Remarks by the President on Reducing Gun Violence -- Hartford, CT
University of Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Connecticut. (Applause.) Thank
you. Well, thank you so much, everybody. Let me begin by thanking
Nicole, and Ian, for your brave words. (Applause.) I want to thank
them and all the Newtown families who have come here today, including
your First Selectman, Pat Llodra. (Applause.) Nobody could be more
eloquent than Nicole and the other families on this issue. And we are
so grateful for their courage and willingness to share their stories
again and again, understanding that nothing is going to be more
important in making sure the Congress moves forward this week than
hearing from them.
I want to thank all the educators from Sandy Hook Elementary who have come here as well -- (applause) -- the survivors --
AUDIENCE MEMBERS: We love you, Obama!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. I do. (Applause.)
-- the survivors who still mourn and grieve, but are still
going to work every day to love and raise those precious children in
their care as fiercely as ever.
I want to thank Governor Malloy for his leadership.
(Applause.) Very proud of him. I want to thank the University of
Hartford for hosting us this afternoon. (Applause.) Thank you, Hawks.
(Applause.) And I want to thank the people of Connecticut for
everything you’ve done to honor the memories of the victims --
(applause) -- because you’re part of their family as well.
One of your recent alumni, Rachel D’Avino, was a
behavioral therapist at Sandy Hook. Two alumni of your performing arts
school, Jimmy Greene and Nelba Marquez-Greene, lost their daughter, Ana
-- an incredible, vibrant young girl who looked up to them, and learned
from them, and inherited their talents by singing before she could
talk.
So every family in this state was shaken by the tragedy of
that morning. Every family in this country was shaken. We hugged our
kids more tightly. We asked what could we do, as a society, to help
prevent a tragedy like that from happening again.
And as a society, we decided that we have to change. We must. We must change. (Applause.)
I noticed that Nicole and others refer to that day as
“12/14.” For these families, it was a day that changed everything. And
I know many of you in Newtown wondered if the rest of us would live up
to the promise we made in those dark days -- if we’d change, too; or if
once the television trucks left, once the candles flickered out, once
the teddy bears were carefully gathered up, that the country would
somehow move on to other things.
Over the weekend, I heard Francine Wheeler, who lost her
son Ben that day, say that the four months since the tragedy might feel
like a brief moment for some, but for her, it feels like it’s been years
since she saw Ben. And she’s determined not to let what happened that
day just fade away. “We’re not going anywhere,” she said. “We are
here. And we are going to be here.” And I know that she speaks for
everybody in Newtown, everybody who was impacted.
And, Newtown, we want you to know that we’re here with
you. We will not walk away from the promises we’ve made. (Applause.)
We are as determined as ever to do what must be done. In fact, I’m here
to ask you to help me show that we can get it done. We’re not
forgetting. (Applause.)
We can't forget. Your families still grieve in ways most
of us can’t comprehend. But so many of you have used that grief to make
a difference -- not just to honor your own children, but to protect the
lives of all of our children. So many of you have mobilized, and
organized, and petitioned your elected officials “with love and logic,”
as Nicole put it -- as citizens determined to right something gone
wrong.
And last week, here in Connecticut, your elected leaders
responded. The Connecticut legislature, led by many of the legislators
here today, passed new measures to protect more of our children and our
communities from gun violence. And Governor Malloy signed that
legislation into law. (Applause.)
So I want to be clear. You, the families of Newtown,
people across Connecticut, you helped make that happen. Your voices,
your determination made that happen. Obviously, the elected leaders did
an extraordinary job moving it forward, but it couldn’t have happened
if they weren’t hearing from people in their respective districts,
people all across the state. That's the power of your voice.
And, by the way, Connecticut is not alone. In the past
few months, New York, Colorado, Maryland have all passed new,
common-sense gun safety reforms as well. (Applause.)
These are all states that share an awful familiarity with
gun violence, whether it’s the horror of mass killings, or the street
crime that’s too common in too many neighborhoods. All of these states
also share a strong tradition of hunting, and sport shooting, and gun
ownership. It’s been a part of the fabric of people’s lives for
generations. And every single one of those states -- including here in
Connecticut -- decided that, yes, we can protect more of our citizens
from gun violence while still protecting our Second Amendment rights.
Those two things don’t contradict each other. (Applause.) We can pass
common-sense laws that protect our kids and protect our rights.
So Connecticut has shown the way. And now is the time for
Congress to do the same. (Applause.) Now is the time for Congress to
do the same. This week is the time for Congress to do the same.
(Applause.)
Now, back in January, just a few months after the tragedy
in Newtown, I announced a series of executive actions to reduce gun
violence and keep our kids safe. And I put forward common-sense
proposals -- much like those that passed here in Connecticut -- for
Congress to consider. And you'll remember in my State of the Union
address, I urged Congress to give those proposals a vote. And that
moment is now.
As soon as this week, Congress will begin debating these
common-sense proposals to reduce gun violence. Your senators, Dick
Blumenthal and Chris Murphy -- they're here -- (applause) -- your
Representatives, John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, Elizabeth Esty, Jim Hines,
Joe Courtney, they are all pushing to pass this legislation.
(Applause.) But much of Congress is going to only act if they hear from
you, the American people. So here’s what we have to do.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I love you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that. (Laughter.) Here's
what we've got to do. We have to tell Congress it’s time to require a
background check for anyone who wants to buy a gun so that people who
are dangerous to themselves and others cannot get their hands on a gun.
Let’s make that happen. (Applause.)
We have to tell Congress it’s time to crack down on gun
trafficking so that folks will think twice before buying a gun as part
of a scheme to arm someone who won’t pass a background check. Let’s get
that done. (Applause.)
We have to tell Congress it’s time to restore the ban on
military-style assault weapons, and a 10-round limit for magazines, to
make it harder for a gunman to fire 154 bullets into his victims in less
than five minutes. Let’s put that to a vote. (Applause.)
We have to tell Congress it’s time to strengthen school
safety and help people struggling with mental health problems get the
treatment they need before it’s too late. Let’s do that for our kids
and for our communities. (Applause.)
Now, I know that some of these proposals inspire more
debate than others, but each of them has the support of the majority of
the American people. All of them are common sense. All of them deserve
a vote. All of them deserve a vote. (Applause.)
Consider background checks. Over the past 20 years,
background checks have kept more than 2 million dangerous people from
getting their hands on a gun. A group of police officers in Colorado
told me last week that, thanks to background checks, they’ve been able
to stop convicted murderers, folks under restraining orders for
committing violent domestic abuse from buying a gun. In some cases,
they’ve actually arrested the person as they were coming to purchase the
gun.
So we know that background checks can work. But the
problem is loopholes in the current law let so many people avoid
background checks altogether. That’s not safe. It doesn’t make sense.
If you’re a law-abiding citizen and you go through a background check
to buy a gun, wouldn’t you expect other people to play by the same
rules? (Applause.)
If you’re a law-abiding gun seller, wouldn’t you want to
know you’re not selling your gun to someone who’s likely to commit a
crime? (Applause.) Shouldn’t we make it harder, not easier for
somebody who is convicted of domestic abuse to get his hands on a gun?
(Applause.)
It turns out 90 percent of Americans think so. Ninety
percent of Americans support universal background checks. Think about
that. How often do 90 percent of Americans agree on anything?
(Laughter.) And yet, 90 percent agree on this -- Republicans,
Democrats, folks who own guns, folks who don’t own guns; 80 percent of
Republicans, more than 80 percent of gun owners, more than 70 percent of
NRA households. It is common sense.
And yet, there is only one thing that can stand in the way
of change that just about everybody agrees on, and that’s politics in
Washington. You would think that with those numbers Congress would rush
to make this happen. That's what you would think. (Applause.) If our
democracy is working the way it’s supposed to, and 90 percent of the
American people agree on something, in the wake of a tragedy you’d think
this would not be a heavy lift.
And yet, some folks back in Washington are already
floating the idea that they may use political stunts to prevent votes on
any of these reforms. Think about that. They’re not just saying
they’ll vote “no” on ideas that almost all Americans support. They’re
saying they’ll do everything they can to even prevent any votes on these
provisions. They’re saying your opinion doesn’t matter. And that’s
not right.
AUDIENCE: Booo --
THE PRESIDENT: That is not right.
AUDIENCE: We want a vote!
THE PRESIDENT: We need a vote.
AUDIENCE: We want a vote! We want a vote!
THE PRESIDENT: We need a vote.
AUDIENCE: We want a vote!
THE PRESIDENT: Now, I’ve also heard some in the
Washington press suggest that what happens to gun violence legislation
in Congress this week will either be a political victory or defeat for
me. Connecticut, this is not about me. This is not about politics.
This is about doing the right thing for all the families who are here
that have been torn apart by gun violence. (Applause.) It’s about them
and all the families going forward, so we can prevent this from
happening again. That’s what it’s about. It’s about the law
enforcement officials putting their lives at risk. That’s what this is
about. This is not about politics. (Applause.) This is not about
politics.
This is about these families and families all across the
country who are saying let’s make it a little harder for our kids to get
gunned down.
When I said in my State of the Union address that these
proposals deserve a vote -- that families of Newtown, and Aurora, and
Tucson, and a former member of Congress, Gabby Giffords, that they all
deserved a vote -– virtually every member of that chamber stood up and
applauded. And now they’re going to start denying your families a vote
when the cameras are off and when the lobbyists have worked what they
do? You deserve better than that. You deserve a vote.
Now, look, we knew from the beginning of this debate that
change would not be easy. We knew that there would be powerful
interests that are very good at confusing the subject, that are good at
amplifying conflict and extremes, that are good at drowning out rational
debate, good at ginning up irrational fears, all of which stands in the
way of progress.
But if our history teaches us anything, then it’s up to us
–- the people -– to stand up to those who say we can’t, or we won’t;
stand up for the change that we need. And I believe that that’s what
the American people are looking for.
When I first ran for this office, I said that I did not
believe the country was as divided as our politics would suggest, and I
still believe that. (Applause.) I know sometimes, when you watch cable
news or talk radio, or you browse the Internet, you’d think, man,
everybody just hates each other, everybody is just at each other’s
throats. But that’s not how most Americans think about these issues.
There are good people on both sides of every issue.
So if we’re going to move forward, we can’t just talk past
one another. We’ve got to listen to one another. That’s what Governor
Malloy and all these legislative leaders did. That’s why they were
able to pass bipartisan legislation. (Applause.)
I’ve got stacks of letters from gun owners who want me to
know that they care passionately about their right to bear arms, don’t
want them infringed upon, and I appreciate every one of those letters.
I’ve learned from them. But a lot of those letters, what they’ve also
said is they’re not just gun owners; they’re also parents or police
officers or veterans, and they agree that we can’t stand by and keep
letting these tragedies happen; that with our rights come some
responsibilities and obligations to our communities and ourselves, and
most of all to our children. We can’t just think about “us” –- we’ve
got to think about “we, the people.”
I was in Colorado. I told a story about Michelle. She
came back from a trip to rural Iowa; we were out there campaigning.
Sometimes it would be miles between farms, let alone towns. And she
said, you know, coming back, I can understand why somebody would want a
gun for protection. If somebody drove up into the driveway and, Barack,
you weren’t home, the sheriff lived miles away, I might want that
security. So she can understand what it might be like in terms of
somebody wanting that kind of security.
On the other hand, I also talked to a hunter last week who
said, all my experiences with guns have been positive, but I also
realize that for others, all their experiences with guns have been
negative.
And when he said that, I thought about the mom I met from
suburban Chicago whose son was killed in a random shooting. And this
mom told me, I hate it when people tell me that my son was in the wrong
place at the wrong time. He was on his way to school. He was exactly
where he was supposed to be. He was in the right place at the right
time, and he still got shot. (Applause.)
The kids at Sandy Hook were where they were supposed to
be. So were those moviegoers in Aurora. So were those worshippers in
Oak Creek. So was Gabby Giffords. She was at a supermarket, listening
to the concerns of her constituents. (Applause.) They were exactly
where they were supposed to be. They were also exercising their rights
-- to assemble peaceably; to worship freely and safely. They were
exercising the rights of life and liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. So surely, we can reconcile those two things. Surely,
America doesn’t have to be divided between rural and urban, and Democrat
and Republican when it comes to something like this.
If you’re an American who wants to do something to prevent
more families from knowing the immeasurable anguish that these families
here have known, then we have to act. Now is the time to get engaged.
Now is the time to get involved. Now is the time to push back on fear,
and frustration, and misinformation. Now is the time for everybody to
make their voices heard from every state house to the corridors of
Congress.
And I’m asking everyone listening today, find out where
your member of Congress stands on this. If they’re not part of the 90
percent of Americans who agree on background checks, then ask them, why
not? Why wouldn’t you want to make it easier for law enforcement to do
their job? Why wouldn’t you want to make it harder for a dangerous
person to get his or her hands on a gun? What’s more important to you:
our children, or an A-grade from the gun lobby? (Applause.)
I’ve heard Nicole talk about what her life has been like
since Dylan was taken from her in December. And one thing she said
struck me. She said, “Every night, I beg for him to come to me in my
dreams so that I can see him again. And during the day, I just focus on
what I need to do to honor him and make change.” Now, if Nicole can
summon the courage to do that, how can the rest of us do any less?
(Applause.) How can we do any less?
If there is even one thing we can do to protect our kids,
don’t we have an obligation to try? If there is even one step we can
take to keep somebody from murdering dozens of innocents in the span of
minutes, shouldn’t we be taking that step? (Applause.) If there is
just one thing we can do to keep one father from having to bury his
child, isn’t that worth fighting for?
I've got to tell you, I've had tough days in the
presidency -- I've said this before. The day Newtown happened was the
toughest day of my presidency. But I've got to tell you, if we don’t
respond to this, that will be a tough day for me, too. (Applause.)
Because we've got to expect more from ourselves, and we've got to expect
more from Congress. We've got to believe that every once in a while,
we set politics aside and we just do what's right. (Applause.) We've
got to believe that.
And if you believe that, I'm asking you to stand up.
(Applause.) If you believe in the right to bears arms, like I do, but
think we should prevent an irresponsible few from inflicting harm --
stand up. Stand up. (Applause.)
If you believe that the families of Newtown and Aurora and
Tucson and Virginia Tech and the thousands of Americans who have been
gunned down in the last four months deserve a vote, we all have to stand
up. (Applause.)
If you want the people you send to Washington to have
just an iota of the courage that the educators at Sandy Hook showed
when danger arrived on their doorstep, then we’re all going to have to
stand up.
And if we do, if we come together and raise our
voices together and demand this change together, I’m convinced
cooperation and common sense will prevail. We will find sensible,
intelligent ways to make this country stronger and safer for our
children. (Applause.)
So let’s do the right thing. Let’s do right by our
kids. Let’s do right by these families. Let’s get this done.
Connecticut, thank you. God bless you. God bless the United States of
America. (Applause.)
