Pro-gun protestors greet Obama in Oregon

Shortly after landing in Oregon to meet with survivors and relatives of the Umpqua Community College massacre, Twitter became populated with pictures of demonstrators holding signs reading slogans such as “prayers not politics.”

That was an apparent reference to Obama’s statement last week that “our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” and that new gun controls are needed. He also said the country should respond to mass killings with more than sorrow and condolences.

“It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel,” Obama said Oct. 1. “And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America, next week, or a couple of months from now,” he said.

According to reporters traveling with Obama about half the crowd that greeted him was happy to see him and roughly half was not.

Signs greeting Obama, according to the pooled press reports, were “Please leave us in peace,” “Welcome to Roseburg,” “We support our Sheriff,” and “Gun Free Zones are for sitting ducks.”

As Air Force One was making its way to the West Coast, gun violence visited two more college campuses: Northern Arizona University and Texas Southern University. One person was killed at each while three were wounded in Arizona and one in Texas.

Instead of avoiding words that would invite charges that he politicized a tragedy, Obama embraced the notion last week.

“And, of course, what’s also routine is that somebody, somewhere will comment and say, ‘Obama politicized this issue,'” he said. “Well, this is something we should politicize. It is relevant to our common life together, to the body politic.”

Another sign, according to Twitter, read “no more gun-free zones.”