A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Constitution of the United States, 2nd Amendment

Gov. Tim Walz is introducing strict gun laws in Minnesota that I believe are quite sensible and don’t contravene the 2nd amendment. The gun that Alex Pretti was carrying at the time of his murder would still be legal, the weapons Gov. Walz wants to ban are military grade weapons that should not be in the hands of civilians. Those who wrote the Constitution could not imagine the fire power available today, they were thinking of flintlock muskets which were necessary for hunting and self-defence against Indians and the British.

The United States has more guns in private ownership than any other country, with more guns than people. Despite only one third of households having a gun, it still averaged over 120 guns per 100 residents. It seems some Americans are so obsessed with gun ownership that they’ll have multiple weapons – I’ve seen photos that aren’t available now in which a family displays a collection of weapons sufficient to equip a regiment!

Someone once hired a 14-year-old to help with an investigation. He was asked to go into several and try to buy alcohol, tobacco and a copy of Playboy. Each time he was told he was too young, but nobody asked his age when he tried to buy a gun!

Those opposing gun regulations evidently missed the part about “a well regulated militia”. If Minnesota residents want to use their weapons to protect their state from federal threats they can join the National Guard, but I think Gov. Walz prefers peaceful resistance, and he has plenty of support from all sectors of the community – from Black Panthers to the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Council of the Seven Campfires) aka the Great Sioux Nation whose ancestral homeland it is.

The Oglala Lakota have no love for Kristi Noem, Secretary Homeland Security. When she was Governor of South Dakota she was banned from entering any of the reservations in the state!