Bill 1-11458-A, designed to regulate the sport of MMA in New York is not on the committee’s agenda this week, but could be voted on as early as next week.

MMA Weekly spoke to Assemblyman Bob Reilly, a democratic member of the committee who represents the 109th district of New York, who strongly opposes the bill.

MMAWeekly.com: Can you tell me about your feelings on the current bill and about mixed martial arts in general?

Reilly: My feeling about the bill is that it’s a flawed piece of legislation. And my feeling about mixed martial arts is that there are many problems with it. It really is a glorification of brutality and violence. Many people believe that violence in the media, or any portrayal of violence, or violence itself as I think happens in mixed martial arts, in fact, makes people immune to violence and in fact promotes violence.

In New York State, we pass a lot of laws to stop violence, especially among young people in schools, but domestic violence (as well). I think that this basically is a glorification of violence, but it certainly promotes violence. In itself, I think it’s a very brutal sport that creates, obviously, physical harm to the participants, and I don’t think there’s any other sport who’s purpose is to harm your opponent. But we know that in mixed martial arts, that, in fact, is one of the purposes.

I think economically, it’s a very poor thing for New York State, that just the economics of it would not be beneficial to our state. It just draws money out of the state. I compare it to gambling and what happens in gambling. If you take Atlantic City for example, you have casinos that are going broke, surrounded by slums. If you look at Las Vegas, basically, the same thing is happening, where 20 months in a row gambling revenue has decreased, and Las Vegas and the growth there has created many slum areas in Las Vegas.

There is much, much more at MMA Weekly.

This guy makes absolutely zero sense in his arguments. Comparing MMA to domestic violence is just absolutely ridiculous and the below quote is even more absurd.

I don’t think there’s any other sport who’s purpose is to harm your opponent. But we know that in mixed martial arts, that, in fact, is one of the purposes.

Apparently he has never heard of boxing, which of course has been sanctioned in New York for a very long time.

Let's be honest, more than likely there will always be people like this in our beloved sport.  People that refuse to even give it a chance because they see this world through a keyhole and are afraid of embracing new and different things.

What us fans like to call the "beauty" of the sport, people like this will never have the privilege of witnessing.  If someone like this would actually watch an MMA fight where 2 warriors go to war with each other for 15 minutes and then embrace afterward, they might be able to appreciate it. 

The purpose is not to "harm" your opponent, it's to win.  Its the thrill of victory and after its over you hope and check to make sure your opponent isn't hurt.  Oh well, it's his loss that he can't see what we see in this wonderful sport.