Canceled Saugerties, New York Gun Show Is Back On
The event's organizer believes the "controversy" will increase the turnout. Adding, attendees will be "sticking the liberals in the eye with a good show of support for our show."
On Thursday, David Petronis, the President of the New EastCoast Arms Collector Associates Gun Show (NEACA), confirmed the NEACA Saugerties Gun Show which was scheduled for later this month in Saugerties, New York was canceled.
Saugerties, New York Gun Show Canceled
“Taking into consideration the recent events of gun violence, both here in NY, and the tragic event in Texas, to continue with this gun show would have been irresponsible and insensitive to all those who recently lost loved ones, " Petronis said. "Although this recent carnage was perpetrated by what appears to be deraigned individuals who stood behind these weapons and carried out these killings, I agree this may not be the best of times to hold our NEACA Gun Show in Saugerties, especially while our nation is still healing from these tragic events."
The decision to cancel was said to be a mutual agreement between the Town of Saugerties and the gun show promoter.
Cancelation Praised By Saugerties Town Supervisor
Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello praised the decision to cancel the show.
"This speaks volumes to the integrity of Mr. Petronis and demonstrates his solemn respect to the families of those who have lost loved ones to the recent gun violence here in NY and Texas," Costello stated.
Saugerties, New York Gun Show Back On
However, Friday Petronis announced the show was "Hopefully on Again!"
"I am asking the Town Board to disregard my statement that I will cancel the Gun Show," he stated in a letter, obtained by Hudson Valley Post. "All I wanted to do was bring my show back to a facility that had welcomed us before. Notwithstanding the tragic events which had recently occurred nationwide, we all know, it was not the fault of the gun but rather the senseless actions and fault of the mental minds of crazed individuals. Banning guns is not the answer to deranged shooters performing their perverted tasks, better mental health guidelines, hardening schools and educating our younger population of their historic and great American past would go a longer way to solving these occurrences."
On Saturday, Petronis confirmed the gun show, scheduled to be held on June 18 and June 19, Father's Day weekend, in Saugerties, is back on.
He believes the "controversy" over canceling the show will add to this year's turnout.
"The controversy brings the news, the news brings the people," Petronis states on the NEACA website. "now with all this controversy in the papers and on-line we should get a huge crowd if nothing else from the gun-owning public than just sticking the liberals in the eye with a good show of support for our show."