Obama unveils executive actions to curb gun violence

[simple Brain]

U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday unveiled a handful of executive measures on gun control, including expanding background checks, calling for "a sense of urgency" about gun violence.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a press conference at White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Jan. 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]



Anybody in the business of selling firearms must get a license and conduct background checks or be subject to criminal prosecutions, Obama said at the White House, joined by gun control activists and the families of gun victims.

He said his administration will hire more people to process background checks to make the system more efficient and add 200 more agents and investigators to ensure the "smart and effective" enforcement of gun safety laws.

The administration will also invest 500 million U.S. dollars to expand access to the treatment of mental illness across the country, he said.

Every year, more than 30,000 Americans lose their lives by guns, said Obama, adding that the U.S. is "the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency."

"We do have to feel a sense of urgency about it," he said. "In Dr. (Martin Luther) King's words, the fierce urgency of now, because people are dying."

Obama became emotional and shed tears when he talked about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, when 20 children and 6 adult staff members were fatally shot.

"Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," the president said, wiping away tears as he pleaded for citizens and lawmakers to be more resolute in preventing gun violence.

Obama's gun-control measures are seen as an attempt to sidestep Congress on an issue that is increasingly partisan.

Obama emphasized that the new measures are "actions within my legal authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence," calling on Congress to get on board with common sense gun safety measures.

"The gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now but they can't hold America hostage," Obama said.

Obama unveils executive actions to curb gun violence - China.org.cn

 

[XenoEnsi-14]

U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday unveiled a handful of executive measures on gun control, including expanding background checks, calling for "a sense of urgency" about gun violence.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a press conference at White House in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, Jan. 5, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]



Anybody in the business of selling firearms must get a license and conduct background checks or be subject to criminal prosecutions, Obama said at the White House, joined by gun control activists and the families of gun victims.

He said his administration will hire more people to process background checks to make the system more efficient and add 200 more agents and investigators to ensure the "smart and effective" enforcement of gun safety laws.

The administration will also invest 500 million U.S. dollars to expand access to the treatment of mental illness across the country, he said.

Every year, more than 30,000 Americans lose their lives by guns, said Obama, adding that the U.S. is "the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency."

"We do have to feel a sense of urgency about it," he said. "In Dr. (Martin Luther) King's words, the fierce urgency of now, because people are dying."

Obama became emotional and shed tears when he talked about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, when 20 children and 6 adult staff members were fatally shot.

"Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," the president said, wiping away tears as he pleaded for citizens and lawmakers to be more resolute in preventing gun violence.

Obama's gun-control measures are seen as an attempt to sidestep Congress on an issue that is increasingly partisan.

Obama emphasized that the new measures are "actions within my legal authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence," calling on Congress to get on board with common sense gun safety measures.

"The gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now but they can't hold America hostage," Obama said.

Obama unveils executive actions to curb gun violence - China.org.cn

If he thinks American lives are sooo special, why are we still involved with the ME? Why are people with mental health problems still struggling? Suicide by gun is higher than homicide by gun, they will simply find something else.

You can reduce Gun violence by taking away the gun, but you still have the violence and you still have Illegal guns.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

If he thinks American lives are sooo special, why are we still involved with the ME? Why are people with mental health problems still struggling? Suicide by gun is higher than homicide by gun, they will simply find something else.

You can reduce Gun violence by taking away the gun, but you still have the violence and you still have Illegal guns.

I agree. They toss that 30K number out to scare people into thinking they aren't safe in the streets. The reality is over 20K of those people shot themselves. You take away their guns and now they will do something else (probably more dangerous to the public) like jumping off buildings.