ROCKLAND —  A small group of men and women assembled at the corner of Park and Main streets in Rockland Saturday to rally against gun control. The rally was part of a nationwide protest that mainly took place in state capitals in 49 states, Alaska being the only state that did not participate. Saturday, Jan. 19, was National Gun Appreciation Day.

The protesters held signs against gun control and encouraged people to honk as they drove by in support of them. In the short time I stood on the corner, there were lots of honks.

Richard Ward Jr., of Rockland, was the organizer of the rally.

“I wanted to go to Augusta and be part of that rally, but decided instead not to make the drive and do something locally," he said. "We’re here to show support for the Second Amendment so it doesn’t get taken away."

A check with sources in Augusta indicates that there were approximately 100 individuals rallying in Augusta at the capitol in support of Second Amendment rights.

Paula Sutton, of Warren, one of the protesters said: “The Maine State Constitution is actually more specific about guns than the federal version. It says that the right to keep and bear arms shall never be questioned.

I looked it up of course. “Article 1, Section 16 of the Maine State Constitution reads: Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the common defense; and this right shall never be questioned.”

The event’s organization was advertised through Facebook on the “Guns Across America,” page. The protest was held just days after President Barack Obama unveiled a sweeping package of gun-control proposals. The organization has taken some criticism for organizing the rally on the weekend of the Martin Luther King Holiday.

Ward commented that he would have liked to see a larger turn out in Rockland, but understood that the weather was a contributing factor.

“I’m happy,” he said. “I’d say 80 percent of the cars that go by have honked. Not one person has voiced anything negative to us about being out here. And we’ve had a lot of support and positive things from people who walk by.”