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Local gun rights supporters lend support to LB 451
Right now in our nation there's a spotlight on gun violence. President Obama's administration is calling for stricter gun laws. And gun rights supporters in Nebraska are firing back.
Nebraska's initial response started with LB 451. Now local leaders are responding, too. Chairwoman of the Hall County Board of Supervisors brought up the bill Tuesday. It was introduced by Senator Charlie Janssen and would protect gun rights in the state if federal government enacted firearm restrictions. At the meeting, gun supporters had a discussion, they say when the government oversteps its bounds local government has the right to act. At the Hall County Board of Supervisors meeting gun owners took a strong stance for their second amendment rights. "What's going on in the nation now is unconstitutional and just taking our second amendment rights won't solve any problems at all," said Elaine Steinbeck. A grandmother of one, a mother of two and a wife, Elaine Steinbeck is a concerned gun owner. "If I'm in a public place and somebody starts shooting I would feel much better to know that there are concealed carry people in the audience," Steinbeck said. Calls of concern from the community regarding the Hall County's gun laws prompted Chairwoman Pamela Lancaster to bring the item up for an open discussion. "On January 3rd, I believe it was, that we took an oath to uphold the constitution. All elected officials do that," said Lancaster. The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in favor of LB 451 to preserve the second amendment. No one at the meeting spoke against it. The White House has made gun proposals that would require background checks, limit high capacity magazines and get assault weapons off the streets. LB 451 would prevent federal law from restricting gun owners in Nebraska. "For me it's not that I aspire to become Annie Oakley or something my issue is simply that the constitution has to be upheld," said Lancaster. "The bad guys are always going to have the weapons and the good guys aren't. The citizens need to be armed to protect ourselves and our family," Steinbeck said. The Board of Supervisors will draft a letter to Senator Janssen in support of LB 451. And we should add, Sen. Janssen told the Fremont Tribune that while some will say the state does not have the authority to draft a law like this, that the federal law, quote, 'reigns supreme,' he disagrees. Janssen said the tenth amendment protects the state from that. |
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