Gun Owners Fear Restrictive Laws Will Eventually Limit Rights
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Gun owners and gun vendors watched nervously as four separate hastily introduced gun control proposals went up before lawmakers in Congress Monday evening after last weeks deadly shooting in Orlando.
"If these bills are rammed through and it's not taking up through the public to me, I feel like that is against my rights," said gun owner Brad Hughes. "I have a right to protect my son or family as well."
Hughes came to the Alpine Shooting Range in south Fort Worth to teach his son about gun safety. The topic of gun control was on his mind too.
"There's always probably room to do things better," Hughes said. "But there's a fine line between better and taking your rights away."
Hughes' worries about more restrictive laws are broadly shared by customers at the Alpine gun store next to the range.
Customers often rush to buy guns or accessories fearing they'll be banned. Store workers say they'd rather see tighter background checks than surges in sales after shootings.
"You know what is sad is a lot of times business is driven by tragedy," said Alpine spokesman Ryan Watts. "You know, that is not a real good place to be in either. So, whatever we can do, if they can come up with something that can actually help people save lives then we would be all for that."
With growing pressure in Washington to strengthen gun laws, Hughes worries his son's ability to easily buy a gun when he's an adult will have vanished.
"That's what I'm afraid of... that when he becomes my age or older he won't have those rights. They'll be stripped away," Hughes said.
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