‘Gun Appreciation Day’ planned close to inauguration

A collection of conservative and gun rights groups are joining together for a “Gun Appreciation Day” on Jan. 19, two days before President Obama’s second inauguration.

The group is emulating the anti-gay marriage activists who made the Christian fast food chain Chick-fil-A into a national conservative cause with “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.” 

The group is asking supporters to turn out in droves at gun stores, gun counters, gun shows, and gun ranges to protest what they see as government overreach in the wake of the Sandy Hook elementary school shootings.

Obama and Democrats are pushing for the reinstatement of an assault weapons ban. A White House working group is also considering broader measures to mandate universal background checks for firearm buyers, track the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, strengthen mental health checks, and stiffen penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors.