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| Obama calls for US gun control laws to be tightened in wake of Aurora shooting | Obama calls for US gun control laws to be tightened in wake of Aurora shooting |
| (8 days later) | |
| Barack Obama has addressed the issue of gun control for the first time since the Colorado film premiere shootings, appealing for "a consensus around violence reduction" and suggesting assault rifles "belong on the battlefield". | Barack Obama has addressed the issue of gun control for the first time since the Colorado film premiere shootings, appealing for "a consensus around violence reduction" and suggesting assault rifles "belong on the battlefield". |
| The president's comments came as the Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the US did not need new gun laws and argued that "changing the heart of the American people" might be the way to avoid future tragedy instead. | The president's comments came as the Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the US did not need new gun laws and argued that "changing the heart of the American people" might be the way to avoid future tragedy instead. |
| Gun control is a sensitive topic for both candidates, although a study published on Tuesday showed widespread support for some forms of tighter gun laws among gun owners and even National Rifle Association members. | Gun control is a sensitive topic for both candidates, although a study published on Tuesday showed widespread support for some forms of tighter gun laws among gun owners and even National Rifle Association members. |
| "I believe the second amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms," Obama said on Wednesday night. "But I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not on the streets of our cities." | "I believe the second amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms," Obama said on Wednesday night. "But I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not on the streets of our cities." |
| It was the first time Obama has addressed the issue of gun control since the Aurora shootings. Speaking to the National Urban League Conference in New Orleans, the president did not make specific proposals but raised the issue of violent crime in the US. | It was the first time Obama has addressed the issue of gun control since the Aurora shootings. Speaking to the National Urban League Conference in New Orleans, the president did not make specific proposals but raised the issue of violent crime in the US. |
| "Every day and a half, the number of young people we lose to violence is about the same as the number of people we lost in that movie theatre," Obama said. "I'm going to continue to work with members of both parties and with religious groups and with civic organisations to arrive at a consensus around violence reduction." | "Every day and a half, the number of young people we lose to violence is about the same as the number of people we lost in that movie theatre," Obama said. "I'm going to continue to work with members of both parties and with religious groups and with civic organisations to arrive at a consensus around violence reduction." |
| Obama's speech in Louisiana came as Romney said more restrictive gun laws would not have prevented the events in Aurora, where 12 people were killed and 58 injured during the attack at the premiere of the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises. Suspect James Holmes made his first appearance in court on Monday and is being held in prison. | Obama's speech in Louisiana came as Romney said more restrictive gun laws would not have prevented the events in Aurora, where 12 people were killed and 58 injured during the attack at the premiere of the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises. Suspect James Holmes made his first appearance in court on Monday and is being held in prison. |
| "Political implications, legal implications are something which will be sorted out down the road," Romney told NBC's Brian Williams in an interview in London. "But I don't happen to believe that America needs new gun laws. A lot of what this young man did was clearly against the law. But the fact that it was against the law did not prevent it from happening." | "Political implications, legal implications are something which will be sorted out down the road," Romney told NBC's Brian Williams in an interview in London. "But I don't happen to believe that America needs new gun laws. A lot of what this young man did was clearly against the law. But the fact that it was against the law did not prevent it from happening." |
| As governor of Massachusetts, Romney banned assault weapons such as the AR-15 used in the Aurora shooting. He described them as "instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people" as he signed the bill outlawing them in 2002. | As governor of Massachusetts, Romney banned assault weapons such as the AR-15 used in the Aurora shooting. He described them as "instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people" as he signed the bill outlawing them in 2002. |
| "Well, this person shouldn't have had any kind of weapons and bombs and other devices, and it was illegal for him to have many of those things already. But he had them," Romney said during the interview on Wednesday night. All the guns used in the shooting were purchased legally. | "Well, this person shouldn't have had any kind of weapons and bombs and other devices, and it was illegal for him to have many of those things already. But he had them," Romney said during the interview on Wednesday night. All the guns used in the shooting were purchased legally. |
| "And so we can sometimes hope that just changing the law will make all bad things go away. It won't. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what's essential, to improve the lots of the American people," said Romney. Gun control is a topic traditionally given a wide berth during an election year. Romney and Obama both refused to discuss tighter controls in the immediate aftermath of the shooting in Colorado. | "And so we can sometimes hope that just changing the law will make all bad things go away. It won't. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what's essential, to improve the lots of the American people," said Romney. Gun control is a topic traditionally given a wide berth during an election year. Romney and Obama both refused to discuss tighter controls in the immediate aftermath of the shooting in Colorado. |
| Republican pollster Frank Luntz was commissioned by a group of US mayors who are campaigning for tighter gun controls to carry out research on attitudes to guns. His report on Tuesday found that rank-and-file NRA members support positions that are opposed by the organisation's leadership, including a ban on selling guns to people who appear on terror watchlists and introducing a law requiring gun owners to report missing or stolen weapons to police. | Republican pollster Frank Luntz was commissioned by a group of US mayors who are campaigning for tighter gun controls to carry out research on attitudes to guns. His report on Tuesday found that rank-and-file NRA members support positions that are opposed by the organisation's leadership, including a ban on selling guns to people who appear on terror watchlists and introducing a law requiring gun owners to report missing or stolen weapons to police. |
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