Senator Malcolm A. Smith to Appear in "2nd Amendment" Documentary

(Hollis, NY) - State Sen. Malcolm A. Smith (D-Hollis) will appear in a documentary on gun control entitled "2^nd Amendment." It is being produced and directed by UK filmmaker James Dann. He interviewed the senator on April 18 at his district office in Hollis. Dann of St. Albans, England was joined by cinematographer Richard Morel of London and production assistant James McEvitt of Flushing, Queens.

 The 45-minute interview covered a myriad of topics related to gun control, gun violence and the Second Amendment. They included the Safe Act, Kendra's Law, the NRA and gang culture.

"I am a supporter of the Second Amendment," Smith said. "I don't want to trample on anyone's constitutional rights, but when you start talking about urban areas -  no one needs an assault weapon to be in New York City. You are not hunting with an assault weapon in New York City. And a  high capacity magazine with 30 or 40 rounds is way beyond what is necessary to stop someone who poses a threat."

The senator also spoke about his anti-gun violence program, Operation "SNUG," which is guns spelled backwards.  Based on the successful "CeaseFire Chicago," SNUG's mission is to stop shootings and killings in communities experiencing disproportionately high rates of gun violence.

"It was a fantastic experience," Dann said of his interview with Smith. "We got a lot of useful information. It was a great chat. I thought we learned a lot about the current situation in America and in New York, and about Operation SNUG, which is clearly working hard to reduce crime and gun violence. We are always looking for stuff like that to put in the film - people who are passionate about reducing gun violence and who have a strong opinion on the matter."

"The senator was very articulate, very easy to speak to, very coherent and easy to understand, and I think he will be a great addition to the film," Dann continued.