Victim Speaks Out Against Gun Violence in a State with Heavy Gun Control Laws

As horrible as it is that this child was shot by some thug aiming for a his rival on the streets, this doesn’t make much sense to me.

How exactly can you speak out against gun violence in a state that has some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the country? I thought that is why gun control laws were/are implemented in the first place; to stop gun violence. 

Most New York State gun laws are covered in two sections of New York Penal law: Article 265 – Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons; and Article 400 – Licensing and Other Provisions Relating to Firearms

Click here for a summary of Gun Laws in New York State.

Basically, if you want to purchase, possess, or carry a firearm in the state of New York, you have to go through flaming hoops, pay hundreds of dollars in fees, and have some special connections with people who have the authority to grant you access. 

So with these restrictive gun control laws in place, gun violence is still happening. If gun violence is still prevalent even in the presence of these laws, explain to me why we have these laws in the first place? Right, because law-abiding citizens aren’t the problem. 

Having to speak out against ‘gun violence’ when you already have gun control laws in place to prevent it just goes to show that gun control does not keep criminals from harming people. Gun control does not stop gun violence. Gun control does not stop gang members from accidentally shooting children or other innocent bystanders nor does it stop them from shooting at each other. All gun control does is take weapons away from citizens who rely on guns for self-defense while criminals still have them. 

Kareem Potomont was arrested and charged in the shooting with attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and assault. It has already been confirmed that victim was in the crossfire of a gang-related gun battle. Not to mention, Potomont has had 13 other prior arrests. Even in a state that doesn’t have strict gun control laws, he still couldn’t legally own a gun with that criminal background. Yet even in a heavily gun-restricted state, Potomont was able to get a hold of one anyway. Why? Because criminals don’t follow laws.

 

More Women Seeking Florida Concealed Carry Licenses

Due to the recent and upcoming changes in gun laws, more Florida women are seeking to get their concealed carry licenses. According to The Florida Times Union, numbers have nearly doubled in the past decade. 

More and more women are choosing to get their concealed carry permits each year. New data from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shows that 1,240,430 people held valid state Concealed Weapon/Firearms Licenses as of March 31, 2014. Out of that total, 276,386 women now have their concealed carry license in the state. Just 10 years ago, only 48,316 out of 324,236 had their license to carry. That means in 2004, only 14.9% of women had their permits. Now, 22.2% of women in the state have their license to carry and the number is still increasing.

People are in fear that they will one day lose their 2nd amendment right and the government will make it harder for them to purchase or legally carry a gun. Not to mention, the constant bickering that goes on about gun-control ultimately gets people interested. When someone doesn’t have an opinion, in most cases they want to learn. Also look at NRAWomen.TV, a website that features shows such as Armed and Fabulous and Love at First Shot. 

All in all, I believe women are finally getting motivated by self-defense. 

About 79 percent of firearms retailers nationwide reported an increase in female customers in 2012 over 2011, the most recent NSSF data shows. Meanwhile, the number of women participating in target shooting increased 67 percent, while those participating in hunting went up 43 percent from 2003 to 2012, according to the National Sporting Goods Association’s most recent statistics.

-Teresa Stepzinski with Florida Times Union

Basics: Range and Gun in Orange Park, FL has recently dedicated Thursday nights to ladies after seeing that nearly 50% of their shooters were women. Needless to say, it has been a huge success!

PHOTOS OF LADIES NIGHT

More women are taking a stand each day towards executing their right to bear arms. Will you?

Pregnant Woman Raped in Horrific Home Invasion

Three suspects are accused of the break-in: Kristopher Hughes, 20, Michon Thomas, 22, and Eric Bass, 23. They face charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery, and six counts each of first degree sexual assault.  

Less than a month ago, news stories reported of a horrific home invasion where a young couple was beaten and sexually assaulted. 

Madison Police say that the three men planned a home invasion, but broke into the wrong home around 5am on February 23. Police say the intruders were aware it was not the intended home but proceeded to attack a legally blind man and a 6 month pregnant woman anyways. The man was beaten and the pregnant woman was raped and forced to perform oral sex for almost 45 minutes.

“I can tell you that in my 27-plus years of policing here in Madison, this is probably one of the most disturbing and heinous crimes that I’ve ever seen,” says Interim Chief Randy Gaber.

The victims were then put in a dark laundry room to wait as their belongings were taken. Once they believed the intruders were gone, they tried to seek help of neighbors down the street. With no response, they then called 911. 

Quote from ABC News:

“Is someone here?” the man called out from bed. A suspect then turned on the bedroom light and three men burst into the room, demanding money.

“Someone’s gonna die tonight,” one suspect said, according to the complaint. One suspect was allegedly wearing a mask from the movie “Scream.”

The female victim told the three men repeatedly that she was pregnant, and that the men could take what they wanted from the house.

Reports say Hughes pulled the male victim from bed, laid him on his back and began hitting him in the face with a gun and punching and kicking his body.

Another suspect pulled the woman from bed and ordered her to lie on her stomach in the hallway, the report says. A suspect allegedly took a handgun and put it to the woman’s stomach, saying, “You’re going to die tonight.”

All three men are accused of sexually assaulting the woman, and one is accused of forcing her to perform oral sex.

One week later, 3 more were charged for helping plan and carry out the attack.

This couple had opted not to own a personal defense firearm in their home. Could imagine if they did? Could all of this have been prevented? What people fail to realize is that violent crimes can happen to anyone. It isn’t just things you see on TV, read on the news, or have horrific nightmares about. It is a reality even in neighborhoods where you think you’re safe. It doesn’t matter if you’re a good person, have lots of friends, have no enemies. Heck, these scum bags didn’t even care that the people they were attacking were legally blind without glasses and pregnant! Perhaps they didn’t want a firearm around for protection because guns are “icky” “dangerous” “violent” and oh, they kill people. In any event, bad things happen to good people. When are you going to stop leaving your family out in the open to become a victim of a crime like this? I not blaming this couple of what happened to them. I can see and understand how they would believe that because they carry on normal lives, don’t engage in risky behaviors, and they have a child on the way that no one would hurt them. Stories like these should cause people to wake up! Instead you hear all about how these criminals had a gun. Exactly. THEY’RE CRIMINALS. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT LAWS OR IF THEY’RE BREAKING THEM. Why aren’t the media focusing more on why the victims didn’t have a gun? 

If this couple had a gun by their bedside and had quick access, do you think the woman would have been raped? Do you think the man would have been beaten?