In Ore. visit, Obama will find grief but also resentment

Associated Press

ROSEBURG, Ore.

When President Barack Obama arrives here today, he will find a timber town still in mourning over the shooting that killed eight community-college students and a teacher. But he also will find another deeply held emotion – seething anger over his calls for new gun restrictions.

Only a week after a gunman strode into a writing class and opened fire on classmates, many people in the region known as Oregon’s Bible Belt are quick to reaffirm their opposition to stricter gun laws. At least one parent of a shooting survivor says his family will not meet with the president, although his daughter said she hopes to do so. And gun-rights supporters plan to protest during Obama’s visit.

“He’s not wanted here. He’s coming here purely to push his garbage, and we don’t want it,” said Michelle Finn, who is helping to organize the protests planned for intersections near the small airport where Obama’s helicopter is expected to touch down.

Staunchly conservative Douglas County is bristling with gun owners who use their weapons for hunting, target shooting and protecting themselves. A commonly held opinion in this area is that the solution to mass killings is more people carrying guns, not fewer.

A single unarmed security guard was on patrol the day of the shooting. For months before the attack, faculty and staff had debated whether to arm campus security officers, but they could not overcome their divisions on the issue.