The controversy over gun control hit Waco Thursday as protesters gathered outside the McLennan County Republican Club's monthly lunch meeting, where singer and gun rights activist Ted Nugent was discussing the right to bear arms.
About 20 protesters stood outside of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum. The protestors said they find it disturbing that the McLennan County Republican Club scheduled Nugent’s speech shortly after the deadly shooting in Parkland Florida, and at a time when students and others are calling for tougher gun control laws in effort to prevent mass shootings.
“What he's saying is totally at odds with reality and what the country needs to be doing to try to control this horrible epidemic of mass shootings," protester Alan Northcutt said.
In his speech Thursday, Nugent said it is not the weapon that is the issue its the person using it and the environment created that invites them to commit the crime. He said protestors are in deep denial to think that he does not want to save lives.
I don’t know why they can’t see that these are families here today,” Nugent said. “If we want to do real proven methods to save innocent lives especially in our schools were gun free zones force the entire assemblage into unarmed helplessness and that’s totally irresponsible.”
Nugent told Republicans in McLennan County that gun free zones are a curse, and more people should carry firearms.
"If you really want to sincerely and genuinely save innocent lives, you'd get rid of those gun free zones where criminals can have at it," Nugent said.
Protesters disagree.
“My daughter will start school soon. I want her to feel secure and excited, not nervous or scared,” Lilu Morten said. “With certain types of weapons of war, I'm scared."
This is the second time Ted Nugent spoke at a McLennan County Republican Club luncheon. The group says they are open to sit down with protestors to discuss gun control.