Multiple news outlets and organizations in Colorado are now reporting that the Assault Weapons Ban that was intended to be introduced in the Legislature is not going forward. Until the legislative season is over, I’m still leaving the possibility open that it could be resurrected but it seems for now, the immediate threat of this bill is over.
While I wholeheartedly cheer the grassroots work done in this state the likely led the legislature to change course, the fact remains that gun control is expanding in this state. The fight is not even close to over and we are still ‘on the ropes’. Every gun control bill that does pass in this state makes it easier to pass more. The momentum is going firmly in the wrong direction.
The Colorado legislature passed multiple bills in the last few weeks, including expanding red flag laws, raising the age of purchasing a rifle or shotgun to 21, and allowing firearm dealers to be sued by the victims of violent crimes in which a gun they sold was used. That last one has the potential to effectively shut down firearm dealers across the state. A plaintiff doesn’t even need to win a lawsuit in order to put a gun store out of business. Lawsuits are expensive to fight and time consuming. It’s very possible that even one lawsuit could be enough to put a gun dealer out of business, a point I made in an interview on Fox21 this week.
These new laws will go into effect in this state soon, and if we want to fight against them, we will be left with the courts. I encourage you to support Rocky Mountain Gun Owners to fight these suits in court. But Colorado will gain national attention for passing more “gun reform” and will give Colorado the reputation as being a gun control state. That will embolden the lobbyists sending money into this state to pass more gun control in the future.
We have another problem as well, gun violence will continue to rise in this state, perhaps even sharply. We are already seeing headlines in this state that look like they came from Chicago, “12 people shot in Denver area this weekend” is becoming more normal. The rise in gun violence in the state will continue to give the media and the legislators the momentum they want in order to push gun laws, including an assault weapons ban. And I hate to say it, but I have no doubt that Colorado will see more mass shootings in the future. These high profile tragedies will apply the same pressure.
The groundwork for fighting against these laws needs to be done constantly, not just when there is an emergency. We need to show that gun laws are not popular here, and when they are passed they will be fought against fiercely. Colorado gun owners need to get their act together and join the fight. In the strongest possible words, I urge you to get engaged. Your state needs your time, energy, money, and effort. There are a lot of ways to do it, but the quickest and perhaps most efficient way to get started is to work with Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. They make it easy to contact lawmakers, join petitions, fight lawsuits, and other ways that are proven to work. But don’t let another day go by before you get involved. It’s time.
