MILWAUKEE – A group of activists, lawmakers, and gun violence prevention groups banded together Sunday afternoon to make a push for gun reform as the school year get’s underway.
Group representatives said they held the rally at North Point Water Tower because they believe active shooter drills shouldn’t be a part of a child’s educational experience.
Midwest Program Manager for Brady, one of the organizations taking part, Anneliese Dickman said the rally’s main focus was on promoting a push for universal background checks to keep kids safe.
“We wouldn’t let you decide whether or not you wanted to go through security before you got on a plane, but we let you here in Wisconsin decide whether or not you want to go through security to buy a gun. That doesn’t make sense,” Dickman said.
Less than three miles away at the U.S. Conceal Carry Associations Expo, which has drawn in more than 10 thousand visitors over the weekend, the conversation around school safety looked a lot different.
Managing director of government affairs for USCCA Delta Defense Katie Pointer-Baney said stricter gun laws are not the solution but rather “hardening” schools.
“We have to make sure that our schools and our education systems aren’t easy targets,” she said. “We can’t legislate our way out of crime and especially we can’t do that by placing more onerous restrictions on responsible gun owners.”
No firearms were sold at the expo but visitors were given the opportunity to check out new gear, attend seminars, and connect with one another. It’s a population of gun users Pointer-Baney said is rapidly increasing.
