Westchester County Exec. George Latimer wasted no time carrying out one of his campaign promises. Banning gun shows on public property. (Photo: LoHud)
Folks, it doesn’t get any more pathetic than this. On his second day in office, Westchester County Executive George Latimer signed an executive order prohibiting gun shows on county-owned property.
Let’s think about this for a moment. First, the obvious. What are this dude’s priorities as the newly-elected chief of Westchester? Gun shows. Really? Your first week on the job, you’re worried about guns shows? Not lowering taxes or creating jobs or improving schools or, you know, focusing on stuff that really matters to the people who put you in office?
Instead. The priority is fulfilling a “campaign promise” to ban gun shows. Because they’re such a danger to public safety. They’re hotbeds for criminal activity. Because it will “save lives”! Right?
Well, if that’s the case, the county should just ban them altogether. Not just on public property. Everywhere. The problem is, of course, there is nothing wrong with gun shows. Criminals by and large don’t buy firearms at these events. At least according to the facts.
Even the whole “gun show loophole” argument doesn’t hold water here. This is New York. Universal background checks are the law of the land. Plus, one needs a gun permit to simply possess a handgun. No one is attending a gun show in Westchester and purchasing a firearm without either a background check or a gun permit.
So, public safety is definitely a non-issue. No lives will be saved by banning gun shows. None. Why ban them then? You ready for this. Feelings. How people feel about gun shows. They make certain people feel — wait for it — uncomfortable.
“The (Westchester) County Center hosts basketball, Westchester Knicks play there in the developmental league, we have had the Harlem Globetrotters come in for performances, we have a bridal show coming up, we have a model train show that normally comes into the arena, we have job fairs and high school graduations and concerts, all very friendly family fare,” said Latimer.
SEE ALSO: DEA, ATF Planned to Track Gun Show Attendees
Gun shows, according to Latimer, promote “a culture that might be more appropriate in parts of New York state, but in our state suburban environment, I don’t think it is comfortable for most people.”
Right. You know what makes me uncomfortable? A government that perpetuates the idea that exercising one’s right to keep and bear arms is not “family fare.” What about hunting? What about the shooting sports? Those are amazing pastimes for people of all ages. Not every activity needs to be in the vein of “Grublets on Ice” to be family friendly.
I’m not even going to bring up self-defense. And, how, empowering people to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of their family can actually save lives. Much like learning first aid or CPR or keeping a fire extinguisher on hand just in case. Nope. Not even going to bring that up. Apparently, suburbanites are more “comfortable” with being victims of violent crime than they are with defending themselves and their kin.
I’ll end on this note. It’s a sad state of affairs when feelings trump Constitutional rights. Or, when a boneheaded politician is able to grab headlines for a feel-good measure that does nothing at all, except to reinforce the sentiment that lawful gun owners should be treated as second-class citizens.
Days like today make me really, really, really glad I left Kentucky to move back to New York.
He is a NY politician. Stupid is as stupid does. Nuff said.
Don’t spend a dime in this blockheads county! Money is the only thing that will change their mind. Not gas, food , nothing ! Go to next county.
What? Hey Dipstick! Why aren’t you banning the Wedding Show? Don’t you know that 50% of all marriages end in divorce? Think about the consequences… The upheaval within families… The moral harm to the community done by divorce…
Marriage is like a Deck of Cards it starts with two Hearts and a Diamond and ends looking for a Club and a Spade..
What a dumbass!
The people of Westchester Co elected this guy, thus they are fine in exercising no moral responsibility since 2/3rds of county are Democrats and call the shots for the rest.
Don’t blame the Libs for this Jacks** , he probably change with the wind, he probably don’t know which way to go. The little Old Ladies that got him elected probably told him what to do. Crime will always be here, we have to fight it by any means necessary, The Licence Concealed Carrier, the Police, the Sheriff, the Game Warden, The Federal Police. Stopping a gun show only give the criminals illegal guns, they do NOT buy guns at Gun Shows. the Public property belongs to us, If we chose to have a gun show it is our right, we pay for it. we the People, have to deter the criminals and we need help any way we can get it
Easy winnable lawsuit for promoter. We proved it in socialist CA.
And the smug look on some of the faces tell us all we need to know.
An agenda perpetrated by self serving idiots!
That was the first thing that came to my m in when I saw the picture; smugness and a dash of moral superiority.
Sir; you are a walking-talking work of art. I wish you all the worst.
…..Who’s fault is it!!??,…..The Damn Fools that put him there in the first place!!,……The people of Westchester County, NY!!,…….
There is a mass exodus of people leaving NY and NY has been in the top three states that people are leaving for the past few years. I left Westchester county three years ago and will never go back. Moved to NC and was the best thing we ever did.
just looking at the guy makes me wonder if he can even see anything straight, is both of his eye’s looking in different directions?
well he made the 3 or 4 people around him happy anyway and isn’t that what being in government is all about anyway? but it is new york and that’s just how they roll. a million a year couldn’t get me to live in that cess pool.
Even here in the socialist republic of California they allow gun shows. There is one coming up later this month on property owned by the state, known as Cal Expo, at least for now. It is also the site where they have the state fair. Hope they don’t get any ideas from this guy.
I retired after working in local and state criminal justice systems for over 30 years. Never once did I stop a violent crime “in process”, nor did very few other LEOs stop this type of crime (don’t believe me – just look at the stats for your jurisdiction). I responded to calls for help, arrived after the crime had been committed and the “bad guys” had fled. I put up crime scene tape, wrote up reports, and sometimes even caught the criminals. So after my real life experiences, I would never, ever, be without some type of self defense weapon. The old saying, “When seconds count, the police are minutes away!” Is true. And before you get your panties in a wad, most LEOs are out there working hard and doing a great job – they just can’t be everywhere, nor can they guard you and/or your loved ones and property like a private security guard. So the Democrats and their sheeple, the lamestreet media and their presstitutes can continue to live in their ivory towers and in lala land, but I for one, prefer to live in Texas. And here at least we are continuing to work hard to enhance our self-protection laws, and hopefully in the next legislative session, will have “Constitutional Carry” passed. Texans have always been allowed to carry “long guns” open and in public without any type of permit or license. And here in Texas we have a good, solid “shall issue” concealed and open carry law for pistols, no requirement to have a permit to own any weapons not prohibited by federal law, we also have open carry of any size of knife (including swords if that is your preference!). We got our government fees lowered on acquiring a carry permit, we have a “Safe Motorists” law allowing individuals (those not prohibited by the criminal code, like convicted felons, etc.) to carry concealed within their vehicles or motorhomes, we have a solid “Stand Your Ground” law, and we just had our state’s Speaker of the House resign – he has been the biggest deterent to getting Constitutional Carry heard and passed through our legislature. Those one million plus Texans who currently have concealed/open carry licenses, along with the millons and millions of other freedom loving Texans, will continue to work hard to enhance current legislation and pass new legislation to make Texas the very best state for law abiding firearms owners. Our Texans with concealed/open carry licenses have proven to be the most law abiding of any of our citizens, even more law abiding than police officers! We will never stop fighting until there is no government license or fee required for law abiding citizens in Texas to carry a firearm, concealed or open, and that the sight of open carried firearms is the norm, not the unusual. God Bless Texas and our freedom loving citizens and leaders.
God Bless Texas!
What an asshol#! Stay out of North Carolina!
I wish to hell, in this day and age of 24 hour news and international awareness, that writers and editors would place the CITY AND STATE (though this is a county issue) in the opening of a damn item.
I know that folks think the work revolves around California and NY but let us know before the 5th paragraph that Westchester County is in NY so folks like me can blow it off…
Oh, I see!
Todd.
Thank you!!!
Well at least he followed through with a campaign promise, something Democrats rarely do.
Residents have the freedom to either move to a new county; or to organize and take all of their purchasing to a different county. If enough business drops off and it can be attributed to the new purchasing locations, maybe the store owners will show concern?
True, he’s an idiot, but those folks standing with and around him look rather pleased with themselves also.
I was thinking the same!
Every day I thank the lord for not letting Hillary become our DICK-TATOR. if she had it her way squirt guns would become illegal. Ya know Acid rain could be put in them and before you know it peoples skin could be melting off !
Sadly these people are only here because the general public agrees with the garbage comming out of his mouth, just look at the sheeple surrounding him shake their heads up and down in agreement with the total waste of time involved in this circus, people, its job security for him and the asswipes that surround him, the misguided morons that placed this clown in office are the ones at fault. what we need to do, is not step down to his level of ignorance and try to vote him out, its plain and clear that he is there because we put him there. I believe that more power to him, he has found a pot of gold of morons to pay for his well being and he will not risk that job security because we call him a bonehead. I for one would throw away all my firearms and hire a security tram to protect me if I could get a job doing nothing but spitting out garbage from my mouth, and sitting on my a** all day listening to what the majority of the sheeple want, and just turn around and sighn a piece of paper.so I can go back to happy hour or play golf. This is one smart cookie.
Sense when does family values not include protecting your self and Family? So is this bastard going to have police at every ones house 24-7 like this piece of crap does? I carry a gun because a COP is too Heavy.
Another brain dead, goose stepping, indoctrinated liberal democrat, the party of lets destroy America, and make it the way we want it.
This is bull! They tried that in CA! Guess what when it went to court. it was determined that they could not and did not have the authority to ban Gun Shows from county or state property! This clown is just going to cost his county millions of dollars!
Stupid is as stupid does = liberal insanity!
No, its smart politics, I bet you he does not need to break a sweat at it, we are the insane ones that work hard and produce tax dollars for this con artist to be able to sit on his ass all day and cost his county millions, I bet you all his buddies are goiung to be the ones defending this in court. job security 101. He now has something to keep him busy while keeping his ugly face in the spotlight. lets face it, if no one is talking about you, nobody cares your there, good or bad, it keeps his face in the news. what happens to a movie star or a singer when no one cares he is alive, he will get arrested for stupid shit or play around on his wife where he will be dicovered, BAM hes in the news and records sell again.
Just another useless rule passed by another useless politician.
What’s interesting here is that gun shows were banned at this location from 1998 to 2015 (approximately). When it was brought back under the last County Executive, there was record attendance and no issues whatsoever legal or otherwise. If anything, it was probably one of the most profitable events the venue ever held. So obviously the vast majority of the public was not offended. Also interesting is that this same gun show is held in all of Westchester’s adjoining counties (with exception of Bronx) and no one is offended there. This is just another ridiculous policy written and forced upon good people by Limosuene Liberals in NYC’s backyard.
What else would you expect from New York. A liberal “People;s paradise.”
Lookie there. A wall-eyed genius. So glad I live a long way off from that sewer pit called NY.
I guess he also forgot about the vendors who make a independent living and pay taxes at the gun show. Maybe private entities want the revenue from hosting the show.
The guy’s Marty Feldman eyes make him look kind of deranged. Did he undergo a BGC before taking office? (a true weapon of mass destruction)
Because in the end, the job of Govt. is to promote the ‘comfort’ of the Public at large, right?
After all, that’s what the Constitution is all about, the ‘comfort’ of individuals.
Oh, and “family”, we MUST promote that, right?
In fact, these areas are EXACTLY where the Govt, is NOT supposed to concern itself, because these areas are matters pertaining to individual responsibility.
In short, this County Govt. has decided what is and is NOT appropriate!
Well, the only thing left to do is condemn the county property and eliminate all activities. Wait; wasn’t that done before? USSR?
Point made above is most pertinent. Who elects these people that are more concerned with the ‘comfort’ of a few suburban housewives that have been convinced by the media that gun shows are full of criminals loading up on illegal weapons? Real issues such as alcohol abuse, opioid addiction and tobacco caused deaths should be top priority.
I’m not sure how you can legally ban a legal event from county property. It would seem to me to be blatant discrimination by the government. Unless he can prove that gun shows create an unsafe atmosphere at the event, like say a night club where there has been shootings or fights regularly, I’m not sure he won’t find the courts looking unkindly on this “executive order”.
I understand he’s replacing the gun shows with some pajama-boy shows and vagina-hat shows…just catering to his ‘tard constituents
What gun show was on public lands and not a convention center or something similar?
Let’s ban politicians. That’s all that need to be said.
Since when have left wing politicians been “family friendly”?
They say anything that will get them votes. Being “family friendly” is just another way of doing it. He is probably a gun hater from the start and said that to put his agenda into effect. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself (like almost all liberal socialists).
I know the Supreme Court outlawed test for voters, but maybe we could get them to agree to an IQ/uncommon sense test for candidates because we need one desperately.
As long as people vote for tools like this then they will gradually give away their freedoms until they become slaves of the state.
I feel your pain NY, I’m from Socialist Republic of NJ and we have pretty much the same pathetic “Ass Holes” running things here.
Let’s “ban” Socialists!! How? By voting these pinko b****rds out of office. As you can plainly see, they are one step away from communists; the enemy we’ve been fighting for 75 years. Drain the Swamp!
More libtard insanity…..
Look at all the “fat cats” associates during the announcement about the “new law”……they all look like nobody’s home when you look in their eyes. Oh well…….
If one activity is banned from county property, then all other activities will have to be banned as well to avoid drawing charges of discrimination. With all activities banned on county property, there’s no purpose in the county owning property. Just another example of left-wingnuts consuming themselves.
#fefefh
“…the right of the people to ‘be comfortable’ shall not be infringed” – or something like that.