Central Oregonians react to president’s gun proposals

In an emotional speech Tuesday, President Obama announced his plan to go around Congress and tighten laws aimed at curbing gun violence. We talked to a Bend gun dealer about those plans.

The president said most Americans, including Republicans, want tougher background checks for gun owners. During his speech, the president wiped away tears as he remembered the victims of recent mass shootings.

“Fort Hood, Binghamton, Aurora, Oak Creek, Newtown, the Navy Yard, Santa Barbara, Charleston, San Bernardino. Too many,” Obama said

Obama insisted that he’s not trying to take away everybody’s guns, but will be expanding background checks for gun owners.

Oregon has some of the strictest background checks of any state, said Eric Priller owner of Trigger Happy Guns in Bend, so he believes things won’t be changing much.

“It really doesn’t affect a whole lot in Oregon and Washington, because what he is trying to do is tighten up the background checks to be like Oregon and Washington,” Priller said.

Priller explained that there is a loophole in other states’ laws that the president is trying to address.

“You can walk into a gun show, not fill out any paperwork, pay cash and you can walk out with an assault rifle or any kind of weapon you choose,” he said.

But a sizable number of Oregonians disagree with the president, and argue that the answer to combating gun violence is having more responsible people armed.

“You look around town and we’ve had a number of armed bank robberies,” a Bend man said. “Do you think they’re going to rob the bank downtown with the armed guard in front of it or do you think they’re going to rob the Selco on Highway 20 because there’s no one standing with a gun?”

Priller said doesn’t expect his business will be hurt by the president’s announcement. “Every time Obama goes on TV our sales go up a little bit.”