Sheriffs Address Gun Rights Supporters' Concerns At Tea Party Meeting
YUBA CITY (CBS13) - Local sheriffs and gun rights supporters joined forces Monday to voice their opposition to tougher gun control laws in California.
The Sutter Buttes Tea Party held a town hall meeting over what they called "an assault on the Second Amendment." It was standing room only as more than 100 people showed up to hear what their local sheriffs had to say about the push for stricter gun laws.
"I have absolutely no intention, folks, of rounding up law-abiding citizens and taking their guns from them," said Yuba County Sheriff Steve Durfor.
A packed room of gun rights supporters listened as the Yuba and Sutter County sheriffs addressed their questions on tougher gun laws. And at the meeting, they all had the same opinion.
"I don't want anybody to take them away," Yuba City resident Jerry Jaeger said.
"We should have the right to protect our families and protect our homes," resident Anita Grimm said.
After the school shooting in Connecticut and several other mass shooting tragedies, Congress is looking at stricter gun laws. But both sheriff's departments don't think there's much of a reason for Second Amendment supporters to be concerned just yet.
"I don't really foresee it getting much stricter in California," Sutter County Sheriff J. Paul Parker said. "I really don't. I think they are about as strict as constitutionally viable right now."
"At this point, I think we need to wait and see how these things are taking shape, and what ultimately is the legislation that is going to be proposed and introduced," Durfor said.
But Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi says we need changes, including more extensive background checks for those who buy assault weapons.
"There should be no excuse for someone to say, 'well we don't need a strong background check bill because we've eliminated some of the dangerous weapons,' " she said. "After Newtown and after all that we know, if we do not act upon that and have effective, strong background checks that do the job, shame on us."
In a room that was clearly united in support of the Second Amendment, it's clear they're firing shots at their congressional leaders.
"I think we are losing our freedoms little by little by little, and I think this is just one more way for the government to have control," said Grimm.
This was a local Tea Party meeting that is held every few weeks. The sheriffs were asked to speak about this topic and several others as well.
Attendees say the meeting was informative, but they still want to see what Congress does.
