The increase in school and public shootings in the United States has caused a lot of worry for many people. Therefore, the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to put some restrictions on gun ownership in the country. However, reports claim that he may have changed his mind. 

In 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom started a nationwide campaign that included social media advertisements and public statements to call for people’s support to ask the legislation to amend the U.S. Constitution’s gun laws. He hoped to spearhead an increase in restrictions on gun ownership in order to prevent gun-related violence in the country. However, things are now looking different, as reports suggest that he is putting an end to his efforts. 

In August last year, the Governor started supporting a ‘Right to Safety Amendment’ which sought to become the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment aimed to protect the citizens from gun violence through various means. These include mandatory universal background checks, increasing the minimum age of ownership to 21, and banning assault rifles for all civilians. These are “common-sense gun safety laws” that can save lives, according to Newsom. 

While giving a statement in August, Newsom sought the support of people in California and all over the country against the increasing gun violence. The governor cited facts about the dangers of gun violence in the state and asked people to take a stand with him against gun laws. This way, America will be much safer for everyone in the country. 

Later on, the governor announced his proposal and a campaign to get signatures for his proposed Right to Safety amendment. He also put out various social media advertisements and promotional materials to promote his message. On X, he posted an advertisement article that stated that guns were the leading cause of death of young kids in the country. 

His advertisement also included a link to a petition website where people can add their names, answer questions, and also donate to his campaign. The site encourages people to donate or simply add their names and signatures to support the proposed amendment of the constitution. With an increasing number of participants, it would send a strong message to the government about how much people wanted the change. 

However, several reports show that many people are not showing support for this proposed amendment. Calmatters reports that even the larger states run by Democrats are not showing support for Newsom over the increase in gun law restrictions. Till now, no other states have shown support for this campaign or mentioned it among their legislative leaders. 

Surprisingly, Nathan Click, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom, told Calmatters that this was only the beginning. He said that the governor and his officials are well aware of how hard it was to pass a constitutional amendment, and they understand that it took dedication, hard work, and patience. Therefore, they are not giving up on the fight for safer gun laws. 

Years ago, Democrats were majorly in support of restricting gun laws in the U.S.  However, these past few years have shown a significant change in activism among Democrats, thanks to many controversial police incidents. Therefore, they are now embracing gun laws as a form of defense for civilians who no longer trust the police or their state to protect them. 

In December 2023, Newsweek reported a significant increase in gun owners in just a few years. The percentage of Democrats who owned guns increased from 33% to a surprising 41%. Therefore, this gives a good insight into why there is a decrease in the Democratic supporters for Newsom’s campaign. On the other hand, Republicans are still against the restrictions. 

However, some Democrats are quite skeptical about the switch by the other Democrats. They believe this is a sort of trap that Republicans have laid down for Democrats to make them look like they want to ban guns totally. Republicans have also been vocal about their belief that Democrats want to completely eradicate the people’s right to the 2nd Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. 

While spearheading the plan to fight for gun restrictions at a national level, Governor Newsom has implemented very strict gun laws in California. In fact, the Golden State already has one of the strictest gun laws in the country. New York also had similar laws, but a Supreme Court order reversed them in 2022. Ever since people who support gun laws in California have questioned the validity of Newsom’s restrictions. 

Click also revealed that Governor Newsom was not giving up just yet. He plans to bypass the courts which may pose an issue to his campaign. He hopes to take the proposal to enforce stricter gun laws on straight to the federal level, where there is a higher chance that it will get passed. Will he be successful? Many are waiting to see the outcome and what it would mean for the governor and his state.