I would like to comment on the April 18 article about Senator Squadron’s bill prohibiting gun ownership for those who commit so-called hate crimes. According to the article: “Squadron says New York has a duty to take actions that reject acts of …discrimination in any form because they violate the nation’s core values.”
This is laughable. New York’s Sullivan Act governing pistol licensing was specifically written to discriminate against Italian and Sicilian immigrants at the turn of the 20th century. A quick call to the Legislative Library would get him a copy of the original bill and supporting documentation while half a minute of Internet searching would bring up even more including the history of its sponsor, Tammany Hall thug “Big Tim” Sullivan.
If Senator Squadron had a genuine interest in ending discrimination he would introduce legislation to abolish the Sullivan Act and bring New York in line with the 42 other states that have right-to-carry concealed firearms laws.
Jacob Rieper
Gun Politics New York
