Loophole or individual right?

Say hello to Jerry Dhennin, of Coon Rapids, who brought some heavy machinery to a news conference in St. Paul. Dhennin, who is a self-described "gun nut", is a member of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota. During his remarks, Dhenin pulled out his Ruger mini 14 which he says he bought at a gun show four years ago "with no questions asked" besides a driver's license. Before he had the gun disabled by a gunsmith, Dhennin said he could fire the

pistol

gun at four rounds per second.

"There's no reason to have that kind of firepower that I know of except maybe for law enforcement and the military. But yet I was able to buy this at a gun show, no questions asked, except that I was required to show a driver's license by Minnesota law."

Dhenin said he also bought a Springfield Armory 9mm semiautomatic pistol at a gun show just the other day with "no questions asked" but the driver's license requirement.

Citizens for a Safer Minneota and DFL Rep. Michael Paymar want to make it tougher for those transactions to take place and are calling for the closure of what they call a "loophole" in law. Paymar's bill would require background checks on any pistol or semiautomatic weapon purchases

Current law requires licensed dealers to conduct background checks but allows individuals to sell firearms at gun shows, over the internet or through newspaper ads without a background check.

"All we're trying to do is make a very clear statement and believe that we can save lives and keep some guns out of the streets in Minnesota if we plug these loopholes by trying to ensure that dangerous people don't possess dangerous weapons," Paymar said

Supporters of the legislation point to a study that says illegal "straw purchases" are much more common in states that don't have tighter regulation laws than California, which does require background checks for any gun purchase.

But Joe Olson, with the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance, points to a University of Maryland study that says such laws did not reduce homicides or suicides.

Olson says the bill is more about harassing legitimate, law abiding gun owners. He said Minnesota law has allowed individuals to sell guns to one another since 1974. He said there are different standards between purchases from licensed dealers and private transactions because private transactions are "not a significant source of anything other than the recreational firearms."

In other words, Olson said, "If you and I are at the gun range and you're shooting your gun and I say 'Gee, that looks just like the one my grandfather used to have. Would you like to sell it to me?' You could do it."

But he said the sale couldn't be made if the bill became law unless a background check was done first. Olson also added that this legislation doesn't deal with the "people who are selling guns of a car in north Minneapolis at 3 and 4 AM. Those are the people who are putting guns in the hands of gang members..." He added that people engaged in illegal drug selling can acquire guns through illegal activity.

"This bill has no effect on criminals at all. It's not intended to have an effect on criminals. It's only intended to make gun ownership and gun possession a bigger hassle.."

Question of the Day: Will this bill make a difference if it became law?

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