State officials stick by their guns during rally Obama's acts blasted.

Hannah O’Neal, 13 (from left); Liberty O’Neal, 2; Nyah Anglin, 10; and Moriah O’Neal, 15, entertain themselves with toy guns during the state Capitol rally organized by the group Guns Across America. Hannah O’Neal, 13 (from left); Liberty O’Neal, 2; Nyah Anglin, 10; and Moriah O’Neal, 15, entertain themselves with toy guns during the state Capitol rally organized by the group Guns Across America. Photo: Lisa Krantz, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Lisa Krantz, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 32 Caption Close State officials stick by their guns during rally 1 / 32 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN — State officials resisted recent federal moves on guns Saturday as at least 1,000 activists rallied behind them at the Capitol.

The rally, crowded with gun owners and tea party and constitutional rights activists, was organized by the group Guns Across America. Led by Texas airline pilot Eric Reed, the group coordinated similar rallies in state capitals nationwide.

Speakers, including Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and freshman state Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, decried President Barack Obama's proposal to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and said it violates the Second Amendment.

“The Second Amendment was not granted by the Constitution, it was granted by our creator,” Patterson said. “Therefore, the government can't take away our right.”

Toth accused Obama of using the shootings in Newtown, Conn., last month as leverage to enforce gun restrictions.

“This president is using children as a human shield to advance a very liberal agenda,” said Toth, a pastor. “We don't need more laws, we don't need the heavy hand of government, we need people to walk in freedom and embrace God again.”

Speakers called upon the crowd to get behind proposed legislation that would arm school officials and allow concealed firearms on college campuses.

Toth urged attendees to support his so-called “firearms protection act,” which drew national headlines last week and would make it a felony for federal law enforcement agents to impose any semi-automatic firearm or high-capacity magazine restriction. He said he hopes to file the bill next week.

Activists at the rally wore anti-Obama shirts, and signs and shirts proclaimed, “Come and Take It” and “Don't Tread on Me.”

Jesus Garza, 23, of San Antonio said he attended the rally to show support for arming public school officials.

“To me, it's not about a type of weapon, it's about protecting the Constitution,” said Charles Jackson, 28, of Houston.

Patterson, who has announced plans to run for lieutenant governor in 2014, said he feels safer when carrying a gun, and that firearm homicides have decreased by 60 percent since 1993.

“When you go to a gun show, a Second Amendment rally or an NRA convention, do you notice how polite everybody is?” Patterson asked the crowd. “You know why that is, it's because we're all packin'.”

kparker@express-news.net