President Obama is looking to make another push at the gun control debate in the wake of the deadly Navy Yard shooting. On Sunday the president was making an address at the memorial for the people that were killed when gunman Aaron Alexis opened fired at a Washington DC Navy Yard. On September 16 Alexis killed 12 people before being shot to death in a confrontation with police. The 34-year-old lone gunman was a former Navy reservist and used a valid pass to enter the Yard. Like recent mass shootings in the U.S Alexis used a high powered gun with a large caliber magazine to kill 12 people.
While speaking to those gathered at the memorial the president spoke about the recent events and shootings. He said Americans have begun to accept these deadly mass shootings as "the new normal." The President said this attitude is wrong and we should be expressing more shock than acceptance at the recent increase in shootings. Obama said that those who would push for gun control and those who would fight against it need to find a "common sense" balance in the fight for gun rights and gun control. "We cannot accept this," Obama said.
"As Americans bound in grief and love, we must insist here today there's nothing normal about innocent men and women being gunned down where they work," the president continued. In the recent past when President Obama had to give a similar memorial service for another mass shooting, he vowed to use all of his power as Commander and Chief to instate gun control legislation. The president spoke at a memorial for the number of children no older than six who were killed at the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. The Sandy Hook shooting took place in December 2012.
The president was understandably outraged at the thought of the 20 dead children and six adults so close to the holidays last year. Obama worked with the parents and family members of those who died in December in order to get his gun control legislation passed but the bill failed. In the President's speech concerning the Navy Yard shooting Obama asked the American people to demand action be taken to ensure new gun control polices so the American people can avoid another tragedy.
"It should be clear that the change we need will not come from Washington, even when tragedy strikes Washington, the president said. "Change will come the only way it ever has come, and that's from the American people." Since his gun control legislation failed the President has been looking for support on this issue and urging those who can to fight for the ban on large caliber magazines and enforce more thorough background checks for those looking to purchase firearms. On Saturday night the President made a speech at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner urging supports to fight for gun control.
"Just two days ago, in my hometown of Chicago, 13 people were shot during a pickup basketball game, including a three-year-old girl," the President said. "Tomorrow night I'll be meeting and mourning with families in this city who now know the same unspeakable grief of families in Newtown, and Aurora and Tucson and Chicago and New Orleans and all across the country - people whose loved ones were torn from them without headlines sometimes, or public outcry." President Obama finished by saying, "As long as there are those who make it as easy as possible for dangerous people to get their hands on guns then we've got to work as hard as possible for the sake of our children."
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