Minnesota CCW: 150 Rally Against New Gun Law

WCCO TV (Minneapolis/St. Paul) ^ | Jun 30, 2003 | Associated Press

[jdege]

150 Rally Against New Gun Law

Jun 30, 2003 9:17 am US/Central

Eagan, Minn. (AP) About 150 people attended a rally in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's hometown against the state's new handgun law.

Many of those who attended the two-hour event Sunday at the Eagan Community Center signed petitions against the law, which has led to hundreds of new permit-holders since Pawlenty signed the bill in April.

"This is my first rally of any kind," said Sandy Hilleshein, a mortgage lender from Dodge Center. "This whole thing scares me. I don't see why people have to have them -- guns -- and now they can be concealed."

Hilleshein and her husband, Dominic, both signed and circulated petitions to repeal the handgun law.

Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood, said the rally was held in Pawlenty's home suburb of Eagan so the Republican governor would listen to the people of Minnesota.

Slawik said more than 7,000 people from throughout Minnesota had signed the repeal petition. The goal was 10,000 signatures by the end of the summer, she said, acknowledging it would be an uphill fight.

"Our second option would be to get the current law fixed up," she said. "If guns were not allowed by law in churches and businesses, it would be a much better bill."

A handful of gun-law supporters quietly held signs outside the rally.

Tim Grant, of Richfield, was among the sign-carriers. He showed his new plastic gun-permit card and said the fear of violence expressed by many people in the room is unfounded.

"It's been shown in FBI crime statistics that crime goes down in states with conceal-and-carry laws," he said.

[jdege]

They have 7000 people who were willing to sign a petition - we have 7000 people who were willing to spend $250 in training costs and fees to get a permit.

[jdege]

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[Redbob]

"About 150 people attended a rally..."

That many, eh?

[jdege]

No - the media inflated the number, as usual.

[RogueIsland]

"If guns were not allowed by law in churches and businesses, it would be a much better bill."

So, basically, she doesn't want you to be able to carry anywhere.