The battle between gun rights vs. gun control is far from over in America. To this very day, there are still people fighting to restrict the ability to legally own a firearm. Many advocates of gun control likewise aim for a total ban on firearm ownership.
New York is one of the most anti-gun states in the union. Although recently, the United States Supreme Court dealt New York a blow in determining that “may issue” laws for concealed carry permits are unconstitutional.
Naturally, New York Democrats were furious, vowing to find a workaround to the precedent set by the highest court in the land.
According to Newsmax, this workaround may very well involve having New Yorkers turn over their social media profiles for screening. This would be a mandatory condition for anyone in the state seeking a concealed carry permit.
An Invasive New Proposal
At this moment, the New York state legislature is considering social media checks as a gun licensing law for the state to implement. Given the fact that New York remains heavily controlled by Democrats, there’s a very likely possibility this proposal could come to pass.
The entire idea behind social media screenings would be for New York to assess the “good character” and judgment of individuals who want to conceal carry a firearm in public.
🎉BREAKING NEWS: @NRA WINS SCOTUS CASE!
Supreme Court Rules New York’s Carry Restrictions are UNCONSTITUTIONAL
— NRA (@NRA) June 23, 2022
Any social media account that’s been used within the past three years would be required to be handed over to the state government.
This measure has already been endorsed by Gov. Kathy Hochul who says social media can be a good way to figure out if individuals mean others harm.
Social media turnovers aren’t the only hoops that New Yorkers will have to jump through if this bill passes. In addition to that, the state government would require concealed carry applicants to hand over the following information:
- Means of contact for other adults living in the home
- Proof of 120 minutes of practice at a gun range
- Proof of 16 hours of gun safety instruction
- Four different character references
Finally, New Yorkers with concealed carry permits would also be subjected to ongoing, sporadic background checks.
Backlash From Gun Rights Supporters
During a recent press conference, a reporter asked Hochul if she had any sort of data or evidence that concealed carry permit holders are breaking the law.
The New York governor retorted by saying she doesn’t require evidence or data to this end. According to Hochul, it is her duty as governor to protect the people of her state.
Anne: Do you have numbers to show that it’s the concealed carry permit holders that are committing crimes?
Hochul: I don’t need to have numbers. I don’t need to have a data point to say this. I know that I have a responsibility for this state to have sensible gun safety laws. pic.twitter.com/NiCp7POO88
— Anne McCloy (@AnneMcCloyNews) June 29, 2022
Many gun rights supporters have criticized the measures currently under consideration by the New York state legislature.
Advocates of the Second Amendment view it as the state simply trying to make concealed carry permits so difficult and time-consuming to obtain that it disincentivizes applicants altogether.
Let us know in the comments area what you think about the new gun proposals that could become law in New York.
