The group also educated students on gun rights laws with the hope of gaining support for its organization.
The Firearm Transfer Act, or House Bill 44, would have criminalized non-dealer firearm transfers at gun shows, according to the New Mexico Legislature website.
The so-called “gun show loophole” currently allows any person to buy a gun from a private seller without undergoing a background check or being subject to other regulations.
The bill was tabled and never reached the House floor for a vote.
At the rally UNMYAF addressed the issues of gun-free zones, concealed- and open-carry laws and the right to use firearms to protect oneself, one’s family or home.
“We want to talk about this because we are on a gun-free zone,” said Ryan Boyle, president of UNMYAF. “We talk about Sandy Hook and Columbine: these were gun-free zones and a shooting happened on them. If someone wants to bring a gun onto campus, they’re not going to follow those laws. We want to make sure we have the ability to protect ourselves in the classroom.”
UNMYAF was previously called UNM Conservative Republicans and has existed on campus since 2010.
The group has given multiple talks about the Constitution, brought Republican candidates for office to campus and opposed Occupy Wall Street by putting on an (Un)Occupy event, Boyle said.
They have also shown two movies on campus: “America: The Cost of Illegal Immigration” and “The Cost of Amnesty.” These stirred up controversy on campus, especially because of the use of the word “illegal,” Boyle said.
During the rally, which took place in the Smith Plaza, the organization also handed out water guns with small fact sheets about gun rights attached to them. A large display board with similar information was set up as well.
“When we have events like this we spread our messages and some people are changing their minds,” Boyle said. “Some people are a little more accepting of gun rights after talking with us. We’re just trying to get the message out and get people to agree with us and maybe, eventually we can talk to some of our legislators about creating a bill.”
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Marielle Dent is a staff reporter for the Daily Lobo. You can reach her at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Marielle_Dent.