Gun debate rages on following President Barack Obama's executive orders
By: Marty Kasper
Updated: January 16, 2013
ROCKFORD - The gun control debate rages on.
"People can have guns like it's nothing," said
Brianna Stone, who supports new gun changes.
For some the danger is real and needs to be
addressed. For others, none of the
proposed legislation targets the problem.
"I don't see any laws making a difference, bad people
get bad things," said Stateline NRA member Mitchell Johnson.
Illinoiscarry.com spokesperson Valinda Rowe says
trying to limit what guns can be sold and how big the magazines are won't stop
violent people.
"We cannot ban evil, it is not possible," said
Rowe.
She also doesn't think putting restrictions on gun
shows will help either.
"The criminal is not going to a gun show to buy
a gun," said Rowe.
Other people say that we can't afford another tragedy,
and new gun restrictions might be the only option.
"I mean it's a little to late, look at all the massacres
that have happened, it's about time that they finally done something," said Stone.
But Rowe says it's an attack on the second amendment
and targets law abiding people.
"They are not doing anything that is going to
affect how the criminal operates," said Rowe.
But not all NRA members agree and some don't think
the proposed provisions are meant to chip away at a persons right to bare arms.
"If you have it for sport like shooting high power,
or clay pigeons like myself, or if you're a hunter, he's [President Obama] not
after our gun, and that's quoting the president," said Johnson.
While Johnson doesn't agree with everything President
Obama proposed, he doesn't think it's an all out assault.
"They're not going to knock on my door and ask for my
rifle or my shot gun or my pistol," said Johnson. "I just don't think that, I just don't see
that, maybe I'm nave."
Valinda Rowe says she would
rather see current laws more heavily enforced before new ones would get
imposed.
