NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Once
again the debate over gun rights has taken center stage. Saturday, gun
advocates nationwide gathered on the steps of their state capitol buildings to
demand their rights.
Hundreds rallied at the
Tennessee State capitol for the "Guns Across America" event.
Participants say it's an immediate response to President Obama's announcement
this week. They say the proposal criminalizes
millions of law-abiding Americans. During his weekly address, President Obama
called for a ban on all military-style assault weapons, proposal gun advocates
say won't work.
"Many assault rifles, when
combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose and one purpose only:
to fire as many bullets as possible as quickly as possible. These weapons have
no place in our communities," said President Obama in his weekly address. "And
a majority of the American people agree with me."
"We agree with the
Department of Justice's report that was issued after the assault weapons ban
you mentioned expired," said John Harris, Executive Director of Tennessee
Firearms Association. "And that DOJ report concluded that after 10 years of
having it on the books, that it had no significant effect. And so our position
is first that those are the kinds of weapons that are protected by the
constitution anyhow."
Saturday in Nashville,
there was also a rally against gun violence. Family members of victims killed
in gun violence took to the streets for a march in South Nashville. They say
they know first-hand how destructive guns can be.
