Asheville Tea Party promotes Gun Appreciation Day

Fresh off a gun raffle of an AR-15 assault weapon, the Asheville Tea Party is now promoting the “First National Gun Appreciation Day” this Saturday.

“We absolutely refuse to let the other side dominate the converstation,” said Jane Bilello, chairman of the Asheville Tea Party. “Gun-free zones and gun control don’t work, and the American people get that.”

Bilello said she knows the event, scheduled for this Saturday, will draw criticism. Organizers are “encouraging everyone to patronize their local gun shops, dealers, ranges, and gun shows on Saturday," according to a Tea Party press release.

But she remains adamant that the young children and teachers of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., were “sitting ducks” because the shooter met no armed resistance.