Feiner: Ban the Gun Show at County Center

The Westchester County Center, a county taxpayer owned building, will be the location for the next gun show on February 2 and 3, 2013, according to northeastgunshows.com.

Shortly after the Columbine High School shootings--which took the lives of
14 students and a teacher at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado former County Executive Andrew Spano banned gun shows from the county center--calling gun shows at government buildings "inappropriate". 

After County Executive Rob Astorino defeated Mr. Spano - Mr. Astorino revoked the ban and allowed the gun shows to resume at the county center. When the gun shows were reinstated admission was $11- with $1.50 going to the county.

In light of the school shooting which - I am calling on the County Executive and Board of Legislators to ban gun and weapon shows from the county center.  Citizens have a right to bear arms and a right to purchase guns from reputable dealers. But, there is nothing in the constitution that requires governments to allow gun sales at government buildings.  If north east gun shows.com wants to have a gun show in Westchester - they should contract with a private facility, not a government owned building. 

Among the weapons being sold at the gun show: firearms, knives, militaria military style weapons. An article in the June 20,2010 issue of the NY Daily News indicated that some vendors "sold books and magazines with nazi names. At least two sold stickers bearing confederate flags and swastikas."   There haven't been additional reports since 2010 of nazi memorabilia being sold at the county center gun shows.

99% of the people who purchase guns at gun shows are honest, decent, law abiding citizens. All we need is one crazy like the school gunman whose family obtains a gun legally and starts shooting innocent people.

_ PAUL FEINER, Greenburgh Town Supervisor