Image Credit: Shelby County, TN Election Commission / Facebook & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Several controversial gun control measures were passed Tuesday night with Memphis voters giving strong support to local restrictions on firearms.
Between 80% and 84% of voters expressed support for each of the three referendum questions on the ballot.
The first question asked whether permits should be required to carry and store handguns inside city limits. Nearly 81% of voters answered yes.
Next, voters were asked if assault weapons should be banned in the city, with exceptions being given for possession on private property or at shooting ranges where the owner legally purchased the weapon. Around 80% of voters agreed with banning assault weapons.
Finally, voters were asked if Red Flag laws should be enacted to prevent the sale of guns to individuals who are determined to present a danger to themselves or to others. Roughly 84% of voters supported this measure.
Despite the overwhelming support, it is still undecided if these measures will lead to a local ordinance or not. The questions were only proposals that served to gather public opinion rather than establish law.
The Shelby County Election Commission had originally removed its gun-control referendum from the November ballot at the recommendation of state election coordinator Mark Goins, after state leaders threatened to withhold funding from the city and made it clear that local laws cannot override state laws.
The City of Memphis subsequently filed a lawsuit against the election commission, and on September 11, a judge ruled that the three questions could remain on the ballot because the city had not yet amended its charter and the questions were merely proposals.
Not all state officials, however, were completely opposed to the referendums.
On Tuesday night, Republican Representative John Gillespie, who was re-elected to House District 97, expressed support for handgun permits. He was one of the legislators who voted against the permitless carry bill.
“Law enforcement was against that. They’re having a hard time telling who’s supposed to have a gun and who’s not supposed to have a gun. It’s common sense. I think permits work. They’re not in infringement of the second amendment, I don’t believe,” Gillespie said.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young acknowledged his own reservations about the measures.
“My pushback is I know how much of a conflict it creates with the state and conflict it has with state law,” Young said. “And the fact that we can’t actually implement the things that are being passed in these referendums.”
City officials have noted that the gun safety measure would be a “trigger ban,” much like the state’s abortion ban, going into effect only if state law is changed in a way that would allow for the local restrictions.
5 Responses
The constitution gives all citizens who are non felons and legally competent the right to own and bare arms. The constitution does not say if they pass a permitting process, they pay a fee and are awarded their rights by judges or police. Memphis is a cesspool of racism, crime and filth. Scofflaws are the rulers on the roads and illegal aliens are swarming the streets. Deport all the illegals, lock up the criminals and the colluders in the genocides and civil rights covid19 abuses of the citizens and the city could improve and move forward towards becoming a nice place to live, instead of the miserable dangerous and freedom stifling place it has become. Racial and Marxist politics/politicians(they call themselves democratic/democrats mostly) are killing freedom, decency and work to disarm good people leaving them at the mercy of evil criminals and authorities who abuse power for their racist views and personal gain. What do they not understand about the bill of rights, our history of being established acknowledging God as the giver of our rights or what leaders may do at the state or local level to direct society without interfering in those rights? The people who directed covid19 mandates and suppressions of treatments, restricting citizens freedoms, masking of citizens, etc., that killed many innocent citizens and caused much suffering, without reason or good science, should be arrested , prosecuted for crimes ranging from assault to genocide, civil rights and RICO crimes. The authorities and healh leaders in Memphis(and many other cities) assisted in the perpetrations of these heinous crimes and should face trials for their parts and not be proposing to interfere in our constitutional rights again. They should be facing long prison terms or even the death penalty for their level of involvement in those crimes.
Cities; Cancers on the face of God’s green earth.
The mayor of Memphis, the hospital administrators, the health department director, the chief of police and commissioners, individual policemen and all who violated their oath of office with covid19 abuses/crimes should be facing prison or death penalty. The “news” editors that perpetuated the lies and colluded in misinformation that supported the abuses/murders and censored fellow citizens views, should face prison or death penalties for their partisan collusion in the heinous treasonous acts that resulted in unnecessary death and suffering. CBS, ABC, CNN, NBC, MSNBC and PBS should all lose their license to broadcast and be shut down and their principals charged with advancing/colluding in genocide and /or civil rights crimes and treasonous acts in support of a coup to attack our constitutional rights and rightful government oversights. Remove these heinous criminals to prison and our constitutional rights will be safer and continue for future generations.
AMEN! You are absolutely correct. We need a Neurnberg style trial here in America. Starting with Fauci and working down the slimey chain of prepetrators for crimes against humanity. Also hold big Pharma responsible for their actions as well. If found guilty the death penalty would be the only option. This was mass genocide.
Isaiah 35:4,5 NIV
4 say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear;
your God will come,
he will come with vengeance;
with divine retribution
he will come to save you.”
5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed day.
The Constitution does not allow for any infringement of the second amendment.