Commenters React to Gun Debate

Tensions ran high at a panel on gun control last Sunday, as pro-gun advocates intentionally packed the Glenview Police Station auditorium for the event, which was held by the New Trier Democrats. The debate has continued, however, in the Patch comment sections on the articles about the panel.

“It was a pretty intense environment,” said commenter Jennifer Mcquet. “On the way out, had a very engaging conversation with two intelligent, well-informed NRA gentlemen (not to be confused with those that were not acting in a civil fashion and just loudly sprouting their own stats). They did not know one another, but shared their individual viewpoints with us and we did with them. All of agreed we could agree on background checks and longer waiting periods. More listening, less shouting might be a good stop forward. 

Commenter Rabbi Cheerio said, “I was there, it was fun — about 98% pro liberty. More lies and propaganda from the gun haters. Very few of them there. 

The Police, a commenter who identified himself as a police officer, noted that he felt the debate on gun control was in violation of his Constitutional rights.

“I intend to call to anyone’s attention hat will listen that the problem is not guns, it is PEOPLE,” he wrote. “People like the assailant [Adam] Lanza, who after being kept hiding in his mother’s basement drinking Mountain Dew and playing violent video games for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours, killed his mother, donned his earplugs, stole his dead mother’s car and guns and killed those young children.”

Commenter Amy Parker, however, disagreed.

“[I’m] very glad that we live in a country where it is possible to have a reasonable debate about issues that affect all citizens, not just people who own guns,” she wrote. “We DO, in fact, need to have a discussion about this matter. It is not necessarily true that the second amendment intended for Joe and Jane Citizen to own military-style weapons and have access to high-capacity magazines. … None of us have unlimited rights, ever. And gun-owners should not be an exception.”

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