Mothers Group Plans Rally for Gun Control on Saturday

A group of mothers advocating for "gun sense in America" will gather on the north side of the State House on Saturday morning starting at 10:30 a.m.

One of the mothers in attendance will be Joanne Hafter, who has been an advocate for gun control since her daughter Lizzie was murdered in 2006 while attending graduate school at the University of Virginia.

Specifically, Hafter wants to pass Lizzie's Law which would require guns to be reported as missing within 24 hours from them being lost or stolen. The person who shot Hafter's daughter was in possession of such a weapon.

"The same people who think there should be a constitutional mandate to force Voter ID are they very same people who don't want to be responsible for the whereabouts of their guns," Hafter said.

Above and beyond Lizzie's Law, Hafter believes the time for meaningful gun control has arrived.

"There are gun stories every day. Not just one story, but two stories and three stories," she said. 

Hafter said, "the Supreme Court has said the 2^nd Amendment has limits. The government has every right to limit the available of weapons."

That being said, Hafter gets frustrated when people think that "government is going to take their guns."

"No one is saying people won't be able to own a six-shooter or a hunting rifle. What we're talking about is armor-piecing and hollow-point bullets," she explained.

Hafter also believes that the gunshow loophole should be closed immediately. "Anybody with a restraining order or a criminal record or who's had mental issues can walk in and buy a gun. It's crazy," she said.

Hafter admits she has a hard time understanding the many who hold their 2nd Amendment rights dear, "I have to question people who think they need an AR-15 to protect themselves from the government. Do they really think that will help them if their house is surrounded?"

She also knows that her struggle will be long and possibly in vain, particularly in South Carolina. "I’m not going to stop," she said.

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