January 16, 2013 by David K. Sutton
Gun Violence: Obama Says ‘This Time Must Be Different’
Today President Obama showed he is willing to spend great political capital by making gun control the top priority of his second term. In introducing a comprehensive plan to curb America’s gun violence, Obama said, “[t]his time must be different.”
And what do we get in response to Obama’s sensible approach to reducing violence and promoting gun safety?
- Republicans who call for Obama’s impeachment, even though he has done nothing and proposed nothing outside the bounds of the U.S. Constitution. Republicans like Rep. Steve Stockman (TX), Rep. Trey Radel (FL), Rep. Louie “Gomer” Gohmert (TX), Edwin Meese, and Larry Pratt.
- A National Rifle Association (NRA) that is completely out of touch with Americans and reality.
- Your usual suspect Facebook “friends” who post their regular nonsense talking points of “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” and “The assault weapons ban didn’t work” and “Why punish the 99% of responsible gun owners for the crimes of a few?”
- And my favorite, people responding to today’s announcement by saying that President Obama or just generically “government” is “trying to take my guns away.”
To Republicans calling for Obama’s impeachment: You lost. Deal with it.
To the NRA: You have lost your way. You do not represent America. Hell, you don’t even represent most NRA members. Please consult the history books and look up Ronald Reagan.
To gun-toting Facebook friends: You can disagree with Obama’s gun control plan because you believe it’s misguided, but the federal government does indeed have the constitutionally sound power to limit and regulate certain types of arms. There’s a long history established up to and including the NRA’s favorite Supreme Court ruling, District of Columbia v. Heller.
To paranoid gun owners: Even if everything Obama proposed today were to pass and be signed into law you would still own all the same guns you currently own. You would still be able to own a gun to protect yourself and your family. And you still would be able to use a gun for sport and for hunting.
