Senator Ted Cruz, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, emailed supporters an image of the president in combat uniform, complete with helmet, claiming “Obama wants your guns”. Also in the audience will be Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, the soldier portrayed in the movie “American Sniper” who was murdered in a gun crime.
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“There’s the reality that there are neighborhoods around this country where it’s easier for 12- and 13-year-olds to purchase a gun, and cheaper, than to buy a book”, he said at George Mason University in Fairfax at a one-hour event broadcast by CNN and moderated by Anderson Cooper.
“The National Rifle Association sees no reason to participate in a public relations spectacle organized by the White House”, NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said Wednesday, affirming the NRA’s rejection of its invitation to participate. So when the president and the Democrats insist hysterically that we must institute universal background checks to reduce mass shootings, the American people smell a rat. “I just came back from Alaska where I ate a moose that had just been shot, and it was pretty good”.
In a primetime, televised forum, the president dismissed what he called a “conspiracy” alleging that the government – and Mr Obama in particular – wants to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law.
While President Obama has struggled to pass legislation to control gun sales and enforce background checks, sales of guns have continued to rise rapidly. “I’m only going to be here for another year”. “When will I have started on this enterprise” to confiscate guns? he said.
Obama defended his support for the constitutional right to gun ownership while arguing it was consistent with his efforts to curb violence and mass shootings. “If you listen to the rhetoric, it is so over-the-top, it is so overheated”.
“Let’s have a conversation”, said Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to Obama.
“There’s a reason why the NRA’s not here”. Obama chided the NRA for refusing to engage in the policy discussion, telling the audience that the NRA’s headquarters was “just down the street” from where they were but that the NRA had refused to participate. “And since this is the main reason they exist, you’d think they would be prepared to have a debate with the president”.
“I’m happy to meet with them”.
But can we as a society rid of the rampant paranoia that this man, or any politician, is going to “take away our guns?” Asked how business had been since Obama took office, Kris Jacob, vice president of the group, replied: “It’s been busy”.
“A lot of folks own guns”. “It’s there written on the paper”.
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”. “Thanks to the gun lobby’s decades of efforts, Congress has blocked our consumer products safety experts from being able to require that firearms have even the most basic safety measures”.
The town hall was announced Tuesday during an address Obama gave on gun control. Also on stage are stakeholders, and individuals whose lives have been impacted by the gun violence.
Although Obama’s executive measures were panned by virtually the entire Republican field of candidates, the president appears to be in line with the majority of Americans.
“And if the 90 percent of Americans who do support common-sense gun reforms join me, we will elect the leadership we deserve”, he wrote.
“The way Washington changes is when people vote”, Obama said. Mr. Obama announced on Tuesday he was directing federal agencies to warn private gun sellers that they may be vulnerable to prosecution if they don’t register with the government and conduct background checks on gun buyers, among other steps.
Obama noted the emotional toll the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School took on him, saying his visit with victims’ families days later even brought members of his Secret Service detail to tears.
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Warren said she hoped voters would make gun control a serious campaign issue.
