Even In Blue Minnesota, Gun Control Seems A Tough Sell

Minnesota has a Democratic governor, two Democratic senators, and Democrats control both houses of its Legislature. So it may have come as no surprise when President Obama went there earlier this week to rally support for his proposals to reduce gun violence.

But even in the politically blue state, there's considerable resistance to placing further restrictions on gun ownership.

During his visit to a Minneapolis police facility Monday, Obama urged Minnesotans to find common ground in curbing gun violence.

"We don't have to agree on everything to agree it's time to do something," he said. "That's my main message here today."

And that message would appear to have gotten through. Hundreds of Minnesotans in heavy winter wraps squeezed into a hot state Capitol building Tuesday. It was the first of three days of hearings on about a dozen bills, all aimed at reducing gun violence.

Many in the crowd sported big yellow buttons that proclaimed "Self Defense Is A Human Right." As St. Paul Democrat Michael Paymar opened the hearing of the House Public Safety Committee, he acknowledged the atmosphere was tense.

"I recognize that this is a very emotional and complex issue, whenever you're talking about gun control or gun violence," he said. "I understand the concerns that some gun owners have about some of these bills."

This push for gun legislation in my own back yard left me melancholy and moody last night. These DFL idiots want to disarm me and turn me into a criminal with the stroke of a pen.

I. WILL. NOT. COMPLY.

I know that such an attitude will probably lead to my incarceration, or more likely, my death at the hands of tyrants.

Did not these men and women swear an oath of allegiance to the defend the Constitution upon taking office?

How then, can they legally be allowed to put forth these legislative proposals?

What they are pushing clearly infringes on my natural rights, and particularly my rights as enumerated in the 2nd Amendment.

How do we stop this tyrannical crap from advancing?

The rest of the state is rural & inhabited by the same people Garrison Keillor would deride in his Prairie Home Companion show. He could barely conceal his hatred of those who did not share his liberal views.

Which is only surpassed in it’s smarmy derision of those “not them” by the show “Wait, wait, don’t tell me.”

I tried to listen to that show once and it was impossible. Frankly, I see ALL of NPR as a bunch of high school kids trying to sound all smart and thoughtful and stuff. But true adults see them for the children they are.

With age comes wisdom. But sometimes age comes alone.

my letter:

HF 237

Right now, a permit to carry acts as a 5 year “permit to purchase” for the transfer of firearms. If this bill becomes law, you will need to get a permit to purchase every 12 months, on top of your permit to carry. This is an unnecessary redundancy, as MN sheriffs must check the validity of your carry permit annually.

This bill intends to allow the government to know who, what, where, and when you transfer a firearm to another party by requiring you to process all transfers through a FFL federal dealer. The government will keep track of all sales, transfers, loans, and gifts outside of immediate family. Not only does this bill mandate that you involve a 3rd party in your private transaction, the government will have a say in the fees that are charged in a private transaction.

Also, why is the SERIAL NUMBER and MODEL NUMBER needed for a background check? It seems to me that you should ONLY check the person and be done with it. Nothing is gained with serial and model numbers, UNLESS someone is trying to build up a database for later confiscation. (which our government denies they want to do)

Another concern is a removal of due process for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.
In current MN law to lose your firearm rights, a judge has to commit you to a treatment facility, or declare you unfit.

If this bill were to become law, the opinion of any medical professional or mental health worker could remove the right of self-defense from anyone they deem to have a mental or developmental disability, completely circumventing standards and precedent established by the courts. The bill will even eliminate the rights of people put on a 72-hour hold to only determine IF they have a mental health issue, regardless of the outcome. It may also discourage people from seeking the treatment they need in order to prevent losing their gun rights.

We support taking measures to limit the access of the mentally ill to firearms, BUT those measures must be done within due process of the law, and respect to fundamental rights of free citizens.

Assuming this was the same Minnesota hearing, this is from a gunboard I follow, from a guy who was there:

Edited after I got home: Here is a YouTube video of today's hearing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1blSrn3MGNY&list=UUfR6kiQaeJLkxUyPaeouZTw&index=1
There were also two yesterday that I sadly missed. Also on that YouTube channel.

At the hearing, I am the guy sitting in the back left of the CCTV room.

Running commentary:

I will post the live feed when it starts, at about 10:30am.

http://www.livestream.com/uptakemnhouse might have it.

Lies, blood rolling, nonsense. Our team is ripping them a new one.

One of our reps just seriously called the antis on their nonsense. Received large applause.

Trying to define assault weapon, didn't end well for them.

Omg! Someone has hundreds of rounds of ammo!

We don't need high caps or rapid fire for hunting deer.

MMM gained 60k members since Sandy Hook.

Only one person is applauding the antis in the CCTV room.

Our side is having its turn regarding the AW bill.

Corrected the hunting with .223, various gun stats, large applause from the crowd.

1:26 into YouTube Video: An anti complained about being called unamerican.

Gun show and tell, AW vs wood stocked traditional rifle, both 10/22s.

Telescoping stock good for different sized shooters.

Bill would ban revolvers as assault weapons.

Chair is complaining about everyone's ignorance of guns including his own.

DPMS is testifying against the bill.

Large shooting range person spoke.

Father who's son was shot is testifying, his son was shot by a drunk with a Marlin 22. He and his son both own standard cap mags. Car and drunk driver analogy. Very large applause, we are asked to not applaud anymore.

Police officer is testifying. Pro modern sporting rifles and standard cap mags. Tells how we need lots of ammo for self defence.

1:50 into video: Doc Brown former Green Beret and others. School shooters had guns illegally. 2011 only three rifles used to murder, other item stats given. Video games blamed. Lots of video game info given talks about head shots. Talks about similarities between methods of school shooters and video games. Banning AW won't help.

1:54 into video: Tim is talking about a death threat his family received. Police could not help until more happened. No immediate threat. Wife asked if police would act after they were dead, police said yes. His wife told the police she was armed and because of that the police showed up to ~~disarm her~~ suggest she unload her guns to disarm herself. Edit: Sorry about that, I had to slowly type it on a smart phone after I heard it. Tim wants standard cap magazines for defence. More applause, naughty us.

MN gun rights group is testifying, speaker was quoted in the Heller case. AR15 is most common rifle. AW hard to define, all cosmetic. Calls the wooden 10/22 warm and comfy. One of his mini 14s has a black dress, one has a red dress one size too small. Arguing in favor of pistol grips. Says he must use telescopic stocks because of his shape. Calls it a safety feature. Treats AW in MN worse than feds treat MGs. Proof of confiscation in bill, proves old statements a lie.

End of hearing.

In my mind I compare this to what we've seen in "town hall" type meetings from upstate New York. When pissed off gunnies show up, they loose control of the careful story they're trying to spin.

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