On their face, the executive orders on firearms announced Monday morning by President Obama are limited and modest. But in a hyper-charged political climate where compromise is viewed as capitulation, mentioning firearms and regulations often triggers an emotional response.
In the North State, the mood is more Montana than San Francisco. Firearms have been part of the culture here since the Gold Rush. Hunting remains a popular past time, crime is a growing concern and locals are generally averse to regulation.
North State Public Radio reached out to several hunting guides and gun shops. Perhaps illustrating the sharp ideological divide and financial stakes, none wished to be quoted. One Oroville gun dealer said as soon as the president appears, he turns off the TV.
Another man, a hunting guide, said he doesn’t get involved in the politics, it’s safer for him to keep his opinion to himself.
Mike Harper, owner of California Safe Company, a provider of gun safes in Chico said he’d prefer a country where guns weren’t needed but, that’s not reality. He said many restrictions devised reactively. The motivations for further regulations are often misplaced.
“A lot of people will, they will, you know, they’re blaming the firearm for what happened literally but it was the, a person who pulled the trigger,” Harper said.
He said reaching a political solution that would please many people doesn’t seem possible right now.
“Meeting in common ground is always going to be tough when people are never going to compromise on either side of the table,” he said.
