LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed controversial legislation that would have allowed concealed pistol license holders to carry a concealed weapon in schools and other places that are currently off-limits.
The Republican legislature sent the now vetoed bill to the governor’s desk the evening of the shootings in Newtown.Supporters of the bill say it would have made the schools safer.
“The principal died defending those kids,” said State Rep. Dave Agema. Now, if that principal would have had access to a weapon, he could have stopped the killing or she could have stopped the killing rather. So, to me this is a common sense bill.”
Agema said more guns in the hands of adults who meet the requirements is the way to prevent shootings at places like Newtown.
“Personally, if I have kids and I have 10 grandkids and they’re in a school, I want somebody in that school to have access to a weapon to stop this kind of thing from happening, and the rationale that they say, they just have to eliminate all guns from schools, is irrational, because it’s not working, because the perpetrator always comes to those places cause they can get in so easily.”
He said with no guns in schools, they are like a sitting target.
“What would it be like as the US, if we told everybody else, we’re just going to disarm,” said Agema.”What do you think would happen to us? That’s what they’re asking to do, so to me it’s very simple, let people, honest people, who go through the checks that have the additional training, go ahead and carry.”
“There haven’t been cases of people with ccw’s and additional training like we’re asking causing a problem, they’re actually the solution,” said Agema.
Brendan Flanagan of Kalamazoo’s Isaac organization, an interfaith group, said now is the time to have a conversation about curbing violence in our society.
The mayor of Grand Rapids, George Heartwell, also weighed in on the issue Tuesday during a city meeting.
“In our communities, now is the time to end the violence and get under meaningful gun control,” said Heartwell “Let’s not sacrifice one more child in our national obsession with guns.”
The governor did sign and pass some other gun legislations that will make it easier for people to obtain a permit and purchase a gun.
For more detailed information on these bills visit www.legislature.mi.gov
