Once a Progressive State, Minnesota Is Now a Fief of the N.R.A.

The New York Times ^ | September 5, 2006 | VERLYN KLINKENBORG

[neverdem]

Editorial Observer

A couple of weeks ago, I checked into a hotel in Bloomington, a Minneapolis suburb framed by the airport and the Mall of America. On the hotel door was a sign: “Firearms Banned on These Premises.” The next day I drove to St. Joseph, an hour west of the Twin Cities, where I saw the same sign. Slowly the logical conclusion sank in. If firearms are banned on these premises, then they must not be banned in other places.

Sure enough, a year ago the State Legislature passed a “concealed carry” law, which means that it’s legal to carry a concealed weapon if you have a permit. So that no one misses the point, the Legislature has also turned Minnesota into what is called a “shall require” state. If you apply for a concealed-weapon permit, the local authorities must grant it to you.

I asked one of the state coalitions opposed to these laws whether it would attack them in the Legislature this year. The answer was no. It is too busy trying to defeat a “shoot first” bill, which would give gun owners the right to fire away instead of trying to avoid a confrontation. The way I see it, Minnesota is only one step away from requiring every citizen to carry a gun and use it when provoked.

There are some other twists to these laws. A person carrying a concealed weapon cannot be banned from a public building, even if it’s a library full of kids. Churches have succeeded in keeping guns out of the pews, but they’re having to fight another court battle to keep them out of the parking lot. The application for a concealed-weapon permit appears to have been created by people who believe the real threat in carrying a gun is...

[neverdem]

"Once a Progressive State," now the knuckle draggers are in control. Good Lord, those panties are in a wad.

[Billthedrill]

So that no one misses the point, the Legislature has also turned Minnesota into what is called a “shall require” state. If you apply for a concealed-weapon permit, the local authorities must grant it to you.

The term is "shall-issue." The reporter is an ignoramus.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

If it was a requirement to have a gun with you at all times, then crime could be reduced (if applied only to stable noncriminals).

[CzarNicky]

Once a Progressive State, Minnesota Is Now a Fief of the N.R.A.

And the halls echo with the laughter of my black conservative heart. MAWAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH

[ghostmonkey]

That "lady" is a raving lunatic. Shall issue CCW laws have proven effective time and time again, in state after state. There have been no exceptions.

She really needs some mental help, I mean spending all that time worrying about who might be carrying a gun?

I have news for this "lady". Criminals carry guns no matter what the law says.

[doug from upland]

A person carrying a concealed weapon cannot be banned from a public building, even if it’s a library full of kids

---

These fools never learn. No law matters to the guy who would take a gun into a library and shoot kids. If he tried that, however, maybe it would be a good idea for the librarian to be armed so he/she could shoot the SOB before he shot kids.

[Carry_Okie]

Slowly the logical conclusion sank in. If firearms are banned on these premises, then they must not be banned in other places.

Proof that a common criminals is quicker to grasp reality than this reporter.

[goldstategop]

Another liberal elitist who looks down on the blue collar riff raff and says they're too stupid to handle a gun properly. "They don't have the training of police officers." Yeah and he unloads on Minnesota's CCW law and its pending self-defense law with the mendacious claim he's a hunter and gun owner - in the same sense as John Kerry. When the New York Times starts printing screeds to the effect that Minnesota is turning a deep hue of Southern Red... you know liberals have really lost it. Its that madness sinking in.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[river rat]

An armed society is a polite society...
A dueling society is a VERY polite society..

Semper Fi

[ghostmonkey]

And Yes, I realize that Verlyn Klingenborg is technically a male, hence the "'s around lady.

And no, I don't mean any insults to women by the remark, I am only pointing out the pansyness of Klingenborg.

[goldstategop]

Oh dear me, it must be bleak to be a liberal in Minnesota with all those crazed gun nuts running around. Fortunately, Klinkenborg can find a gun-free paradise right in New York. And then there's California.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[Tzimisce]

Oh my god! People are exercising their rights! How offensive!

(/sarcasm)

[goldstategop]

They pine for the good ol' days when the DFL ruled Minnesota as a one party fiefdom. They ain't coming back.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[neverdem]

http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/editorial-board.html

That "lady" is a raving lunatic.

I think it's a he.

[Waco]

But did she come out alive? She forgot to tell us. Sounds lke she was in pretty bad condition going in.

[traviskicks]

'requiring every citizen to carry a gun'
----

What an idiot to think that is a goal of anyone.

[Khurkris]

Verlynn...you may be a dumb-ass if...

"I asked one of the state coalitions opposed to these laws whether it would attack them in the Legislature this year. The answer was no. It is too busy trying to defeat a “shoot first” bill, which would give gun owners the right to fire away instead of trying to avoid a confrontation. The way I see it, Minnesota is only one step away from requiring every citizen to carry a gun and use it when provoked."

[Myrddin]

Pocatello is a very polite city. Not much dueling, but lots of CCW and a social calendar at the range that would be the envy of most social organizations. International silhouette matches, cowboy action shooting, youth firearms training, local law enforcement training, long range shooters, airgun target tournaments. That's just the September lineup.

I didn't see the silhouette announcement soon enough. It would have been a hoot to take the Encore pistol with the 15" S&W 460 barrel out for some friendly competition.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

maybe it would be a good idea for the librarian to be armed so he/she could shoot the SOB before he shot kids.

---

What do you have against training and arming the kids? (grin)

They do it all the time in the MidEast... (grim)

[goldstategop]

"Shoot first" law - that's what the Brady gun banners perjoratively call the "Stand Your Ground" law passed in Florida and a number of other states this year that eliminate the duty of a law-abiding citizen to retreat in the face of danger before being able to use a firearm. Like any decent person would shoot in the absence of clear and present danger. In Klinkenborg's entire anti-gun jeremiad, he can't come up with ONE scintilla of proof that carrying a gun has made people less safe - or that it has turned America into the Wild West. The reason liberals are losing ground in this country is because they are out of touch with reality.

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )