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'It can change': Obama demands gun control action after Oregon shooting 'It can change': Obama demands gun control action after Oregon shooting
(about 3 hours later)
Barack Obama has channelled a disgust with his own country’s unique propensity for firearm violence in a direct call to the American people to finally push for gun control laws, following a mass shooting at a school in Oregon.Barack Obama has channelled a disgust with his own country’s unique propensity for firearm violence in a direct call to the American people to finally push for gun control laws, following a mass shooting at a school in Oregon.
In what was one of the most powerful speeches of his administration – and the 15th following a shooting – the US president made an openly political call for voters to do what politicians and the American gun lobby have not: pressure legislation to keep guns out of the hands of people like the 20-year-old man who killed at least 10 people on Thursday inside Umpqua community college. In what was one of the most powerful speeches of his administration – and the 15th following a shooting – the US president made an openly political call for voters to do what politicians and the American gun lobby have not: pressure legislation to keep guns out of the hands of people like the 26-year-old man who killed at least nine people on Thursday inside Umpqua community college.
“We are not the only country on earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people,” he said at the White House, as details of the shooting in the town of Roseburg remained unclear. “We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.”“We are not the only country on earth that has people with mental illnesses or want to do harm to other people,” he said at the White House, as details of the shooting in the town of Roseburg remained unclear. “We are the only advanced country on earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months.”
Obama praised the UK and Australia – “countries like ours” – in having come up with “ways to prevent” mass shootings. But Obama reiterated his concern that the country he leads was the only advanced nation that did not have “sufficient, commonsense” gun laws. The shooter in Roseburg reportedly had four guns in his possession.Obama praised the UK and Australia – “countries like ours” – in having come up with “ways to prevent” mass shootings. But Obama reiterated his concern that the country he leads was the only advanced nation that did not have “sufficient, commonsense” gun laws. The shooter in Roseburg reportedly had four guns in his possession.
“Somehow this has become routine,” he said, before speaking a cold truth: “There is a gun for roughly every man, woman and child in America.”“Somehow this has become routine,” he said, before speaking a cold truth: “There is a gun for roughly every man, woman and child in America.”
“I hope and pray that I am not going to have come out again during my tenure as president to offer my condolences in these circumstances. But, based on my tenure as President, I can’t guarantee that – and that’s terrible to say. And it can change.”“I hope and pray that I am not going to have come out again during my tenure as president to offer my condolences in these circumstances. But, based on my tenure as President, I can’t guarantee that – and that’s terrible to say. And it can change.”
Obama was as visibly frustrated as his remarks in the hours following shootings in Newtown, Connecticut; in Charleston, South Carolina; in so many other places in the past several years. “My response here at this podium ends up being routine. The conversation in the aftermath even ends up being routine. We become numb to this.Obama was as visibly frustrated as his remarks in the hours following shootings in Newtown, Connecticut; in Charleston, South Carolina; in so many other places in the past several years. “My response here at this podium ends up being routine. The conversation in the aftermath even ends up being routine. We become numb to this.
“Our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” he said. “It’s not enough.“Our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” he said. “It’s not enough.
“This is a political choice that we make, to allow this to happen every few months in America,” he said. “We collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones because of our inaction.“This is a political choice that we make, to allow this to happen every few months in America,” he said. “We collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones because of our inaction.
“When Americans are killed in mine disasters, we work to make mines safer. When Americans are killed in foods and hurricanes, we make communities safer. When roads are unsafe, we fix them to reduce auto facilities; we have seatbelt laws because we know it saves lives.“When Americans are killed in mine disasters, we work to make mines safer. When Americans are killed in foods and hurricanes, we make communities safer. When roads are unsafe, we fix them to reduce auto facilities; we have seatbelt laws because we know it saves lives.
“So the notion that gun violence is somehow different,” he said, visibly frustrated, “that our freedom and our constitution prohibits any modest regulation of how we use a deadly weapon – when there are law-abiding gun owners all across the country who could hunt, protect their families and do everything they do under those regulations – doesn’t make sense.”“So the notion that gun violence is somehow different,” he said, visibly frustrated, “that our freedom and our constitution prohibits any modest regulation of how we use a deadly weapon – when there are law-abiding gun owners all across the country who could hunt, protect their families and do everything they do under those regulations – doesn’t make sense.”
Obama went on to call for voters directly to make gun control an issue at the ballot box in future elections.Obama went on to call for voters directly to make gun control an issue at the ballot box in future elections.
To “get our government to change these laws and save lives”, he said, “requires a change in politics on this issue. It will will require that the American people individually – whether you are a Democrat, or a Republican or an independent – when you decide to vote for somebody are making a determination as to whether this cause of continuing death for innocent people should be a relevant factor in your decision. If you think this is a problem, then you should expect your elected officials to reflect your views.”To “get our government to change these laws and save lives”, he said, “requires a change in politics on this issue. It will will require that the American people individually – whether you are a Democrat, or a Republican or an independent – when you decide to vote for somebody are making a determination as to whether this cause of continuing death for innocent people should be a relevant factor in your decision. If you think this is a problem, then you should expect your elected officials to reflect your views.”
The last serious effort to pass gun control legislation in the United States was the so-called Manchin-Toomey amendment in 2013, following the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting in which 20 children died and Obama gave a powerful response from behind the same White House podium.The last serious effort to pass gun control legislation in the United States was the so-called Manchin-Toomey amendment in 2013, following the Newtown, Connecticut, school shooting in which 20 children died and Obama gave a powerful response from behind the same White House podium.
The Senate proposal, jointly offered by conservative West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin and Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey, would have expanded federal background checks to close the so-called gun show loophole.The Senate proposal, jointly offered by conservative West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin and Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey, would have expanded federal background checks to close the so-called gun show loophole.
Currently, under federal law, background checks are only required for gun purchases from a federally licensed dealer and not private sales at a gun show or on the internet. The 2013 legislation would have made such transactions subject to background checks to ensure that buyers did not have criminal records or mental illness.Currently, under federal law, background checks are only required for gun purchases from a federally licensed dealer and not private sales at a gun show or on the internet. The 2013 legislation would have made such transactions subject to background checks to ensure that buyers did not have criminal records or mental illness.
The proposal received only 54 votes in the Senate and failed to clear a 60-vote supermajority needed to advance.The proposal received only 54 votes in the Senate and failed to clear a 60-vote supermajority needed to advance.
In contrast to Obama’s call to double down on gun control legislation, the Gun Owners of America, a conservative alternative to the National Rifle Association, cast the blame in a Facebook post on Umpqua community college for being a gun-free zone.In contrast to Obama’s call to double down on gun control legislation, the Gun Owners of America, a conservative alternative to the National Rifle Association, cast the blame in a Facebook post on Umpqua community college for being a gun-free zone.
Obama also called on gun owners “to think about whether your views are properly being represented by the organisation that suggests it’s speaking for you”.Obama also called on gun owners “to think about whether your views are properly being represented by the organisation that suggests it’s speaking for you”.
“Each time this happens, I’m going to bring this up,” he said. “Each time this happens, I am going to say that we can actually do something about it but we’re going to have to change our laws. And this is not something I can do by myself.”“Each time this happens, I’m going to bring this up,” he said. “Each time this happens, I am going to say that we can actually do something about it but we’re going to have to change our laws. And this is not something I can do by myself.”
By one count, the Roseburg massacre was the 994th mass shooting in the US since Obama was reelected in late 2012.By one count, the Roseburg massacre was the 994th mass shooting in the US since Obama was reelected in late 2012.