The Second Amendment Preservation act is pretty controversial. After all, a state announcing they weren’t going to enforce any federal gun control laws within their borders is one of those things that won’t sit well with many folks.

What really matters as far as Missouri’s lawmakers are concerned is whether it can withstand a court challenge–which it may well do–and how do the voters feel about it.

In Missouri, a recent poll found that the measure is popular enough.

Gov. Parson recently signed the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” allowing state and local officers to be sued if they try to enforce federal gun laws. The controversial measure led Philip Dupuis to resign as chief of police in O’Fallon. Fifty-two percent of Missouri voters support the state law, and 38% oppose the law (margin of error ± 5.8%). More than 59% of Republicans and Independents support the law, but only 16% of Democratic voters support the law.

Honestly, I’m surprised 16 percent of Democrats support it. That’s kind of baffling to me, but I’ll take it.

What’s interesting, though, is when you dig a little deeper into the numbers. It seems much of the support for the bill is coming from some rather surprising places.

First, on the matter of race. Among black voters, 39 percent support the law and another 19 percent aren’t sure. That leaves 42 percent opposed. With a difference of 3 percent, that’s within the poll’s margin of error of 5.81 percent.

Among non-whites in general, though, the support is even stronger. There, 48 percent support the law as opposed to 35 percent who oppose it and 17 percent who have no opinion.

Ah, but young voters. That’s where anti-Second Amendment groups have been putting their focus since Parkland. Surely they’re all kind of upset over this bill, right? Right?

Well, not so much. Among 18-29-year-olds, 60 percent approve of the law as opposed to 32 percent who oppose it.

So, what does this mean?

Well, without actually talking to the respondents, it’s hard to say for certain, but what you’re seeing happen in Missouri is that non-white folks such as Hispanics and African-Americans are fairly ambivalent to the measure or openly supportive because they may recognize that enforcement of gun control laws tends to land on their communities harder than anywhere else.

It may also have to do with more from these groups buying guns over the last year and a half. They now recognize that the Second Amendment really does protect their right to keep and bear arms, not just the rights of white folks. As such, the Second Amendment Preservation Act protects them as much as anyone else.

What’s not to like about that?

Regardless, it does seem that a law that has stirred up so much hate and discontent outside of Missouri hasn’t stirred up nearly as much within the state. It’s almost like the media doesn’t actually understand the American people all that well, especially in a state not on the coast. Shocking, I know, but here we are.

The Second Amendment Preservation Act doesn’t appear to be in a position to cost anyone their seat, which I know breaks the hearts of state Democrats.

Well, 84 percent of them, anyway.