President Obama flew to Roseburg, Oregon, Friday to meet with family members of the victims of last week’s shooting at a community college.
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Many locals are angry with Obama for calling for tighter gun restrictions in the wake of last week’s shootings at Umpqua Community College that killed eight students and a teacher. Twenty-two percent of American adults say they personally know someone who was killed by another person with a gun, with 6 percent saying the victim was someone in their family. But the president’s visit has raised the ire of many who believe his trip is meant to advance his gun control agenda.
“I want to thank the entire community and the entire state of Oregon for coming together at this bad time to support the families”, Obama said.
The visit is taking place in staunchly conservative Douglas County, which is bristling with gun owners who use their weapons for hunting, target shooting and self-protection.
Following his meeting with the families, the president said he’ll continue pushing for new gun-safety measures.
As Air Force One was making its way to the West Coast, gun violence visited two more college campuses: Northern Arizona University and Texas Southern University. A few protesters were armed and said they objected to what they called Obama’s politicized comments on firearms regulations after the tragedy.
Obama has been clear where he stands on gun control.
“Our message is: Mr. President, please don’t come to Roseburg”, Jaques said Saturday.
The President’s visit isn’t without protest.
Obama emerged from an hour-long private meeting with the families here and, speaking softly, delivered brief remarks that seemed to acknowledge both his personal frustration and the broader rancor that divides the country today on the gun issue.
Billie McMillian, a business owner from Eagle Point who attended the protest with her husband, said they came to support the families of the victims and because they didn’t agree with the president.
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Only a week after a gunman strode into a writing class and opened fire on classmates, many people in the region known as Oregon’s Bible Belt are quick to reaffirm their opposition to stricter gun laws. “He already says he’s going to politicize this – he’s already going to push his agenda”. He has said the December 2012 shooting at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut was his toughest day as president. Thomas Lifson also noted that Obama “referred to himself 28 times in the course of his 12-minute speech”.
