Local residents react to gun debate - NBC40.net
As President Obama prepares to take the oath of office for the second time tomorrow, the ongoing gun control debate continues to rage around him.
Locally, shoppers in Somers Point expressed their opinions on a topic that has no clear answer.
"It's a tough situation, just like everything else in politics. I believe the answer is somewhere down the middle, it's not in the extreme right or extreme left," said Egg Harbor Township resident Andrew Parker.
None of the shoppers we spoke to today were in favor of a complete ban of guns.
Many however expressed their interest in tighter background checks and a halt to the sale of military style assault weapons.
"I don't believe they can ban all guns, some people have a right to bear them. But I don't believe in assault weapons for anybody," said Nancy Taschner of Egg Harbor Township.
"I think stronger controls have to be in order. It's too dangerous. All of these really horrible things that have happened lately, something has to be done," said Linwood resident Rick Ucci.
The opinions expressed here in Somers Point reflected the larger national debate with some blaming irresponsible gun owners and viewing gun control as an infringement on their constitutional rights.
"I don't think they have the right to take them away from us," said Scott Angstadt of Egg Harbor Township.
"A gun can sit there on the counter for 100 years and not kill anybody. It's the people using the guns, that's who kills people."
"I believe there's a lot of law abiding citizens that do the right thing," said Parker.
"Who take the NRA qualifying test and who do the responsible thing by bearing arms and I think some of the bad seeds are making it bad for everybody."
The gun debate will remain a question without an answer, at both the federal and local levels.
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