The Dangers of the so called SAFE Act!

It’s been almost six months since the New York Secure Ammunitions and Firearms (SAFE) Act was passed, but it’s still receiving its fair share of criticism. The SAFE Act is one of the toughest gun control legislations ever passed in the United States, yet ironically the secrecy surrounding its passage has left many, especially gun owners, feeling rather unsafe.
You see, in January, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a waiver – called a message of necessity – to circumvent the three-day window that gives lawmakers and constituents the opportunity to review bills before they’re voted on. So the SAFE Act was introduced on a Monday evening, approved by the Senate in the middle of the night, passed by the Assembly on Tuesday morning and signed into law by Cuomo later that afternoon.
Aaron Weiss, a veteran and law enforcement officer, addressed the Duchess County Legislature in March. At a previous meeting, Weiss overheard many of the lawmakers congratulating each other for passing the law, claiming that it took “courage.” The statement struck a chord with Weiss: “Apparently, my definition of courage differs from yours. You see, if it was really so courageous a bill, and it took so much courage to pass it, then why was it done in the middle of the night when no one could see it or read it? That’s not courage. That’s a mafia style sit-down to divvy up what’s good for the bosses.”
SAFE From Ourselves
The SAFE Act included 13 provisions ranging from safe storage requirements to a ban on internet sales of assault weapons. The law also reduced the legal size of magazines from 10 bullets to seven and redefined an assault rifle as a semiautomatic rifle with removable magazines and at least one military-style feature such as a bayonet mount, pistol grip, or flash suppressor. Finally, owners of guns that are now deemed illegal must register the weapon(s) with the state police within a year.
And yet, that’s not even close to the full extent of the law’s effects.
In fact, many Americans are as alarmed by SAFE’s mental health decrees as its firearm directives. In particular, mental health professionals are concerned that patients will discontinue treatment due to fear of the law, which requires health professionals to report anyone who’s likely to harm themselves or others.
While Senator Patrick Gallivan claims that “individual rights will still be protected under the HIPAA Laws and the various laws that prohibit disclosure of people’s medical issues,” others aren’t so confident. Ken Houseknecht, President of Erie County Mental Health Association, argues that “[Mental health professionals] ought to be devoting their research to intervention, prevention-based programs, community-based programs.”
And some, including Dr. James Knoll, Director of Forensic Psychiatry at Upstate Medical University, took it even one step further. “We’re being transformed into agents of the state and agents of government control,” said Knoll.
In fact, Dr. Knoll might not be far from the truth. You see, SAFE’s provisions are extremely manipulative. They’re literally creating an arena where people are unable to exercise their rights. And when approximately 26% of American adults – or about 60 million people – have a diagnosable mental disorder, the power to turn people over to authorities becomes very great.
Government control is growing increasingly more manipulative and terrifying. Our best antidote is remaining informed and alert.
In pursuit of the truth,The Plain Truth!