Foundation Declares Sandy Hook Anniversary as Guns Save Lives Day

(NECN/NBC News: Ilana Gold, Newtown, Conn.) - A gun rights group has chosen the one year anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, where twenty children and six adults were gunned down in an elementary school, to proclaim that day, December 14, as "Guns Save Lives Day."

There would be planned events across all 50 states.

"As far as I’m concerned, this is nonsense," said Linda Manna, a Newtown resident.

"It’s despicable, it’s reprehensible," said Monte Frank of Newtown Alliance.

Monte Frank says the day should be a time to remember the 20 children and 6 educators who were killed when Adam Lanza opened fire before turning the gun on himself.

"It’s not the right day, it’s pretty distasteful,” Frank continued.

The organization behind the idea for Guns Save Lives Day is called The Second Amendment Foundation based out of Washington State.

"We’re not doing anything that's insensitive at all. Quite frankly what we think is insensitive is attacking the law abiding rights of gun owners coast to coast and trying to pass legislation so people can have the means to protect themselves," said Alan Gottlieb, a member of the foundation.

The goal is to fight restrictions on gun sales, especially after Connecticut passed new gun laws.

"There’s a good side of guns and that every day on average 2,181 people use a firearm to protect themselves their property from criminal attack," Gottlieb continued.

People in Newtown say the group's entitled to its opinion, but don't want members coming here to demonstrate, especially since many are still grieving.

“They think it's very unfair.  We need to be left alone on the 14th. We're still a community in the healing process," Manna said.

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