Walt Minnick Wants To Hear From Us (Part 2)

Walt Minnick Wants To Hear From Us (Part 2)

I mentioned earlier today that Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID) had called a Town Meeting to discuss the Second Amendment this afternoon. Essentially, it was a chance for him to emphasize that he is one of the 60 or so Democrats who told Obama to knock it off about the assault weapon ban talk--and it appears to have borne fruit today.

He also was attempting to explain to us (I think) that when he filled in the NRA questionnaire that got him a poor rating last year, that he did not fully comprehend the "no recreational or sporting use" phrase that he used. I get the distinct impression that he was snookered into believing that "assault weapons" referred to full automatics--an easy mistake to make for someone who grew up firmly in the sportsman side of Idaho (bird hunter).

I confess that my natural inclination is not to trust him too much--he is a Democrat--but I also confess that some of Minnick's votes and actions so far in Congress make me joke that maybe Bill Sali (who Minnick knocked out in the general election) just changed his name! I'm prepared to give Minnick to benefit of the doubt for the moment, until he gives me reason to think otherwise.

There were about 50 people there, I would guess (I'm a lousy judge of crowd size), and I was surprised and pleased at how many people responded positively when I identified myself. I took a minute or two to emphasize to Rep. Minnick that the Second Amendment wasn't about hunting or recreational use of guns, and I told the story of the woman I used to get my ice cream cones from, with an unstylish tattoo on her forearm: a letter and a series of digits. Everyone knew what that meant. I emphasized that revolution is the last and most dangerous step against tyranny--but that this is the reason for the Second Amendment, and that means that assault weapons are among the most clearly protected category of arms.