At a recent PBS Newshour town hall, second amendment rights were discussed by president Obama and Doug Rhude (a gunshop owner). The town hall took place in Elkhart, Indiana and spawned many questions and conversations but none as intense as this conversation.
It began when Rhude outlined a situation he has witnessed time and time again. A shooting occurs in a gun-free zone, and the National Rifle Association is held responsible for allowing mentally deficient people to obtain a weapon. Rhude wanted to know why “Obama and Hillary want to control and restrict.. instead of holding the bad guys accountable.”
To further prove his point, he mentioned Obama’s old home Chicago, Illinois. Notoriously known for gun violence, Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities in the USA. Along with this, Chicago is a gun-free zone meaning that it is against the law for an unauthorized individual to carry a firearm. Rhude also made the claim that if the citizens of Chicago had access to firearms, they would be better equipped to protect themselves from the “thugs and drug dealers.”
In response to the gun owner from Indiana, the president explained many issues that shorten the government’s power in these matters. In fact, the president or any other democrat does not feel the need to take away gun rights. The largest number of weapons in history have been sold during Obama’s time as president. His objective is in line with what Rhude wishes for: safer streets and giving citizens the choice to buy firearms. The main opposition has come from the National Rifle Association and the rhetoric they use when the government proposes a new gun law. In order to prove his point, he utilizes the current situation of known ISIS followers and their ability to purchase weaponry. These same people are on the no-fly list and are not allowed to purchase an airplane ticket.
Obama wanted to make light of the disconnect between the NRA’s rhetoric and his objective. Obama said the “United States needs common sense” gun laws that stop the wrong people from obtaining a weapon while allowing citizens to own weaponry. He states the only way to reach that goal is by understanding that both parties appreciate the second amendment.
The NRA should not take all the blame. However, they have used rhetoric in the past that is far from the truth. Last year they released a statement on their website, “Obama and Hillary Clinton finally made clear what they’re really after – national gun confiscation.”
Watch the president’s full response here.