Local Reaction to President's Gun Control Plans

CREATED Jan. 16, 2013

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  • Coachella Valley residents are sharing their opinions of President Obama's plans for gun control. Some people say the President's plan is an assault on our constitutional rights, while others say no one needs to own assault rifles. Video by kmir6.com

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Coachella Valley residents are sharing their opinions of President Obama's plans for gun control.
Some people say the President's plan is an assault on our constitutional rights, while others say no one needs to own assault rifles.

People are firing off opinions about gun control, and looking to other country's laws.
"The country of Switzerland has their own militia, they have in the home of every basic person because they don't have standing military, a full automatic weapon, and a cache of 5,000 rounds, they have no problems with gun violence," said Palm Springs resident, John Waschak.
Our northern neighbor of Canada has strict gun control.
"You know what I don't think it would probably be a bad idea limiting the round to ten, I don't know about the assault rifles, I think they've tried that once already and it didn't go over so well," said Canadian resident, Janice Allen who lives part-time in Rancho Mirage.
6Rounds Firearms Training owner and former police officer, Steve Casey, says California already has many of the proposed laws.
"For example they're talking about background checks on private party transfers of firearms which already happens in California," said Casey.
Stronghold Firearm Training owner, J.J. Witten, weighed in on the President's proposals.
"Just trying to go after law abiding citizens rather than going straight to the root of the problem, just because they pass new laws doesn't mean that's going to change anything for the criminals, the criminals are always going to have guns," said Witten.
But Witten says other parts of the plan are good.
"Universal background checks, which again, we already do in California, but also the mental health aspect I think is a really big part of it," said Witten.
Casey says assault rifles account for three percent of firearms fatalities.
"So we do have to look at as I said the criminal element, the handgun issues, that's where the problem lies, not with the so-called assault rifles," said Casey.
Instead, he says firearms training is missing in the discussion.
"You need training to get a driver's license for example, training to handle a firearm responsibly and safely is common sense," said Casey.
Meanwhile, the rush to buy guns and ammo continues.
The 6Rounds Firearms owner says certain types of ammunition are on back order until September.