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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFrustrated Obama Says 'We Should Politicize' The Oregon Massacre
"Somebody somewhere will comment and say, Obama politicized this issue," the President said. "Well this is something we should politicize. It is relevant to our common life together, to the body politic."
The shooting on Thursday morning at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. left 13 dead and more than 20 injured, according to Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. Authorities described the shooter as a 20-year-old man, who died after exchanging gunfire with police.
"America will wrap everyone who's grieving with our prayers and our love," Obama said. "But as I said, just a few months ago, and I said a few months before that, and I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough. It's not enough. It does not capture the heartache and grief and anger that we should feel. And it does nothing to prevent this carnage from being inflicted someplace else in America."
Obama has had to respond to multiple mass shootings in his tenure. In his speech Thursday, he said that laws have been put in place to prevent other disasters but not gun violence.
"When Americans are killed in mine disasters, we work to make mines safer. When Americans are killed in floods and hurricanes, we work to make communities safer. When roads are unsafe, we fix them. To reduce auto fatalities, we have seat belt laws because we know it saves lives," Obama said.
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TPM
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)I have no beef with our President, and it was a fiery speech, but actions will always speak louder than words... and those words rang a little hollow today.
Again, I mean no disrespect against President Obama, but this was a safe time to make this speech...
Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)And he's made this case before. I'm not a member of the BOG but I really don't know what more anyone thinks he should have been able to accomplish given the current political situation in this country.
Old Crow
(2,212 posts)ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)But we are on our own.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)In our day-to-day lives, people often don't live up to our "expectations." Then we get indignant, as if our expectations are law. (I'm including myself here.) Living among humans means dealing with different personalities. Our Mr. Cool president didn't have to show anger now either. It's not his default disposition. Me, I can easily be a hothead. It is what it is.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)But not for this.
fredamae
(4,458 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)temporary311
(955 posts)I hereby give my permission to politicize the hell out of my death.
Iggo
(47,552 posts)Snobblevitch
(1,958 posts)She will attempt to introduce gun control measures that do not have a chance of passage. There is a high likelihood that a UBC could have passed congress if it did not include such things as a ban on magazines and semi-auto long guns.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)He continues to say what needs to be said, which is if the voters don't elect people to change the laws this WILL continue to happen.