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FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The majority of Fairfield readers want at least some form of stricter gun control after Friday’s school shooting in Newtown, according to The Fairfield Daily Voice’s unscientific poll.
About 83 percent of respondents in Tuesday’s poll chose one of the three “Yes” options to the question “Do you think gun control laws should be strengthened after the shooting deaths of 26 people in Newtown?” The remaining 17 percent of responses were against gun control.
Of the 83 percent in favor, a full third said they would support banning all guns, while 33 percent favored banning just assault rifles. Another 33 percent said they would favor an assault weapon ban and making it more difficult to obtain other weapons.
“I'm all for anti-gun laws but in this specific case, I don't see how any form of legislation would have prevented this tragic event,” Fairfield reader "danlatham" wrote in the comments section of the poll Tuesday. “This case is so complex and gun laws are just a piece of it.”
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D) called for bans on assault weapons and other changes to gun laws in a speech on the Senate floor Tuesday, saying, “There is no reason that such weapons should be for sale in America today.”
He also said there should be limits on the size of magazines, better protections against people with mental illnesses from obtaining firearms and background checks for all weapons purchases. He acknowledged that the Second Amendment offers protections to gun owners who have been upheld by the Supreme Court, but pledged to work to strengthen gun control.
“I will work to find a solution to this crisis – because it is a crisis – and I will not be deterred by any organization or campaign that uses scare tactics or intimidation,” Blumenthal said. “Because there was nothing more frightening than looking into the eyes of the parents who lost their children last Friday – that is any parent’s worst nightmare.”
The National Rifle Association also released its first public statement since the shooting Tuesday. The lobbyist group did not join the debate on gun violence since Friday “out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency,” the organization’s statement reads.
The NRA’s statement did not mention any specific plans or stances. The group said that it will hold a press conference Friday in Washington about the incident.
“The NRA is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again,” its statement said.
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