Gun debate consumes Washington

Washington has turned into ground zero for the nation’s polarizing gun debate, with rifle-toting protesters lining the banks of the Potomac, Congress on the verge of potentially gutting the District’s gun regulations, and area lawmakers calling for a crackdown on gun shows.

The events coincide with the anniversaries of the Oklahoma City bombing and Virginia Tech massacre, which have galvanized both sides in their cries to limit or expand gun control in the
region.

With unloaded rifles over their shoulders and handguns at their sides, protesters carried their weapons to the edge of the District Monday, alluding to the Potomac River as a virtual buffer to their Second Amendment rights.

Some dressed on Patriots’ Daylike it was 1775, donning Colonial-styled hats and citing some Founding Fathers as inspiration for their right to carry guns in public.

“The rifle is a symbol of our liberty,” said Andrew Graves, one of dozens who gathered at Alexandria’s Gravelly Point Park. “This is a battle for the Constitution. I can’t think of anything more important to fight for.”-[source]