Hey Guys.

I have pondered this law for some time now and I cant believe how facetious it really is. This is in regards to the MN firework law and the right to own a gun.
Back when we were buying fireworks for the 4th July, I noticed that they only sell small fireworks. According to the firework sales people, It is illegal in MN to buy fireworks that go over a certain height. I believe around 12 inches or so ( the height of my biggest firework ). Now the ironic part of this story is that one mile away from the firework tent was our local gun store, where anybody over 21 with ID can go and purchase a gun. Infact we could just walk in and buy an AK-47 or a Tech9 sub machine styled gun but it is illegal to buy a firework that goes over a certain height?. I dont get it. I would say a gun is the most lethal item we can buy in our society.

I am not against owning a gun for sports / hobby, I have enjoyed many days at a firing range myself. I just question who the hell made this stupid law and what is the reason behind it?.

It's a fairly new law, too. A few years ago you couldn't possess any fireworks in MN. I think they passed this law (allowing smaller fireworks) just to keep people from driving to Wisconsin or South Dakota to buy them there (revenue does seem to be the any states biggest motivator).

It is possible to get a special permit for larger fireworks, but I've never done it so I don't know how much of a hassle it is.

I think what's worse is that people who are unlicensed, just individuals, can sell guns at gun shows and such... That's really bad, how do you really control any sales that way?

Also, I wouldn't underestimate what idiots can do with fireworks, either. lol.

Hey if I couldn't buy a gun from shady individuals I couldn't get one. I don't have a gun safety cert and I don't have the time to blow getting one.

I think the land of the free should have fewer laws... if I don't hurt anyone who the hell cares right?

Sure, I think it makes tons of sense to not have the time to go through the proper channels, but to still have the time to go buy a gun. Go responsibility!

Gun safety classes were only available on weekends for a long time. Until last week I worked 7 days a week (60 hours).

In Southern MN you just need to go to the police station and ask for the permit forms required for a semi auto handgun. The form takes literally about 5 minutes to complete and you can do it there or take it home and fill it out. It then takes around 3 weeks for you to be approved by the FBI and local police and they mail you your permit.
I suppose I may be a bit anal about these regulations but I do believe 100% that guns should not be available without a full background check and should only be available via a legit gun dealership. I use to subscribe to Guns and Ammo , so I am not an anti gun person.

Scott E.: Thank you!!! I am SO sick of gun owners acting like responsibility is WAY too much to ask for of them... I think that what is in place now, aside from the sales at gun shows that don't require background checks, is plenty.

I am not a pro-gun person, but I would say I am not an anti-gun person either. I was thinking about it today, and I thought "Hey, I'm not anti-gun, I'm anti-stupidity!". I think background checks are the LEAST we can ask if you are buying a firearm.

You can't take away the right of first sale. When you own something you have the right to do with it what you please, including destroying it, selling it or keeping it and never using it etc. To try to take away that right is fascism.

As far as why I never got registered probably had something to do with me getting my first gun at 13.

To say it's fascist in any way to believe that a potential gun owner should have some kind of screening is absolutely irresponsible. Selling a gun isn't the same thing as selling crocheted crafts... Regular citizens also have the ability to do background checks if they need to, and I would be willing to if I was selling something like that.

Also, your last post made me anti-gun again. lol.

Having the right to resell and having absolutely no regulation on that sale is not the same thing. I'm essentially pro-gun because most of the gun owners I know are responsible and are the firsts ones that want to be sure the rules are followed. But, every time I hear someone shouting about how there shouldn't be any rules for anything, selling potentially deadly weapons or not, it really makes me pretty suspicious of them.

What isn't deadly?

I had started this post with the sole intention of pointing out a law which I and many others believe is rather stupid. Guns are the sole weapon behind thousands of deaths per year alone in the this nation. Majority of those deaths are committed using Illegally held and non registered firearms. Many items are deadly if used with immoral intentions. I can go buy a silverware set and murder somebody with a fork. Out of the everyday items that we use and could also use for murder are infact not used that often for illegal purposes. Guns however are used everyday for crimes. From murders to robberies and should be regulated as much as possible. I understand you may own guns and use them for the sole purpose of sports or hobby, Many people however do buy them and use them for crime via unregulated channels. I use handguns in a safe manner in a controlled and safe environment at the firing range where medical help is on hand should anything go wrong. Guns are deadly and the fact that they cause most of the murders in this nation is reason alone to try and tighten gun control laws. Lots of things are deadly, I go chasing after tornadoes. The key element is that with a gun, an insane individual can go and shoot up a school or dear knows where. Look at the Virginia tech massacre last year. Look how easy it was for that guy to walk in and show a drivers license and walk away with weapons to kill. for every 100 good owners there will always be 1 or 2 crazy people and that is what we need to control.

As far as the fireworks go, parents are retarded and let kids play with them. Most parents have more respect for firearms and take them more seriously and teach kids safety about guns but not a harmless little black cat.

Take the number of handgun related homicides and divide by the population.
1 in 21,469 in 1980
1 in 35,623 in 2000
Gun homicides per population is declining.


Violent crime has declined while many gun control laws have been eliminated or made less restrictive. Many states have eliminated prohibitory or restrictive carry laws, in favor of Right-to-Carry laws. The federal Brady Act`s waiting period on handgun sales ended in 1998, in favor of the NRA-supported National Instant Check, and some states thereafter eliminated waiting periods, purchase permit requirements, or other laws delaying gun sales. The federal "assault weapon" ban expired in 2004. All states now have hunter protection laws, 46 have range protection laws, 46 prohibit local jurisdictions from imposing gun laws more restrictive than state law, 44 protect the right to arms in their constitutions, and 33 prohibit frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry.10

Studies by and for Congress, the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress, the National Institute of Justice, the National Academy of Sciences, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and even researchers who support "gun control," have found no evidence that "gun control" reduces crime.

If gun control doesn't stop crime, why are you so mad about a loop hole?

For every 'nutjob' shouldn't there be at least 50 armed sane citezens? Pushing more laws simply seems to lower the chances of a 'good guy' from owning a gun.

Logically your argument makes sense: guns kill people, restrict guns, fewer murders. However when you stop and analyze it, statistically speaking it is utter bullshit.

Oh and I think this is where I leave this board. There are only 2 active members so a wider point of view and a real discussion on anything can't really take place.

(peace sign)

I'm surprised someone would leave over a disagreement on gun issues... But I suppose I've seen sillier things in my life.

And as far as active members, it's not like you really helped before with anything else to get the discussion going.

Man it is daft to leave a forum just because somebody has different views on one topic. I face opposing views on a daily basis for being an atheist. Statistics or not, we all have our own beliefs and that is why this forum does exist. So we can all debate and learn. I was not attacking you. I simply stated how I felt about gun control. I dont like Vista or windows in general as I love Mac and Linux, can you imagine how I feel when I have to listen to PC fanboys . or even worse if Apple stopped selling computers

This is something I've been fighting almost daily: the idea that if I have a differing opinion, I am somehow belittling or attacking another person's opinion. I think that people who take that stance will always have it, no matter what you are talking about.

We used to spend time with some people like that. I once mentioned that I wasn't really a fan of a certain very popular music group. Some people got really upset, and started actually verbally attacking a band I was getting ready to go see. I was upset, because I never said anything negative about the group at all, just that they weren't for me... Some people will always think you're trying to hurt them if you have a different opinion...

At least you aren't talking to people on the Waseca County News forum, now THERE'S a battle... lol.

I think so many people are just so closed minded and well, they seem to be so ignorant to anybody who is not part of their little click. How cliche is that. I dont have time for non individual persons. That forum sounds like fun. Maybe I should check it out.

wasecacountynews.com/

Yay Waseca! lol.

Hope you can make it to a meet up. Fun times.