Did you know, ten states already ban assault weapons? I didn't.
BELOW: Me at the March for Our Lives five years ago (from my blog post, March 2018) by the state capitol in St Paul, MN.
My poster quotes Capt. Kirk in the Star Trek episode "Miri". The guy with his own "blah-blah-blah" sign is a stranger.
Art, store volunteer, emailed people asking us to ask our reps in the State Legislature for such a ban in our state--even though the legislative session is about to end.
He included a link info at the Gifford Law Center:
giffords.org/
and one to find our local rep/senator--www.gis.lcc.mn.gov– for Minnesota, but if you're an ignoramus like me, your State legislature page has a "Who represents me?" link too.
So, I did. I wrote to my state reps. I tweaked Art's sample letter (too wordy--I figure some intern reads it and just makes a note of the request).
If you want, you can too.
Dear State Representative/Senator,
I live in your district at [address].
I am reaching out to implore you to push for a State Ban on Assault Weapons and High Capacity Magazines during what is left of the 2023 legislative session.
As you know, ten states already have such a state ban.
(Info at Gifford Law Center:
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/gun-laws/policy- areas/hardware-ammunition/ assault-weapons)
It's not often that the DFL controls the Governorship, Senate and House as is now the case in Minnesota. The news is filled with all the DFL priorities being pushed through. A ban on assault and high capacity weapons should have the highest priority.
Even just a role call vote on a ban in this legislative session would be helpful: it would put Minnesota's elected officials on the record of where they stand if and when the next mass shooting happens in our state.
These mass shootings must stop!
Please do what you can before the end of the 2023 legislative session to add Minnesota to the list of ten states that already have laws that ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines.
Thank you for your good work!