Home
Mississippi Governor Challenges Newsom to a Debate on Gun Rights

Mississippi Governor Challenges Newsom to a Debate on Gun Rights

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has extended a challenge to California Governor Gavin Newsom to a debate on gun rights.

This from oann.com.

On Thursday, Newsom’s (C/G-CA) office announced that he has proposed a 28th amendment to the Constitution which consist of four gun control measures.

The measures proposed by the California governor include:

 1. Raising the legal age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21,

 2. Requiring universal background checks,

 3. Instituting a “reasonable” waiting period for firearm purchase, and

 4. Preventing civilians from buying what he referred to as “assault weapons.”

The governor supported his new proposal by claiming that they are “widely supported” by the public and that they will “enshrine” common sense gun safety measures, although, contrary to his claim of wide support, his announcement faced criticism on Twitter and from Republicans as well.

Newsom said:

The 28th Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution common sense gun safety measures that Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and gun owners overwhelmingly support. While leaving the 2nd Amendment unchanged and respecting America’s gun-owning tradition.

While Newsom has been known to advocate for stronger gun control laws, Governor Reeves (R-MS) has been known as a strong proponent of gun rights, and has also signed legislature which expanded gun rights in his state.

In April, Reeves signed a bill which blocked the creation of gun registries saying that the state needs:

 

[T]o guard against any action that threatens our liberties.

 

Reeves said after signing the new bill in April:

Across the country, national Democrats’ are pushing unconstitutional gun grabs that threaten the safety and privacy of law-abiding gun owners,

Unlike California and New York, we’re proud to welcome the firearms industry and gun owners from across the country to enjoy the protections that our state has to offer.

On Thursday, Reeves retweeted Newsom’s announcement and called on the governor to debate him on his new proposals.

Reeves said:

Gov. Newsom, I am willing to debate you on this in Mississippi any time.

So on your next trip to our state to campaign for my opponent, give me a call.

Newsom replied by claiming that Mississippi:

[H]as the highest gun violence death rate in the nation.

Newsom tweeted:

Can’t wait for you to defend the fact that Mississippi has the highest gun violence death rate in the nation, (377% higher than California’s, by the way) You can’t be serious.

Final thoughts: The category ‘Gun Violence Death Rate’ by itself does not tell the entire story. For 2021, California had a gun death rate of 9 but the state had 3,576 gun-related deaths. For the same time frame, Mississippi had a gun death rate of 33.9 but the state had 962 gun-related deaths.

The gun death rate is based on the number of deaths per 100,000 total population. Which do you prefer, fewer gun-related deaths or more gun-related deaths spread across a larger population?

NOTE: The only state with more gun-related deaths than California in 2021 was Texas—with a gun death rate of 15.6 and 4,613 gun-related deaths.

Further, for the same time frame, Wyoming had a gun death rate of 26.1 with 155 gun-related deaths and Montana had a gun death rate of 25.1. with 280 gun-related deaths. Again, its a matter of choice—fewer deaths or a larger population.

Perhaps Gavin Newsom would care to explain what part of “shall not be infringed” he fails to understand.

Bottom Line, however, modification of the Second Amendment is not open to debate.