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LEICESTER, Mass. — Calls to strengthen the nation's gun control laws have come from parents and politicians — and even the president — in the days since 20 children and six adults were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown. Leicester, tell us what you think in the poll and comments section below.
Leicester, do you think gun control laws should be strengthened after the shooting deaths of 26 people in Newtown?
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Yes. But only ban assault weapons and large-ammunition clips.
26% -
Yes. Ban assault weapons and also make it harder for people to buy guns.
26% -
Yes. Ban all guns.
4% -
No. It is our right to own guns.
43% -
Undecided
0%
The nation must "take meaningful action," President Barack Obama said when he spoke just a few hours after the shooting Friday. He repeated his call for the nation to discuss gun laws when he spoke at a vigil in Newtown on Sunday.
“We can't accept events like these as routine," Obama said in his speech. "Are we really prepared to say we are powerless in the face of such carnage — that the politics are too complicated?"
Gun-rights supporters, including the National Rifle Association, have been mostly quiet since the shooting. Republican U.S. Reps. Louis Gohmert of Texas and Don Richardson of Oregon have suggested arming more school faculty members.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says she plans to introduce a bill that would ban assault weapons when the next Congress comes into session after the New Year.
Comments (3)
The school was in a gun free zone. The shooter did not care. The only people obeying the law were the teachers and they were unable to protect themselves or the children. Gun bans and laws are not followed by criminals and the mentally ill.
I don't remember where I saw it, but recently someone wrote "with firearms comes great responsibility." Some people understand how great the responsibility is of owning a firearm and some people don't. The people who don't shouldn't have them, but ultimately how do you figure out who those people are? I think Massachusetts has a good model of training, license, registration and requiring firearms to be secured. Of course that still doesn't prevent someone from being irresponsible in how they store a firearm or who they provide access to their firearms. The whole thing is complicated and will require an adult conversation and I just don't think most people are in a position of having an adult conversation on this topic.
MA has one of the strictest gun laws but many other states don't. They need to enforce the laws the have, make them consistent and strong across all states and HOLD THE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE! We have the right to own & posess guns for lawful purpose. As always, its the unlawful people who screw it up for the rest of us. If you outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns.