Print
E-mail
Comment
Locals worry about their right to bear arms
  
|
By STEFANIE THOMAS
The topic of gun control is traditionally a highly controversial issue, but in this year’s presidential election, some say it’s not much of an issue at all.
John McCain and Barack Obama have both been suspiciously quiet on the the subject - so much so that even members of local interest groups who could possibly be personally affected by changes in gun laws said the topic has been neglected and they have heard little about the candidates’ stances on gun control.
Kingwood resident Patrick Snyder called the subject of gun control a “taboo issue” that politicians are reluctant to talk about.
“Neither candidate has addressed the issue,” Snyder said, “because they don’t want to alienate certain voter blocks.”
More often than not, local residents are in agreement with McCain, who promises to preserve the Second Amendment for U.S. citizens, and insist that the right to bear arms is one of the constitutional rights the United States was founded on, and as such, must be protected at all costs.
“It’s my right to have a weapon, but Obama wants to take away that personal freedom,” said Kingwood resident Michael Adamoli as he attended a class to renew his concealed handgun license. “The main reason to have guns is not to kill Bambi; it’s to keep an oppressive government from happening.”
Adamoli said the gun control issue, although not nearly talked about enough by either candidate, will affect his vote during the upcoming presidential election.
“I’m worried they might pass a firearm ban on a federal level if Obama wins,” he said, adding that he likes to target shoot and would miss the sport if gun ownership by citizens were to be outlawed. “The guns are not the problem. It’s how society is raised these days and how people disrespect life.”
Jerry Frisby, of Atascocita, likes to hunt. He collects firearms and, like Adamoli, enjoys sport shooting at the gun range. He is also adamant about retaining the right to carry a handgun, or any weapon of his choosing, and believes in the Second Amendment.
“Every dictator, from Hitler on down, the first thing they do is disarm the population; that’s how they can control the population,” Frisby said.
Gary Lee, owner of Sportsman’s Outlet, a gun range in Humble that serves law enforcement agencies, said that gun sales are up, as are applications for concealed handgun licenses.
“People who have never considered owning a gun are now buying one,” he said. “They are worried about what’s going to happen in the election. If Obama wins, our sales will increase because people will be rushing even more to buy guns before he can make changes to gun laws.”
For more than five years, Department of Public Safety statistics show, Harris County produced the highest percentage of concealed handgun licenses in the state, with Atascocita leading the local count with 397 licenses issued in fiscal year ‘06-‘07.
Democratic Rep. Gene Greene, who was instrumental in instating concealed handgun licensing in Texas in 1995, said Congress is supportive of citizens protecting themselves and their property.
“I’m a life member of the NRA myself, and I’ve been endorsed by the NRA,” Greene said. “We may have gun laws on the books, but I still think we ought to be able to protect ourselves.”
Finding local residents to refute this thought is nearly impossible, as even, or perhaps especially, those who have been affected by violent crime feel the need to take precautions.
Snyder knows all about violence. In 2007, he and other family members mourned the violent death of Kingwood golf pro Colin Zieler at the hands of his ex-girlfriend and her new partner. Although he experienced first hand the devastation that can be inflicted by a deadly weapon, Snyder admits to owning a gun.
“Should people have the lethal means of defending themselves? Absolutely,” he said. “Police are reactive, not proactive, and anyone who doesn’t understand that is dangerously naïve.”
Snyder said that proponents of stricter gun control laws tend to shift responsibility on the weapon, rather than where it belongs, on the criminal.
“Some people think that the evil is inherent in the gun, but the fact is, the evil is inherent in the hearts of men,” he said.
Handguns, Snyder said, are a means of defense for the defenseless, especially women, the elderly, the weak and the outnumbered.
Phillip Lee Hudgens, of Porter, believes that the need for personal protection illustrates the state of today’s society.
“Children aren’t taught respect today, not just for themselves, but for other people and their property,” Hudgens said. “So as they grow up, when they feel disrespected, don’t like an answer, they’re liable to go get a gun.”
According to Greene, Washington, D.C. has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation in terms of obtaining concealed carrying licensing, yet violent crime is still high.
“Of course, guns are going to get in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. But here in Washington, D.C., the joke is that the outlaws have guns and the citizens can’t protect themselves,” Greene said, “and Washington, D.C. still has a higher crime index than Houston does.”
Danny Lee, sergeant and firearms instructor with the Humble Police Department, said that while stricter gun laws or a firearm ban would make it difficult or impossible for law-abiding citizens to obtain certain weapons, criminals would still be able to get their hands on guns, either by stealing them or on the black market.
“Even if you restrict the citizens, criminals will still have access to illegal weapons no matter what; they don’t care about breaking the law to get a gun,” he said.
Richard Leal, board member of Texans for Gun Safety, said that his organization does not question the right to gun ownership, but is primarily concerned about the safe handling and storage of firearms, especially around children.
“Guns are dangerous. They are designed for one purpose and that’s to kill, indiscriminately,” Leal said. “It’s a matter of who is at the front end, and the back end, of the gun.”
Requests for comments for this story to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Houston Mayor Bill White did not receive a response as of press time.
What locals say
“I didn’t realize gun control was even a hot topic. With everything else going on, the economy, the war, I don’t think the candidates’ opinions on gun control will be the deciding factor on who wins the presidency.” - Jack Thomas, Kingwood
“I have a 4-year-old little boy at home, so whatever [gun] laws the next president tries to push through won’t affect me. I don’t keep guns in the house.” - Diane Perry, Kingwood
“It bothers me to think that the right to defend my home, my family, myself could be taken away from me.” – Aaron Hutchinson, Humble
“I haven’t really heard either one of the presidential candidates talk much about gun control. It’s a touchy subject and they’ve been keeping pretty quiet about it. Plus, people have other things on their minds, like the economy.” – B. Larson, Humble area
“That’s the first thing a dictator does – disarm the people. After that, they pretty much have free reign.” – Jerry Frisby, Atascocita
“Guns belong in the hands of law enforcement, professionals, and that’s it. It’s irresponsible to allow pretty much everyone, even people who know nothing about guns, to buy a weapon.” - S. Novicki, Atascocita
“I just wish they would find a sure way to keep guns out of schools. It’s sad when you have to worry about sending your kids to school and be afraid that some other child took a gun from Dad’s closet and decides to fire it off at classmates.” - Babs Brown, New Caney
“Like the saying goes, ‘Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.’” - Fred Agnew, Humble area
What the candidates say
JOHN MCCAIN
Considers it his duty to protect law-abiding citizens’ right to keep and bear arms
Opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties
Advocates gun safety
Supports criminal background checks to help prevent criminals from buying firearms, including at gun shows
Opposes waiting periods for law-abiding citizens’ purchases of firearms
Opposes restrictions on assault rifles and bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines
”We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
”Law-abiding citizens should not be asked to forfeit their rights because of criminals.”
-- Source: www.johnmccain.com
BARACK OBAMA
Believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right
Respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms
Will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns
”Just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right.” - Transcript of Obama and Clinton debate, April 17
”I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns. What I think we can provide is common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.” - Transcript of Obama and Clinton debate, April 17
”The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.” - Remark at the Democratic Convention, Aug. 28
Early Voting
Registered voters may begin voting early in the Nov. 4 election until Oct. 24 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Oct. 25, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 26, 1-6 p.m.; and Oct. 27-31, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Early voting can take place at the Octavia Fields Branch Library in Humble, Humble Independent School District’s Instructional Support Center in Kingwood and at the Barbara Bush Library in Spring.
For more information on early voting or Election Day polling locations, visit www.harrisvotes.org.
John McCain and Barack Obama have both been suspiciously quiet on the the subject - so much so that even members of local interest groups who could possibly be personally affected by changes in gun laws said the topic has been neglected and they have heard little about the candidates’ stances on gun control.
Kingwood resident Patrick Snyder called the subject of gun control a “taboo issue” that politicians are reluctant to talk about.
“Neither candidate has addressed the issue,” Snyder said, “because they don’t want to alienate certain voter blocks.”
More often than not, local residents are in agreement with McCain, who promises to preserve the Second Amendment for U.S. citizens, and insist that the right to bear arms is one of the constitutional rights the United States was founded on, and as such, must be protected at all costs.
“It’s my right to have a weapon, but Obama wants to take away that personal freedom,” said Kingwood resident Michael Adamoli as he attended a class to renew his concealed handgun license. “The main reason to have guns is not to kill Bambi; it’s to keep an oppressive government from happening.”
Adamoli said the gun control issue, although not nearly talked about enough by either candidate, will affect his vote during the upcoming presidential election.
“I’m worried they might pass a firearm ban on a federal level if Obama wins,” he said, adding that he likes to target shoot and would miss the sport if gun ownership by citizens were to be outlawed. “The guns are not the problem. It’s how society is raised these days and how people disrespect life.”
Jerry Frisby, of Atascocita, likes to hunt. He collects firearms and, like Adamoli, enjoys sport shooting at the gun range. He is also adamant about retaining the right to carry a handgun, or any weapon of his choosing, and believes in the Second Amendment.
“Every dictator, from Hitler on down, the first thing they do is disarm the population; that’s how they can control the population,” Frisby said.
Gary Lee, owner of Sportsman’s Outlet, a gun range in Humble that serves law enforcement agencies, said that gun sales are up, as are applications for concealed handgun licenses.
“People who have never considered owning a gun are now buying one,” he said. “They are worried about what’s going to happen in the election. If Obama wins, our sales will increase because people will be rushing even more to buy guns before he can make changes to gun laws.”
For more than five years, Department of Public Safety statistics show, Harris County produced the highest percentage of concealed handgun licenses in the state, with Atascocita leading the local count with 397 licenses issued in fiscal year ‘06-‘07.
Democratic Rep. Gene Greene, who was instrumental in instating concealed handgun licensing in Texas in 1995, said Congress is supportive of citizens protecting themselves and their property.
“I’m a life member of the NRA myself, and I’ve been endorsed by the NRA,” Greene said. “We may have gun laws on the books, but I still think we ought to be able to protect ourselves.”
Finding local residents to refute this thought is nearly impossible, as even, or perhaps especially, those who have been affected by violent crime feel the need to take precautions.
Snyder knows all about violence. In 2007, he and other family members mourned the violent death of Kingwood golf pro Colin Zieler at the hands of his ex-girlfriend and her new partner. Although he experienced first hand the devastation that can be inflicted by a deadly weapon, Snyder admits to owning a gun.
“Should people have the lethal means of defending themselves? Absolutely,” he said. “Police are reactive, not proactive, and anyone who doesn’t understand that is dangerously naïve.”
Snyder said that proponents of stricter gun control laws tend to shift responsibility on the weapon, rather than where it belongs, on the criminal.
“Some people think that the evil is inherent in the gun, but the fact is, the evil is inherent in the hearts of men,” he said.
Handguns, Snyder said, are a means of defense for the defenseless, especially women, the elderly, the weak and the outnumbered.
Phillip Lee Hudgens, of Porter, believes that the need for personal protection illustrates the state of today’s society.
“Children aren’t taught respect today, not just for themselves, but for other people and their property,” Hudgens said. “So as they grow up, when they feel disrespected, don’t like an answer, they’re liable to go get a gun.”
According to Greene, Washington, D.C. has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation in terms of obtaining concealed carrying licensing, yet violent crime is still high.
“Of course, guns are going to get in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. But here in Washington, D.C., the joke is that the outlaws have guns and the citizens can’t protect themselves,” Greene said, “and Washington, D.C. still has a higher crime index than Houston does.”
Danny Lee, sergeant and firearms instructor with the Humble Police Department, said that while stricter gun laws or a firearm ban would make it difficult or impossible for law-abiding citizens to obtain certain weapons, criminals would still be able to get their hands on guns, either by stealing them or on the black market.
“Even if you restrict the citizens, criminals will still have access to illegal weapons no matter what; they don’t care about breaking the law to get a gun,” he said.
Richard Leal, board member of Texans for Gun Safety, said that his organization does not question the right to gun ownership, but is primarily concerned about the safe handling and storage of firearms, especially around children.
“Guns are dangerous. They are designed for one purpose and that’s to kill, indiscriminately,” Leal said. “It’s a matter of who is at the front end, and the back end, of the gun.”
Requests for comments for this story to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Houston Mayor Bill White did not receive a response as of press time.
What locals say
“I didn’t realize gun control was even a hot topic. With everything else going on, the economy, the war, I don’t think the candidates’ opinions on gun control will be the deciding factor on who wins the presidency.” - Jack Thomas, Kingwood
“I have a 4-year-old little boy at home, so whatever [gun] laws the next president tries to push through won’t affect me. I don’t keep guns in the house.” - Diane Perry, Kingwood
“It bothers me to think that the right to defend my home, my family, myself could be taken away from me.” – Aaron Hutchinson, Humble
“I haven’t really heard either one of the presidential candidates talk much about gun control. It’s a touchy subject and they’ve been keeping pretty quiet about it. Plus, people have other things on their minds, like the economy.” – B. Larson, Humble area
“That’s the first thing a dictator does – disarm the people. After that, they pretty much have free reign.” – Jerry Frisby, Atascocita
“Guns belong in the hands of law enforcement, professionals, and that’s it. It’s irresponsible to allow pretty much everyone, even people who know nothing about guns, to buy a weapon.” - S. Novicki, Atascocita
“I just wish they would find a sure way to keep guns out of schools. It’s sad when you have to worry about sending your kids to school and be afraid that some other child took a gun from Dad’s closet and decides to fire it off at classmates.” - Babs Brown, New Caney
“Like the saying goes, ‘Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.’” - Fred Agnew, Humble area
What the candidates say
JOHN MCCAIN
Considers it his duty to protect law-abiding citizens’ right to keep and bear arms
Opposes backdoor attempts to restrict Second Amendment rights by holding gun manufacturers liable for crimes committed by third parties
Advocates gun safety
Supports criminal background checks to help prevent criminals from buying firearms, including at gun shows
Opposes waiting periods for law-abiding citizens’ purchases of firearms
Opposes restrictions on assault rifles and bans on the importation of certain types of ammunition magazines
”We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens.”
”Law-abiding citizens should not be asked to forfeit their rights because of criminals.”
-- Source: www.johnmccain.com
BARACK OBAMA
Believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right
Respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms
Will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport and use guns
”Just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right.” - Transcript of Obama and Clinton debate, April 17
”I have never favored an all-out ban on handguns. What I think we can provide is common-sense approaches to the issue of illegal guns that are ending up on the streets. We can make sure that criminals don't have guns in their hands. We can make certain that those who are mentally deranged are not getting a hold of handguns. We can trace guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers that may be selling to straw purchasers and dumping them on the streets.” - Transcript of Obama and Clinton debate, April 17
”The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.” - Remark at the Democratic Convention, Aug. 28
Early Voting
Registered voters may begin voting early in the Nov. 4 election until Oct. 24 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Oct. 25, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 26, 1-6 p.m.; and Oct. 27-31, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Early voting can take place at the Octavia Fields Branch Library in Humble, Humble Independent School District’s Instructional Support Center in Kingwood and at the Barbara Bush Library in Spring.
For more information on early voting or Election Day polling locations, visit www.harrisvotes.org.
Submit a Comment
|
You must be logged in to post a comment.
|
Not yet a registered member?
Click here to become one. Comments to stories and articles on the Web site are not edited or pre-approved before appearing online. Readers posting comments are solely responsible for those comments. Comments must be germane to the story to which they apply. Online comments that are libelous, profane or personally attack another site participant can be reported as abuse using the link provided on each comment. Comments reported as abusive will be reviewed and may be removed from view, as will off-topic comments. BE CIVIL. Individuals continually posting abusive comments to the site may have their registrations revoked. |
