Does the U.S. Need More Gun Laws?
Fourteen dead and 21 injured, that’s at least 35 families affected by the attacks in San Bernardino, California. Are stricter gun laws the answer? News 25’s Bryan Kennedy caught up with Coast leaders to see how to solve this problem.
It’s a scene that’s become all too familiar for Americans, victims being carried away from a crime scene stemming from gun violence. Wednesday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino that left 14 dead once again raises the question: does the U.S. need stricter gun laws? Some local gun proponents say regulation is no longer the issue. Gun Ho Owner Roger Caplinger said, “California’s gun laws are some of the most stringent gun laws in the entire country. We’ve done some transfers over to California and it’s absolutely one of the hardest places to purchase a firearm.”
Police say the man and woman behind yesterday’s attacks were armed with assault rifles and handguns. Mississippi State Senator Sean Tindell says one way to help is by addressing mental health issues. “I think, as a country, as a state, we need to do more to resolve these mental health issues that folks are having. But when you look at this, this is more about evil in people’s heart and not so much a mental health issue.”
Both men agree that it’s the person and not necessarily the gun that we should be worried about. They say a gun is simply an object until someone comes along, picks it up and uses it. They also believe creating new laws may not be the answer but bolstering the ones now could be the key. “I think one of the great things about this country is our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms to protect ourselves and instead of pulling back on that, I think we need to reinforce it,” said Tindell.
Gun Ho owner Roger Caplinger points out that most of these attacks aim at soft targets where people are unarmed and vulnerable. “The best case is to be trained, be ready and if something takes place to not be a victim, to not hide in a corner but to actually be proactive and handle up on the situation. That is what you should do.”
Gun Ho employees tell News 25 since yesterday’s attacks they’ve seen a spike in Coast residents wanting firearm lessons.
It’s a scene that’s become all too familiar for Americans, victims being carried away from a crime scene stemming from gun violence. Wednesday’s mass shooting in San Bernardino that left 14 dead once again raises the question: does the U.S. need stricter gun laws? Some local gun proponents say regulation is no longer the issue. Gun Ho Owner Roger Caplinger said, “California’s gun laws are some of the most stringent gun laws in the entire country. We’ve done some transfers over to California and it’s absolutely one of the hardest places to purchase a firearm.”
Police say the man and woman behind yesterday’s attacks were armed with assault rifles and handguns. Mississippi State Senator Sean Tindell says one way to help is by addressing mental health issues. “I think, as a country, as a state, we need to do more to resolve these mental health issues that folks are having. But when you look at this, this is more about evil in people’s heart and not so much a mental health issue.”
Both men agree that it’s the person and not necessarily the gun that we should be worried about. They say a gun is simply an object until someone comes along, picks it up and uses it. They also believe creating new laws may not be the answer but bolstering the ones now could be the key. “I think one of the great things about this country is our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms to protect ourselves and instead of pulling back on that, I think we need to reinforce it,” said Tindell.
Gun Ho owner Roger Caplinger points out that most of these attacks aim at soft targets where people are unarmed and vulnerable. “The best case is to be trained, be ready and if something takes place to not be a victim, to not hide in a corner but to actually be proactive and handle up on the situation. That is what you should do.”
Gun Ho employees tell News 25 since yesterday’s attacks they’ve seen a spike in Coast residents wanting firearm lessons.
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