Standing in front of mothers whose children have died in shootings, President Obama said Thursday at the White House that if the nation fails to toughen its gun laws, "shame on us."
"Shame on us if we've forgotten" the 20 children and 6 educators killed three months ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and all the others who have died in gun-related violence before and since then, Obama added.
The promises that he and other lawmakers made after the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newton can't be "just a bunch of platitudes" Obama said, as he urged Americans to find out if their members of Congress support tougher background checks for gun purchasers.
Polls show that 90 percent of Americans support tougher checks. "How often do 90 percent of Americans agree on anything?" Obama asked. Americans should "find out where your member of Congress stands on these issues. If they're not part of that 90 percent, then you should ask them 'why not?' "
Now, Obama said, is the "best chance in more than a decade to take common sense steps." But, he said, "it's not done until it's done" and opponents are
"running out the clock, or changing the subject or drowning out the American people."
The leaders of the National Rifle Association have a much different view about what needs to be done: Only 'A Good Guy With A Gun' Can Stop School Shootings, NRA Says.
Related post from earlier today: 'Arsenal' Found At Newtown Shooter's Home; Read The Police Reports.
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