Now, like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. And the courts have settled that as the law of the land. In this country, we have a strong tradition of gun ownership that’s handed from generation to generation. Hunting and shooting are part of our national heritage. And, in fact, my administration has not curtailed the rights of gun owners – it has expanded them, including allowing people to carry their guns in national parks and wildlife refuges.
The fact is, almost all gun owners in America are highly responsible. They’re our friends and neighbors. They buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for hunting or target shooting, collection or protection. And that’s something that gun-safety advocates need to accept.
Barack Obama
March 13, 2011
We must seek agreement on gun reforms
[All the gun safety advocates that I know (most are NRA firearms safety instructors) do accept this. It’s the anti-gun activists that don’t accept it.
Other than that minor point I don’t have anything to disagree with in those two paragraphs. He could have suggested grief counseling for Brady Campaign and Violence Policy Center supporters but my read of the tone is that he wouldn’t have really meant it.—Joe]
They don’t want to accept it. They will outright deny and/or ignore it to the point of it being considered a mental problem. They can’t help it. there “logic” does not allow it. Even if they say it its still cognitive dissonance.
These two paragraphs are surprising coming from Obama, but I disagree with most of the rest of what he had to say in this letter. I also read the NRA’s rebuttal and I was equally surprised to find that I disagree with much of what they had to say. In an attempt to offer solutions, they focused on the “gun crimes” instead of real criminal activity:
Why not just focus on the real crimes, rather than illegal possession of a firearm. Ideally there would be no such thing as illegal possession of a firearm. They also rightly brought up the corrupt BATFE, but again seemed to focus on the guns being allowed to “walk” across the border and straw purchases instead of the issue of real crimes and the need to eliminate this bureaucracy.
I see his words…I too largely agree with what he’s saying…why don’t I believe them? Maybe I’m just bitter, or maybe I cling to guns and religion, I don’t know.
I think Helmke is typing up his resume as I type this.
Wait a minute, I thought Newsweek came up with “gun-safety advocate” instead of the WH? Something doesn’t sound right here…
I think President Obama just cares about being president. The political wind has shifted so he shifted with it.
The article quoted has something for everyone so he can shift again later if needed.
I think the real news is Obama used the word “bear” arms, not “keep”. I think we need to hold him to this. Constitutional Carry, baby!
The communist revolutionaries have their own words for this sort of thing. They call it losing the radical pose in favor of the radical ends.
It’s been a successful tactic in the past. The Republican leadership has always played along.
I have an idea, let’s agree only to repeal a couple of laws this year. We’ll come back next year for the rest.
I have been telling my friends since President Obama was elected he will do nothing about guns. No one believed me.
Now after a congresswoman getting shot/ mass murder he does nothing. He has always been a political animal and their is no juice to be found being anti gun. In fact a good conservative Democrat is now someone who is very pro second amendment (Sen. Hilabrand N.Y.).
It is an amazing document coming from a Democratic President. The fact that he wrote this letter and this board is not going nuts is proof of that.
Also the head of the the NRA Wayne LaPier (sp) said “no we are not going to meet with the Brady people to find common ground”. The fact that the media did not go crazy for a couple of days says so much about what a loser issue this has become for politicians which I am very happy about.
As Anon said above its now time to hold him to “Constitutional Carry, baby!”
So finding common ground will include soliciting the opinions of those whose stated purpose is to deprive individuals of their fundamental human rights.
I don’t think there is anything to be gained from participating in such a thing, as any consensus opinion would have to include the further infringement of fundamental rights.
@ Miles:
Kirsten Gillibrand (my junior Senator) was A rated by the NRA when she was in the House. She made some reference to keeping a shotgun under her bed etc, and when representing a rural upstate district that played very well. When Clinton vacated her NY senate seat for State, Gillibrand was appointed to that seat and viola-she’s a brady darling now.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/25687/ Sharing a stage with Bloomberg, McCarthy and Kelly
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-helmke/gun-violence-victims-dese_b_778844.html Here she is with Helmke.
She sold us out for that sweet, sweet Brady cash/endorsement. The problem is that you cannot win statewide office without being anti-rights due to the huge influence of NYC. She knew that going in and sold us out, and I would love little more than to see her on a street corner houghing chod for crack money.
Point taken. Please don’t tell me what “houghing chod” means. Just let me believe it is a old nautical term from “2 years before the Mast”.
Thank You,
Miles