Democrats recently introduced an incredibly controversial gun control bill that people should know about. This creates a new “binary trigger prohibition”. Even though Minnesota already bans machine guns, similar automatic weapons, and modification kits, the bill proposed by the state would expand the definition of “trigger activator” to include binary triggers, making it illegal for Minnesotans to says it can no longer own a gun with that capability.
The bill would go into effect on January 1, 2025, giving legal gun owners no time to relinquish guns that have become “illegal.” Since the state has no buyback or compensation programs, gun owners are simply required to get rid of their guns and accept the financial loss that comes with it. Democrats also expect everyone to give up their guns. You know who doesn’t? criminal. Criminals don’t abide by the law, and it’s foolish to think they will comply with new gun regulations. This new law would only impact law-abiding gun owners across the state.
We’ve seen gun control and how gun control works. Chicago has a high crime rate, but it also has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. Even if criminals prove further that they are not abiding by the law, new laws will not change that fact. According to the Chicago Police Department, there were 46 homicides in March, an increase of 28% compared to March 2023. Over the weekend of May 12th alone, 21 people were shot. Even Everytown Research, an anti-gun research group, notes that Illinois ranks third in terms of strong gun laws, behind California and New York. How far do these laws go in terms of safety? Sounds like it’s not far off.
It is also important to note that binary triggers are currently legal at the federal level. Therefore, this bill undermines both the Constitution and federal law in its attempt to criminalize law-abiding Minnesotans. In fact, many guns are manufactured with a binary trigger as the standard trigger.
Instead of passing unconstitutional laws, why not enforce the law as it stands and hold accountable the judges and prosecutors who refuse to do so? The real problem is that prosecutors and judges are not putting serious criminals in prison and are allowing criminals back on the streets much sooner than they should be allowed. We should be holding already law-abiding people accountable, instead of criminalizing them.
I am also concerned about the precedent this bill sets. This bill clearly violates the Second Amendment and makes anyone who exercises their Second Amendment rights a criminal. This is an attack on Second Amendment rights and it’s just the beginning. This is one of several gun control bills being pushed by Democrats. This issue is not going away and I urge you to speak up about this issue in any way you can. We cannot allow our constitutional rights to be eroded in this way.
