Obama rails against gun rights, seeks tighter restrictions

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-urges-tighter-background-checks-gun-buyers-aurora-033815400.html

By Olivier Knox, Yahoo! News | The Ticket – 2 hrs 57 mins ago

In his broadest remarks on gun control yet in the aftermath of the mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater, President Barack Obama called late Wednesday for tougher background checks designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill.

"A lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals -- that they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities," the president, who has called for reimposing the Assault Weapons Ban, said in a speech to the National Urban League.

"I believe the majority of gun owners would agree that we should do everything possible to prevent criminals and fugitives from purchasing weapons; that we should check someone's criminal record before they can check out a gun seller; that a mentally unbalanced individual should not be able to get his hands on a gun so easily," he said. "These steps shouldn't be controversial. They should be common sense."

But Obama also offered a nod to the difficult politics of gun control, portraying himself as a believer in the individual right to bear arms, and acknowledging that calls to action after an incident like the one in Aurora often fade.

"When there is an extraordinarily heartbreaking tragedy like the one we saw, there's always an outcry immediately after for action. And there's talk of new reforms, and there's talk of new legislation," Obama said in his speech. "And too often, those efforts are defeated by politics and by lobbying and eventually by the pull of our collective attention elsewhere."

"And I, like most Americans, believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms. And we recognize the traditions of gun ownership that passed on from generation to generation -— that hunting and shooting are part of a cherished national heritage," he said.

The president also singled out youth violence, and warned that government can only do so much. "It's up to us, as parents and as neighbors and as teachers and as mentors, to make sure our young people don't have that void inside them," he said.

(It's unclear how much political capital Obama will risk in an election-year gun-control fight. On the way to Aurora on Sunday, White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked whether there would be no renewed push for the assault weapons ban. "I wouldn't argue with your assessment about that," Carney replied. And White House officials have repeatedly emphasized that they are focused on enforcing "existing law.")

On a lighter note, Obama warned American school kids that they have to "hit the books" if they want to compete with their peers in rising economic powers -- and avoid temptations like TV's "Real Housewives."

"You're competing against young people in Beijing and Bangalore. They're not hanging out. They're not getting over. They're not playing video games. They're not watching 'Real Housewives.' I'm just saying: It's a two-way street. You've got to earn success," he said.

"That wasn't in my prepared remarks," he said, to laughter from the crowd. "But I'm just saying."

[Danno 1,228]

One of the things most telling about gun banners like Obama is- So often they don't even take the time to understand the differences between guns.

If they did they would realize an Ak-47 copy is no different than most other hunting rifles he seems to support.

The AK typically just uses a larger magazine, but it doesn't shot any faster and the rounds being fired are often smaller than what many hunting rifles are.

Which one is the assault -weapon?

Edited July 26, 2012 by Danno

[Penny Lane 8,159]

(CNN) - Days after the Colorado movie theater massacre, President Barack Obama on Wednesday forcefully spoke out against gun violence, making perhaps some of his strongest comments yet as president on the issue.

While the president said he stands by the Second Amendment and recognizes the traditions of hunting and gun ownership in the country, he told a crowd at a gathering for the National Urban League in New Orleans that there is work left to be done in tackling the problem.

"I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers, not in the hands of criminals," Obama said. "That they belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities."

The president has largely steered away from talking about gun laws. While he visited the families of victims in Aurora, Colorado on Sunday, he did not wade into the political debate over gun legislation that dominated national dialogue over the weekend.

Talk of gun rights was also largely absent from Obama's speech in the aftermath of the Fort Hood shooting in 2009 and after then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others were shot in Tucson, Arizona, last year. The president mentioned gun safety only in passing after the Tucson shootings to describe the polarizing nature of the issue.

Two months later, he wrote an op-ed outlining a plan that included enforcing existing laws and rewarding states that provide the best data about gun owners. But until Wednesday, he had mostly refrained from making public comments about the issue.

On Wednesday, however, Obama emphasized a need for background checks and the prevention of "mentally unbalanced" individuals from obtaining guns. He faulted opposition in Congress for lack of progress made in reducing violence.

"These steps shouldn't controversial. They should be common sense," Obama said, though without elaborating too specifically on measures of enforcement.

"We should leave no stone unturned and recognize that we have no greater mission as a country than keeping our young people safe," he added.

Speaking aboard Air Force One as the president flew Sunday to meet with families of those killed, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Obama did not have plans to push for new legislation in light of the Colorado shooting.

"The president's view is that we can take steps to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them under existing law. And that's his focus right now," Carney said, adding it was too early to determine how the issue would play in the election.

Obama's silence on gun rights in the days after Aurora caused some critics to question the president's position on the issue. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Sunday pointed to Obama's 2008 campaign promise to reinstate a federal ban on assault weapons.

"The president has spent the last three years trying to avoid the issue, or if he's facing it, I don't know anybody that's seen him face it," Bloomberg said on CBS News, also calling on Mitt Romney to lay out his vision to reduce gun violence.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said Monday that he also saw no need for new laws and reiterated those comments on Wednesday, saying a change in legislation won't stop those who truly want to do harm.

"I don't know that I'm going be able to find a way to prevent people who want to provide harm from being able to purchase things that can carry out that harm. What I want to do is find the people that represent a danger to America and find them and keep them from having the capacity to use or buy things that can harm or hurt other people," Romney said in an interview with NBC News.

Obama on Wednesday, echoing similar refrains, said that government can only do so much in terms of preventing violence.

"Even as we debate government's role, we have to understand that when a child opens fire on another child, there's a hole in that child's heart that government alone can't fill," the president said Wednesday, stressing the role of families, teachers and community leaders in the upbringing of children.

– CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jessica Yellin and CNN White House Producer Gabriella Schwarz contributed to this report.

[^_^ 5,021]

The President is right. That's why the Second Amendment even exists. It's not there so people can hunt or shoot beer cans. It's there to enable the citizens to be citizen-soldiers should that become necessary.

[natty bumppo 297]

obama goes after the ak-47 ... why?

because it was used last week?

this dude needs to pay more attention and maybe buy a clue ...

[SMOKE 1,426]

obama goes after the ak-47 ... why?

because it was used last week?

this dude needs to pay more attention and maybe buy a clue ...

i'm assuming thats what came across the teleprompter.

idk the 'joker' used an ar15. must be because thats what he sent to mexico.

he needs to call mayflower. he'll be moving back to chicago in 2013.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

obama goes after the ak-47 ... why?

because it was used last week?

this dude needs to pay more attention and maybe buy a clue ...

Are they really AK-47's, or have they been demilitarized? Of course, using an assault (like) rifle on full auto just wastes ammo and destroys the barrel, so tactically, semi-auto is sufficient for most situations. I doubt if any law abiding citizens would ever need FPF, unless the zombies attack.

[natty bumppo 297]

i'm assuming thats what came across the teleprompter.

idk the 'joker' used an ar15. must be because thats what he sent to mexico.

he needs to call mayflower. he'll be moving back to chicago in 2013.

a uhaul would be better ... especially since the taxpayer is paying for the move

[Danno 1,228]

obama goes after the ak-47 ... why?

because it was used last week?

this dude needs to pay more attention and maybe buy a clue ...

He said Ak-47 because it has more exotic, dangerous sounding than AR-15.

These folks deal in deception on this issue, his very suggestion is that the AK-47 look-a-likes which can be bought are -

1. the same as a battlefield AK-47.

2. operational they are any different than the hunting rifles he says he supports. With the exception of -People often choose to use the higher capacity magazines with AKs. though any size can be used.

* It's cute the way he supports a 2nd amendment which in his mind is in place for "sporting purposes" ..hunting and target shooting.

Wow those founders just thought of everything... even the need for recreation!

Edited July 26, 2012 by Danno

[Obama 2012 1,714]

In Obama's world, he'd love the citizens to not hack assault rifles (or any guns for that matter) and the military to hold all the cards. It'd play rigth into the plans of growing the government even larger.

[JohnR! 5,495]

In Obama's world, he'd love the citizens to not hack assault rifles (or any guns for that matter) and the military to hold all the cards. It'd play rigth into the plans of growing the government even larger.

I think he meant the these rifles are for 'soldiers', as in these rifles belong in the hands of 'real men/women'. As it turns out these weapons always end up on the hands of complete wusses who can't shoot straight and drive very large vehicles. Speaking of overcompensating...

[Penny Lane 8,159]

* It's cute the way he supports a 2nd amendment which in his mind is in place for "sporting purposes" ..hunting and target shooting.

Wow those founders just thought of everything... even the need for recreation!

What? That isn't remotely what he said.

He said he supports the 2nd ammendment AND recognizes the tradition of hunting/gun ownership in America.

How did that translate to "he supports the 2nd ammendment which is in place for sporting purposes" to you?!

[Danno 1,228]

Obama: "AK-47s are for soldiers"

Maybe we are being too hard on Obamer......

maybe he is just trying to grow the local militia groups so that they are better prepared.

[natty bumppo 297]

What? That isn't remotely what he said.

He said he supports the 2nd ammendment AND recognizes the tradition of hunting/gun ownership in America.

How did that translate to "he supports the 2nd ammendment which is in place for sporting purposes" to you?!

read the 2nd again. it has nothing to do with "tradition of hunting/gun ownership"

[Penny Lane 8,159]

read the 2nd again. it has nothing to do with "tradition of hunting/gun ownership"

Right, and I'm not saying it does. I'm saying those are two separate statements.

He supports the 2nd ammendment and he also recognizes the tradition of hunting/gun ownership in America.

Why are we lumping the two together as if they're the same thing?