So what are we putting on the table?

Protect Minnesota bill would prevent gun deaths


Russ Stewart’s Dec. 28 commentary (Local view: “Firearms prohibitionists take their meddling to people’s living rooms”) suggested that a Protect Minnesota bill requiring background checks on sales of guns at gun shows would prohibit Stewart’s father from gifting him a hunting gun. He was wrong. The bill would allow family members to give guns to other family members without background checks.

Stewart wrote that Protect Minnesota, a coalition of groups, including the Million Mom chapters of the Brady Campaign are “prohibitionists” who would come in to people’s homes and take their guns away. Actually, the Protect Minnesota campaign is about keeping guns away from dangerous or irresponsible people, with no ulterior motives concerning confiscation of legal guns.

Stemming the flow of illegal guns must begin somewhere. Guns start out legally purchased but become illegal through private purchases without background checks at gun shows or elsewhere or when they are stolen or sold in “straw purchases.” They’re often sold on streets by those who gained them through one of the above-mentioned means.

Our bill would require all gun purchasers at gun shows to undergo national instant background checks and that all purchasers of pistols and assault weapons [watch it grow to include ALL firearms] statewide undergo local background checks in addition to the federal instant check or have a one-year transferee permit. This has minimal effect on lawful gun purchasers but would begin stopping the flow of illegal guns upstream of the illicit street market, thus making gun registration unnecessary. {Note: She hides the state REGISTRATION scheme contained in the bill}

Again, the bill would exempt transfers of guns among family members from background checks.

It would not stop all gun deaths and injuries but would prevent many [there is NO proof of this in the criminological literature]. (It’s still up to lawful gun owners to make sure guns are safely stored and that they are not used in cases of suicide, domestic homicide, accidental shootings, or are stolen.)

What is the problem with that?

Joan A. Peterson

Duluth

The writer is president of the Minnesota Million Mom chapters of the Brady Campaign, is a board member of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and is a member of the steering committee for the Protect Minnesota Campaign to prevent gun injuries and deaths.