On February 10th, the Utah Senate approved a bill naming the Browning M1911 semi-automatic pistol the official state firearm,  guaranteeing it a place with the rest of Utah’s state symbols.     That makes Utah the first state to have an official state firearm. I keep wondering if this is really necessary and I do not believe this gun should be placed with the other symbols Utah has had for hundreds of years.

While I do understand that this is a way to honor the Utah pioneer and inventor, John M. Browning, and recognize his other inventions, I do not find it necessary to honor him by adding one of his inventions to the collection of state symbols. This gun is one of Browning’s many inventions that have been used by the military as well as law enforcement since World War I.

Utah Representative Carl Wimmer, a Republican, is the sponsor of this bill and he claims that this particular gun has defended liberty and freedom around the world as well as the United States. He also says this gun is an appropriate designation to a portion of the state history.    However, Democratic Representative Carol Moss from Holladay believes otherwise. She was good friends with Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and severely injured in the recent shooting in Tucson.

A recent Deseret News poll showed more than half of Utah’s population does not want a state firearm. The article also stated that most ideas for state symbols come from elementary students and some members of Congress do not want elementary students drawing a gun on a state symbol assignment.

To me, having a gun as a state symbol promotes violence and since those who are younger, especially those in elementary school, already make gun noises and pretend to shoot people, maybe gun promotion by the state of Utah is the last thing we need.  These students may one day be drawing a picture of this pistol. 

In light of the recent shooting in Arizona in which Congresswoman Giffords was shot in the head, I agree it is an especially bad time to honor a gun which is an instrument of violence.

I am usually not one to be overly concerned with what the states do, but I do not believe a state gun is necessary.  I believe there can be a different and more tasteful way to honor John M. Browning, other than to add his gun to the collection of state symbols.