Obama embraces Orlando families, appeals for gun controls

[webfact]

Obama embraces Orlando families, appeals for gun controls
By JOSH LEDERMAN and KATHLEEN HENNESSEY

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Embracing grieving Orlando families and appealing anew for national action, President Barack Obama claimed a threat to all Americans' security Thursday as a strong reason to tighten U.S. gun laws. Counterterror campaigns overseas, he declared, can never prevent all "lone wolf" attacks like the one that killed 49 people in Orlando.

Speaking at a makeshift memorial to the victims, Obama said the massacre at a gay nightclub was evidence that "different steps" are needed to limit the damage a "deranged" person set on committing violence can do. He cheered on Democrats' push for new gun control measures, including a new ban on assault weapons and stricter background checks.

Although he showed little hope the measures would find much support among most opponents, Obama seemed to be aiming for other lawmakers, perhaps Republican hawks eager to get behind counterterror campaigns but steadfastly opposed to gun restrictions.

Obama arrived as Orlando began the next stage of its grief — funerals all over town. A visitation for one victim, Javier Jorge-Reyes, on Wednesday night turned out a crowd of friends, family, drag queens and motorcyclists to pay their respects.

"We're just here to spread love and joy and try to put an end to all the hate," said Ezekiel Davis — or, as he's known to some, Sister Anesthesia Beaverhausen. Obama could not miss other signs of a community coming together in tragedy. Hundreds of people gathered in 95-degree heat outside the Amway Center stadium where he met with families.

Brittany Woodrough came to honor her close friend, 19-year-old Jason Benjamin Josaphat.

"I just pray for his family and I can't believe this happened," she said. "Seeing President Obama here makes it real."

Orlando's calls for solidarity stood in contrast to the sharp-edged political debate in Washington and the presidential campaign trail that continued during Obama's visit.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican and frequent Obama critic, accused the president of being "directly responsible" for the shooting because, he said, Obama had allowed the growth of the Islamic State group on his watch. McCain quickly walked back those comments with a written statement saying he had misspoken and was referring to Obama's "national security decisions, not the president himself."

The gunman, Omar Mateen, had made calls during the attack saying he was an IS supporter. But CIA Director John Brennan said Thursday the agency has found no connection between the gunman and any foreign terrorist organization.

In Orlando, Obama noted the need for strong efforts to fight terrorists before they can get to America, but he said that's not enough.

"It's going to take more than just our military," he said. "We will not be able to stop every tragedy. We can't wipe away hatred and evil from every heart in this world, but we can stop some tragedies. We can save some lives.

"We can reduce the impact of a terrorist attack if we're smart," he said, a reference to a ban on assault-type weapons that can kill dozens of people in moments. Mateen had such a weapon, an AR-15 rifle.

Obama made his remarks in downtown Orlando during an afternoon visit to express condolences to this grieving city. The president spent roughly two hours talking privately with victims' families and survivors of the attack in a gay dance club. He told them he was inspired by their courage and felt their pain at the loss of so many young lives.

"Our hearts are broken, too," he said.

Elsewhere in the city and in Washington, investigators were working to reconstruct the movements of the 29-year-old shooter before he opened fire at the Pulse dance club, including what his wife may have known about the attack. The Senate Homeland Security Committee's chairman sent a letter to Facebook asking for help with messages denouncing the "filthy ways of the west" left on Facebook accounts believed to be associated with Mateen before and during the attack.

In his remarks, Obama also expressed solidarity with gays and lesbians who were targeted at the nightclub.

"This was an attack on the LGBT community. Americans were targeted because we're a country that has learned to welcome everyone, no matter who you are or who you love," Obama said. "And hatred toward people because of sexual orientation, regardless of where it comes from, is a betrayal of what's best in us."

There were some signs of political unity: Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican frequently at odds with Obama, greeted him on the airport tarmac. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, also a Republican, traveled with Obama from Washington, along with Rep. Corrine Brown, a Democrat who represents parts of the city. Biden and Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., joined Obama on the tarmac.

But there was no bipartisan unity on the need for new gun legislation. As the Democratic push continued, including a 15-hour filibuster from Sen. Chris Murphy, whose state of Connecticut shouldered the killing of 20 children in Newtown in 2012, Republicans said their response would focused on the threat posed by the Islamic State group.

As a result, the Senate faced the prospect of taking votes beginning next Monday on dueling Democratic and GOP legislation. A Democratic bill would keep people on a government terrorism watch list or other suspected terrorists from buying guns. A Republican version would allow the government to delay a gun sale to a suspected terrorist for 72 hours but require prosecutors to go to court to show probable cause to block the sale permanently.

Both bills were expected to fail.

"I truly hope senators rise to the moment and do the right thing," Obama said. "Those who defend the easy accessibility of assault weapons should meet these families and explain why that makes sense."

___

Hennessey reported from Washington. Kevin Freking and Joshua Replogle contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-06-17

[arjunadawn]

Obama also gave a speech whereby, under pressure, he asked "What value is there in calling it radical Islam?" It was rhetorical of course because after nearly 8 years he's never listened to this response. But this OP demonstrates exactly what value there is in never associating Islamic jihad with its underlying motivations. By this means Obama can offer Islamic jihad was in this case a sterilized 'anti gay' tragedy and that (according to DHS Sec) 'the right' is to blame and the/present 'threat'. When a threat source is sterilized and generic it can also be sold as lone wolf, read- local.

In fact, with only the vague label of bad guy jihadist can be used as Emmanuel Goldsteins, rallying the State against all manner of political agenda. This is the value of de decoupling Name and Form. This is the level language and cognition form concepts.

It's also fallacious that gun control is the problem in this instance; it's also disingenuous to offer this while the guy wore a vest. Without question people can shoot as many targets as the rifle in the same time with a handgun. Also, the guy had a vest on. It's so suspiciously opportunist that it's divorced from any genuine grief over the horror the poor folks suffered.

Crisis-Solution.

[shirtless]

Gun control has failed in Australia, all thats happened is guns are now only in criminals hands. Gun crime has increased.

[OMGImInPattaya]

The issue is Islamic terrorism...not the rights of law abiding citizens.

[NovaBlue05]

O is all politics, all the time

[williamgeorgeallen]

Gun control has failed in Australia, all thats happened is guns are now only in criminals hands. Gun crime has increased.

many americans use australia as an example of how new gun laws have been very effective. i spend alot of time in nz where we have relativly relaxed gun laws and gun crime is not a major problem. gun crime stats are often skewed by including suicide by firearm.

would be interesting to know where you see gun crime is increasing in australia.

[LPCustom69]

The targets were no accident, and I expect more similar attacks.

[Berkshire]

The issue is Islamic terrorism...not the rights of law abiding citizens.

There are many who believe that the NRA is the biggest threat facing America today.

[The greatest threat to our homeland security today is the National Rifle Association, a front group for the firearms industry that derails gun-safety measures and perversely profits with each new mass shooting.]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-nra-paved-the-way-for-the-orlando-shooting-20160615

[OMGImInPattaya]

The issue is Islamic terrorism...not the rights of law abiding citizens.

There are many who believe that the NRA is the biggest threat facing America today.

[The greatest threat to our homeland security today is the National Rifle Association, a front group for the firearms industry that derails gun-safety measures and perversely profits with each new mass shooting.]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-nra-paved-the-way-for-the-orlando-shooting-20160615

They're free to think what they like...they are a free people whose rights are protected by an armed populace.

[AlexRRR]

Gun control has failed in Australia, all thats happened is guns are now only in criminals hands. Gun crime has increased.

GARBAGE....you canot buy assault type weapons in AU, we dont have that type of problem here at all, what ever gets through gets through underground, the average jo who leads a normal life then goes potty can't walk into a gun shop and buy anything like a military style weapon.

As for crime the Australian population has been increasing something like 10 million over the last 20 ys its the law of averages that crime appears to have gone up.

Mate i feel very safe walking and driving around here.

[ozyjon]

Every time a tragedy happens like this, what follows

comes from an old worn out script, in the US these

shooting continue, what has changed

[JHolmesJr]

Obama also gave a speech whereby, under pressure, he asked "What value is there in calling it radical Islam?"

Barack Hussein Obama also said that using term is a "political distraction" whatever the hell that means.

[Linzz]

Gun control has failed in Australia, all thats happened is guns are now only in criminals hands. Gun crime has increased.

many americans use australia as an example of how new gun laws have been very effective. i spend alot of time in nz where we have relativly relaxed gun laws and gun crime is not a major problem. gun crime stats are often skewed by including suicide by firearm.

would be interesting to know where you see gun crime is increasing in australia.

Not sure what you mean by relaxed gun laws in NZ? Without researching it, as far as I know no handguns or assault rifles allowed to be carried or owned unless you are licensed collector (and most probably weapon disabled).Hunting rifles and shotguns allowed but only by police vetted licence issue and character references. Fairly rare for NZ to have incidences compared to America's more than one per day. Accepting population difference of course but America by reason of the 2nd Amendment individuals have a right to bear arms for self protection. NZ has a problem with some illegal weapons mostly belonging to gangs which they use to shoot each other. Cops don't even visibly carry arms but keep in their car trunks. Special armed offender's squad police do but only emerge on gun threat callouts

[Berkshire]

The issue is Islamic terrorism...not the rights of law abiding citizens.

There are many who believe that the NRA is the biggest threat facing America today.

[The greatest threat to our homeland security today is the National Rifle Association, a front group for the firearms industry that derails gun-safety measures and perversely profits with each new mass shooting.]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-nra-paved-the-way-for-the-orlando-shooting-20160615

They're free to think what they like...they are a free people whose rights are protected by an armed populace.

Speaking of, even the freakin NRA disagrees with Trump that club-goers should have been armed...

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/19/politics/donald-trump-chris-cox-nra-orlando-shooting/

[NRA lobbyist Chris Cox told ABC's "This Week": "No one thinks that people should go into a nightclub drinking and carrying firearms. That defies commonsense. It also defies the law. It's not what we're talking about here."

Trump had said Friday at a rally that armed club-goers shooting Omar Mateen "would have been a beautiful, beautiful sight."]

[Linzz]

The issue is Islamic terrorism...not the rights of law abiding citizens.

There are many who believe that the NRA is the biggest threat facing America today.

[The greatest threat to our homeland security today is the National Rifle Association, a front group for the firearms industry that derails gun-safety measures and perversely profits with each new mass shooting.]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-nra-paved-the-way-for-the-orlando-shooting-20160615

They're free to think what they like...they are a free people whose rights are protected by an armed populace.

Speaking of, even the freakin NRA disagrees with Trump that club-goers should have been armed...

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/19/politics/donald-trump-chris-cox-nra-orlando-shooting/

[NRA lobbyist Chris Cox told ABC's "This Week": "No one thinks that people should go into a nightclub drinking and carrying firearms. That defies commonsense. It also defies the law. It's not what we're talking about here."

Trump had said Friday at a rally that armed club-goers shooting Omar Mateen "would have been a beautiful, beautiful sight."]

I think Trump continues to pronounce what he believes people just want to hear and be outrageously popular. If everyone was armed in the nightclub is a return to the Wild West.

I thought Trump may be able to change the same old same old political scenario with a challenge to the establishment. He has and in spades but he has a logic that is hard to comprehend. Just seems to be cliches that he repeats often.

Good luck America. Trump or Hillary, you have my sympathy. Glad I don't have to vote

[up2u2]

Gun control has failed in Australia, all thats happened is guns are now only in criminals hands. Gun crime has increased.

You always seem to run this line. It is totally untrue of course:

"Firearm use has declined by more than half since 1989-90 as a proportion of homicide methods"

Yes criminals will always break the law that is why they are described as criminals. It is not a reason to take all laws off the statute books.

One thing Australia has limited is criminals getting easy access to automatic or semi automatic firearms. There is absolutely no reason for the general public to have such weapons. If you have appropriate reason that requires the need for a firearm you are able to get a permit for that weapon but there will be strict conditions and responsibilities attached to the ownership of that firearm.

One of the most sensible things a conservative government has done. There is absolutely no way the Australian electorate would EVER allow unrestricted ownership of firearms. The evidence is crystal clear.

Law enforcement has zero tolerance to the possession or brandishing of illegal firearms. Just be caught in the possession of an illegal firearm, let alone fire one will see the full force of the law descend upon you within minutes. Unrestricted firearms in Australia? Don't even let the thought enter your mind.

[Berkshire]

Speaking of, even the freakin NRA disagrees with Trump that club-goers should have been armed...

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/19/politics/donald-trump-chris-cox-nra-orlando-shooting/

[NRA lobbyist Chris Cox told ABC's "This Week": "No one thinks that people should go into a nightclub drinking and carrying firearms. That defies commonsense. It also defies the law. It's not what we're talking about here."

Trump had said Friday at a rally that armed club-goers shooting Omar Mateen "would have been a beautiful, beautiful sight."]

I think Trump continues to pronounce what he believes people just want to hear and be outrageously popular. If everyone was armed in the nightclub is a return to the Wild West.

I thought Trump may be able to change the same old same old political scenario with a challenge to the establishment. He has and in spades but he has a logic that is hard to comprehend. Just seems to be cliches that he repeats often.

Good luck America. Trump or Hillary, you have my sympathy. Glad I don't have to vote

Actually, it's quite easy. If I just vote for anyone not named Trump, I know America will be fine.