Apostle John Boyd Sr., who started the New Greater Bethel Ministries under a tent in Cambria Heights, died earlier this month of natural causes at 85. By 2012 his church was 2,000 strong and his radio ministry reached an estimated 150 million each week.
Boyd began his ministry in 1972 under a small canvas tent on the corner of Linden and Francis Lewis boulevards. He couldn’t have known then how powerful his ministry would become.
His church operated a soup kitchen and food pantry. Boyd became a 105th Precinct chaplain, and he provided spiritual guidance to the incarcerated at the Queensborough Correctional Facility.
The New York Christian Times named him Man of the Year and City Councilman Leroy Comrie remembered him as a staple in the community.
Our thoughts go out to his wife, children and congregation. We hope they will take solace in the fact that southeast Queens is a much better place because of him.
GOP Drops the Ball
The state Legislature has been dragging its heels on a bill that could help get guns out of the hands of criminals. The Republican-led state Senate has refused to consider the microstamping bill that has already been passed several times by the state Assembly.
Microstamping imprints the make, model and serial number of a gun onto the cartridge when the gun is fired. The technology has been strongly supported by law enforcement professionals, who say it will enable them to trace firearms through cartridge casings found at crime scenes.
If microstamping guns can save lives, why would anyone oppose it? Why should legislation requiring microstamping in the state be controversial?
Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos won’t even let it come to the floor for a vote in the Senate.
A spokesman for Skelos told our reporter, “We did not take up the microstamping bill this year. It’s an unproven technology.”
The National Rifle Association contends the firing pins could be easily altered.
Sen. Jose Peralta, a strong advocate of microstamping, said his Republican colleagues have been influenced by large campaign contributions from the NRA and other members of the wealthy gun lobby.
If so, shame on them.
