Guns for Everyone to host pro-gun rally at Capitol to mark start of legislative session
Today is the first day of the new legislative session in Colorado -- and in a clear sign of contentious debates to come, a group called Guns for Everyone is staging a "pro-gun rally" to counter expected firearms-control proposals from Democrats this cycle. Organizer Edgar Antillon, a former House district candidate, tells us the event will be about freedom -- a topic, he says, with no room for debate. 
"This is about supporting the Second Amendment and supporting our freedoms," says Antillon, a 28-year-old from Westminster. "There are already laws in place to prevent criminals from getting their hands on guns. The problem is, criminals are criminals.... We can ban every single gun and criminals will still have guns."
When it comes to "bans on the so-called high-capacity magazine and the so-called assault rifle, even Governor [John] Hickenlooper is saying it's time to have a debate about guns," he goes on. But in his view, "there's nothing to debate about. My freedom is not up for discussion." 
Profile picture for the Guns for Everyone page. Facebook
This session, Colorado is expected to see a wide range of proposals for stricter gun policies -- and supporters say there is unprecedented momentum given the horrific tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut last month, in which twenty young children were killed.
The session is also beginning amid the high-profile preliminary hearing for Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes, which began in Monday and is continuing today. At the hearing yesterday, an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms testified about the purchases Holmes allegedly made of handguns, shotguns, rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, a 100-round drum magazine, an AR-15 and more before he killed twelve and injured dozens more at a screening of The Dark Knight Rises.
Representatives Diana DeGette and Ed Perlmutter, both Democrats, are both pushing forward with gun-control measures in D.C. -- and members of the Colorado House and Senate are already working on different gun-related proposals.
As Antillon referenced, Hickenlooper, too, is supportive of debate on the matter -- a reversal of his stance in the immediate aftermath of the July 20 theater shooting. 
Guns for Everyone Facebook Page
Continue for more on the protest planned tomorrow.
Email to Friend
Write to Editor
Print Article
