocates ‘gun toting tea party psychotards’” by Vince Coglianese, 2/27/13, Daily Caller [http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/27/ny-democrat-calls-gun-rights-advocates-gun-toting-tea-party-psychotards/#ixzz2MD1g3NiF]).
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