Flanked by gun control advocates including former Congresswoman-turned-activist Gabrielle Giffords, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) signed new restrictive legislation Friday, bringing cheers from the gun prohibition lobby.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the new gun law “expands background checks for gun sales at shows and (private) transfers and creates a red flag-style provision allowing family or law enforcement to petition a judge to take guns away from someone determined to be mentally unstable.”
Only Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) acknowledged the fact that in the past, a divided legislature had prevented passage of restrictive gun measures. Now the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party dominates at the Capitol.
CBS News is reporting that Republicans have accused DFL lawmakers of “sneaking the gun control measures into the $850 million public safety bill.”
The network quoted Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, “The impact of these laws will only be felt by peaceable gun owners, who are being imposed with unreasonable barriers to the free exercise of a Constitutionally protected right… Regulating peaceful conduct that is common among gun owners will do nothing to impact violent crime. Once again, it is law-abiding gun owners in the government’s sights, not resources and strategies to address the mental health crisis or criminal misuse of guns.”
Walz argued the new gun control laws are for the children.
“I understand our rights as Americans to do these things,” the governor said. “But I refuse to allow extremists to define what responsible gun ownership looks like and to make this about the Second Amendment. This is not about the Second Amendment. This is about the safety of our children in our communities.”
Grassroots activists will disagree with that assertion, claiming this new legislation is all about the Second Amendment. Gun rights advocates have long insisted that background check requirements only impact law-abiding citizens because criminals don’t bother with them. They acquire firearms through illicit means, including residential burglary, theft and straw purchases.
