This is a very important personal topic for me. In light of recent school shootings and gun violence in Minnesota schools including my school, We demand action from our Government just like many patriotic Americans before us. 

This terrifying experience  at our school and across the state underscores a reality we should never accept—our schools are no longer safe havens but potential sites of tragedy. The trauma inflicted on the students, faculty, and community could have been avoided. This incident has strengthened my resolve to advocate for change. School shootings are not random acts of unpreventable violence. They are a consequence of insufficient gun control and mental health support—issues that Minnesota urgently needs to address.

The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is enshrined in our great nation's values, and has been for over 250 years yet these great rights are compromised daily due to gun violence. When our children and educators are no longer safe in their schools, it is time to act. We call on Minnesota lawmakers to implement stricter gun control laws to protect our communities. Specific measures could include an 10 day waiting period on all gun purchases, a ban on the manufacture of 3D printed firearms by unlicensed persons and a ban on carrying of all weapons on college campuses, public transit (without a special permit) , stadiums with a capacity of over 1,500 people, playgrounds and youth centers,preschool/childcare facilities, mental health and emergency services hospitals,,amusement parks (and related parking areas) , public zoos and libraries (without a special permit), court buildings and poling stations and a provision allowing local police to set up firearm registries that include private sales and gifts while prohibiting the state government from setting up a central state firearm registry.  It should include a strict safe storage law requiring all firearms to be stored in a locked room, box or container  that is easily accessible in case of emergency but inaccessible to children and a ban on all magazines with more than  20 rounds. It should also include a state-level voluntary and anonymous gun buyback program where a small amount of money ($100-200) is offered to anyone who turns in or modifies their firearm or firearm parts along with at least $25 million in increased funding for mental health and school security services in schools with a particular focus on rural school districts that may not have the local tax base needed to fund these services without state aid and on training for staff including teachers, counselors , psychologists, security personnel and SROs. We also need stricter gun laws at the federal level including federal universal background checks and an increase in the semiautomatic purchase age to 21 along with increased mental health and school security funding. Other states, such as California, New Jersey, Hawaii, Washington and New York, and various countries such as Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the UK have adopted these regulations successfully (and in fact even some conservative states like Texas and Florida have adopted bans on guns in mental health hospitals and stadiums), which have resulted in significantly lower gun crime rates (Norway for example despite having a similar population to Minnesota has never had even a single death from a traditional school shooting although there have of course been mass terrorist attacks at youth camps such as the crimes committed by Anders Breivik at the Utøya youth camp. ) With these moderate and sensible policies we do not seek to burden the hundreds of thousands of legal, responsible gun owners and persons exercising their sacred Second Amendment rights in the great state of Minnesota but we seek to ensure public safety and ensure life and happiness for everyone .  

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that states with stronger gun laws have fewer gun-related deaths. A comprehensive study from the Giffords Law Center found that Minnesota stands in the middle among states in gun law strength. We can and must improve our standing to ensure the safety of our citizens and avoid more tragedies. Studies have found that states with stronger safe storage laws have  lower rates of injury, self-harm and suicide amongst children and teens. 

By signing this petition, you're advocating for sensible changes that prioritize safety over fear. Let us tell our legislators that the time for stricter gun control is now. For the future of our students, teachers, and communities, we must demand action. Sign this petition and help make Minnesota a safer and happier place for everyone. Petition to State representatives  Nathan Coulter  (District 51B) ,,Julie Greene (District 50A), Alex  Falconer (District 49A), Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn (District 49B),  Emma Greenman (District 63B), Paul Novotny (District 30B), Kelly Moller (District 40A) and Speaker Lisa Demuth (District 13A) along with State Senators Steve Cwodzinski (District 49),  Melissa Halvorson Wiklund (District 51), Zaynab Mohamed (District 63), Ron Latz (District 46) and  Erin Murphy (District 64) and Governor Tim Walz along with Lt. Gov Peggy Flanagan and gubernatorial candidates Lisa Demuth and Amy Kloubchar