Minnesota had the benefit of being one of the later states to pass a shall issue law. Prior to 2003 Minnesotans could only receive a permit to carry a concealed weapon with the pernission of local law enforcement (which was rarely given). To make matters worse, there was no way to lawfully "open carry" a firearm. Minnesota's MCPPA law, passed in 2003 and amended in 2005, took into account lessons learned from other states such as Florida, Texas, and Arizona who had already passed shall issue laws. The authors of our law learned a number of things having watched other states, namely that citizens were being charged with crimes when their firearms were exposed accidentally. It got so bad that the Florida legislature had to change the wording of the law in 2011 to allow the unintentional exposure of a firearm. Minnesota law makers rightfully created a permit to carry, as opposed to a concealed carry law, thus allowing law abiding citizens to carry concealed or openly. It can be debated until the end of time which is the right and responsible choice; luckily it is a choice that we have! Many in the gun community will pile on the "newb" for calling it a "Conceal and Carry Permit," however we should be supportive of our fellow gun carrying neighbors. Just imagine if the next time you asked for a Kleenex your neighbor said, "do you mean a facial tissue!?" That is about how it sounds when someone mentions they have a CCW permit and the angry gun rights activist says, "we don't have those in Minnesota!" Since Newtown, many local Sheriffs have been on the front lines, fighting for your gun rights. Earlier this year, numerous sheriffs across the country announced they would not enforce any new gun laws that had to do with gun confiscation. Now, more sheriffs are taking it a step further, saying they will not enforce new gun control laws which have been enacted in several states in recent months. According to the New York Times, a Sheriff in Colorado is not only refusing to enforce these laws, but are actually taking active steps to see those laws repealed: When Sheriff John Cooke of Weld County explains in speeches why he is not enforcing the state’s new gun laws, he holds up two 30-round magazines. One, he says, he had before July 1, when the law banning the possession, sale or transfer of the large-capacity magazines went into effect. The other, he “maybe” obtained afterward.... Some sheriffs, like Sheriff Cooke, are refusing to enforce the laws, saying that they are too vague and violate Second Amendment rights. Many more say that enforcement will be “a very low priority,” as several sheriffs put it. All but seven of the 62 elected sheriffs in Colorado signed on in May to a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the statutes. We need to support our local Sheriffs that support us! |