New York gun shops will soon need to display state-approved warning signs.

The sign reads:

Access to a weapon or firearm in the home significantly increases the risk of suicide, death during domestic disputes, and/or unintentional deaths to children, household members, and others. If you or a loved one is experiencing distress and/or depression, call the national suicide prevention lifeline at 988.

To anyone with a brain, this is self-evident! Weapons can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Duh! In related news, water is wet, coffee is commonly served hot and the sky is blue.

The overlords in New York think that by mandating these signs, which tell people something they already know, they’ll “raise awareness” or “save lives.”

But really, it’s a message that no law-abiding citizen needs to hear. We know that we shouldn’t arm violent felons, the mentally ill, or minors. It’s common sense! Not only that, there’s a federal law prohibiting it!

We also know that, as the sign tacitly implies, almost any common household item can be weaponized. Everything from a kitchen knife to a cast iron skillet can be used to harm another.

Heck, some crazies even try to hurt one another with bleach!

Point is, it’s about the people in one’s home, not the tools or “weapons.” If you live with people at risk of hurting themselves or others, you really have two options: leave or get them help.

Because as hard as you try, you can’t practically turn your home into a hazard-free, solitary confinement cell.

Now, kids are a different category, obviously. You have to take age-appropriate precautions. And, when the time is right, teach them essentials like how to swim, how to call for help, how to properly handle a firearm, etc. Parenting 101.

Again, all of this is obvious and doesn’t need to be stated. So why are the NY nanny-staters mandating FFLs to hang these stupid signs?

Brandon Lewis, owner of The Firing Pin Indoor Shooting Range and Gun Shop in Bergen, NY, had an interesting observation.

He spoke to WHAM 13 about the new law, which is awaiting Gov. Hochul’s signature (no doubt she’ll sign it).

“We just see this as attacking the symptoms as opposed to the root issue of trying to solve some of these societal problems that we have,” Lewis said. “Are car manufacturers going to have to say you’re more likely to get in a car accident by buying this vehicle?”

“We definitely see this as a stepping stone, almost making firearms like cigarettes, and how they’re now just seen as an overall negative in society,” Lewis added. “We ignore any positive the firearms might have.”

Well, Lewis is not wrong about it being a stepping stone of sorts.

Because Rochester City Councilmember Willie Lightfoot, the head of the ROC Against Gun Violence Coalition, told the news outlet that there are more mandates in the works.

“We want to be very clear that there’s no attack against gun dealers and legal gun owners,” Lightfoot said.

“However, we need to do our due diligence to those 10 percent of gun dealers who are operating immorally, unethically,” he continued. “We also are advocating for more inspections. Some of these gun dealers are only inspected once every 10 years. We’re looking for annual inspections of these gun dealers.”

The state is turning the screws to FFLs. It starts with the sign, then frequent inspections. And guess what happens when the sign is not properly posted during the annual inspection? Bingo. They get shut down.

This whole sign B.S. isn’t about “raising awareness” or “saving lives.” It’s about control and compliance. It’s a slippery slope designed to tighten the grip on gun shops, it’s about pushing FFLs to the brink with constant scrutiny and bureaucratic red tape.

The sign mandate is just the beginning.

(Anyone who doubts that this is a slippery slope should look at what the Golden State is doing. They’re now forcing FFLs to buy costly 24-hour security equipment along with million-dollar liability insurance.)

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