Gov. Dannel Malloy (D., Conn.) made an odd comparison of enacting gun control to outlawing human sacrifice while speaking with Thomas Roberts on MSNBC Tuesday afternoon.
"We have freedom of religion but we don't believe in human sacrifice. We believe in freedom of speech, but you can't yell fire in a crowded theater," Malloy said. "Of course there are appropriate limitations on all of our constitutional rights. That’s been recognized time and time and time again."
In his example of limits to constitutional rights, Malloy equated the murder of another human being as part of a religious exercise to possessing a semi-automatic weapon.
Connecticut has some of the toughest gun laws in the country. Lawmakers in the state passed restrictions on large capacity magazines and assault weapons after the Sandy Hook massacre that occurred there in 2012.
In December, Malloy signed legislation banning any citizen on a federal government "watch list" from purchasing a firearm. The governor called it a "common sense" move the American people understand.
"Inaction is not an option. So in Connecticut we shall be acting," Malloy said.
Opponents say it restricts the Second Amendment rights of American citizens without giving them due process, arguing that many people are arbitrarily placed on the lists without any transparency in the system.
President Obama’s executive action would close the "gun show loophole" by placing the burden on anyone who wants to sell a gun for profit to obtain a license and conduct a background check on the buyer.