President Obama’s WEEKLY ADDRESS: Remembering the Victims of the Aurora, Colorado Shooting
President Obama’s Address on July 21, 2012: – “As many of you know, early on Friday, at least twelve people were killed when a gunman opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. Dozens more are being treated for injuries at local hospitals. Some of the victims are being treated at a children’s hospital.
We are still gathering all the facts about what happened, but we do know that the police have one suspect in custody. And the federal government stands ready to do everything necessary to bring whoever’s responsible for this heinous crime to justice. We will take every step possible to ensure the safety of all our people. And we will stand by our neighbors in Colorado during this extraordinarily difficult time.
Even as we come to learn how this happened and who’s responsible, we may never understand what leads anyone to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such evil is senseless – beyond reason. But while we will never know fully what causes someone to take the life of another, we do know what makes that life worth living.
The people we lost in Aurora loved, and were loved. They were mothers and fathers; husbands and wives; sisters and brothers; sons and daughters; friends and neighbors. They had hopes for the future and dreams that were not yet fulfilled. And if there’s anything to take away from this tragedy, it’s a reminder that life is fragile. Our time here is limited and it is precious. And what matters in the end are not the small and trivial things which often consume our lives. It’s how we choose to treat one another, and love one another. It’s what we do on a daily basis to give our lives meaning and to give our lives purpose. That’s what matters. That’s why we’re here.
I’m sure many of you who are parents had the same reaction I did when you first heard this news: what if it had been my daughters at the theater, doing what young children enjoy doing every day? Michelle and I will be fortunate enough to hug our girls a little tighter this weekend, as I’m sure you will do with your children. But for those parents who may not be so fortunate, we need to embrace them and let them know we will be there for them as a nation.
This weekend I hope everyone takes some time for prayer and reflection – for the victims of this terrible tragedy, for the people who knew them and loved them, for those who are still struggling to recover, and for all the victims of the less publicized acts of violence that plague our communities on a daily basis. Let us keep all these Americans in our prayers. And to the people of Aurora, may the Lord bring you comfort and healing in the hard days to come.”
The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.govat 6:00AM ET, Saturday, July 21, 2012.
Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
Opinion by Melanie Nathan:-
I know many feel one should not get political at a time like this. But now is the time to get political. If the President were to address the issue too soon he would be accused of exploitation of the victims, for campaign politics, in the wake of such a tragedy. Yet this IS politics – it is politics that caused the tragedy. Quite frankly every single person in Congress who had had a hand in hindering the reinstatement of assault weapons bans should feel the taint of responsibility.
Two simple facts:
1. There is absolutely not one single reason or justification for failing to reinstate the assault weapons ban when it sunset; and
2. There are crazy people, and others motivated to kill Americans, who can easily purchase such weapons.
Is it so easy to deduce that all this time, while the Republicans and NRA have been refusing to legislate a ban and tougher gun laws, all for political punch, the likelihood of someone getting their hands on enough weaponry to massacre a theater full of people significant – and because such massacre would be ineffective without such weaponry, we can lay blame squarely on those who use politics to further their causes.
I blame the Republicans and the NRA for this massacre and I say that unashamedly. This event was likely to happen. There are crazy people and terrorists out there and we all know it. Having access to that many guns, amo and fight power is uncalled for and the Constitutional right to arm will be unhindered by basic restrictions.
I think its time for President Obama to get political and for all Democrats to use this massacre as the perfect example for the necessity of such laws.
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Melanie, I could not agreee more. By avoiding the issue now we (those in favor of gun control NOT repealing the 2nd amendment) are forced to play “catch-up” in the conversation and must spend valuable time defending and dispelling the false claims made by the gun lobby. I also think now is the time to call out the NRA for what they really are. Nothing more than the gun lobby’s version of the “Koch Bro’s” who’s sole mission is to continue to greedily profit off their members by continuing to scare and mislead them into thinking they’re protecting their 2nd amendment right that is not now, nor has it ever been in jeoparday of repeal.
GOOD POINTS