The heated gun debate drew advocates from both sides to the Capitol Wednesday for rallies.
This is a battle is being waged all around the country. And with the rich history that our state has with guns, PA is becoming the center of this debate.
The topic is heated, with plenty of emotion. Rita Whellings, is pro gun control. She says she doesn't want to see anymore guns. "If you take the guns the good and the bad won't happen. So you don't want to see any guns at all? I don't want to see any guns at all because the good people's guns can fall into the hands of the bad people."
William Slack, is anti-gun control. He says there are things more dangerous than guns. "I believe more people died from knife wounds than gun wound every year. And you going to take away knives? More people get killed in vehicle accidents. Are you going to outlaw vehicles."
Hundreds of people on both sides of the gun control issue delivered their messages to lawmakers. The pro-gun control crowd wants to see tighter laws; more background checks and a ban on assault style rifles and high capacity magazines. The other side says, that won't save any lives and just limit freedom.
The differences in opinion lead the crowds to be loud and energized. But they were also very peaceful. William Taylor Reil, says the Second Amendment, shouldn't be questioned. "The PA constitution says in Article 1, Section 21, that the rights of the citizen to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state should not be questioned. Nothing unclear about that language in my mind."
Lynn Wetherbee, pro-gun control says, everyone should be educated. "I think it's educational for him to be a part of this and I want the future for him to be better than it is now; safer."
Also today a Republican representative from Butler, PA introduced a bill that would make it crime for the Attorney General or any other law enforcement in PA to enforce any new federal gun laws.
Wyoming and Texas have introduced similar bills.