Obama: Gun Control Is Necessary, But Won’t Come From Me

Obama says gun control and the battle for a “common sense” middle ground is not over. The president touched on the subject while speaking before a memorial gathering for the victims of the recent Washington Navy Yard shooting on Sunday. However, Obama was careful in his choice of words, saying that gun control changes must come from the nation itself, not from the presidency or Congress.

The president also spoke about gun control on Saturday while addressing the Congressional Black Caucus during a dinner, ABC News reports. Obama says that he still faces roadblocks at every turn when it comes to enacting new gun control measures despite continued tragedies from gun violence.

A lack of gun control, Obama says, allows mass shootings like the recent Chicago shooting to happen. He lays the blame for gun violence on legislators who have failed to push new forms of gun control into law. He is likely pointing to the failure to pass Manchin-Toomey, a Congressional bill that would have, among other things, made new background check rules for gun sales.

“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,” Obama says.

Speaking again on the subject Sunday, Obama expressed despair over gun violence that has “somehow become the new normal.” He explained how important it is for voters to demand change to gun laws, acknowledging the unlikelihood that change would come from the top down, Washington Post reports.

On gun control, Obama says, it is up to American citizens to push for changes from their elected officials. This strategy may seem unlikely to succeed however, as just earlier in September two state representatives in Colorado were successfully recalled after supporting new gun regulation in their state.

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