The moment of near despair is quite often the moment that
precedes
precedes
courage rather than resignation.[1]
In the wake of a series of recent tragedies involving gun
violence, such as the Newtown, Connecticut Massacre of twenty elementary school
students and six adults by one heavily armed 20-year old man[2],
President Obama is taking bold and decisive steps to reform gun control policy in
the US. In a move which can’t help but remind one of John F. Kennedy’s famous
assertion that a crisis presents both a danger and an opportunity, instead of
standing idly by and doing nothing President Obama is proactively taking the
dangers presented by these recent crises and is converting them to opportunity.
More specifically, the President is highlighting these crises as a wake-up call
to the U.S. citizenry that something needs to change in order to prevent future
tragedies from occurring. To effect this change and stem gun violence, the
President is seeking, among other things, to restrict the ability of U.S.
citizens to obtain certain types of guns and to strengthen the background
checks of people seeking to acquire a weapon.
violence, such as the Newtown, Connecticut Massacre of twenty elementary school
students and six adults by one heavily armed 20-year old man[2],
President Obama is taking bold and decisive steps to reform gun control policy in
the US. In a move which can’t help but remind one of John F. Kennedy’s famous
assertion that a crisis presents both a danger and an opportunity, instead of
standing idly by and doing nothing President Obama is proactively taking the
dangers presented by these recent crises and is converting them to opportunity.
More specifically, the President is highlighting these crises as a wake-up call
to the U.S. citizenry that something needs to change in order to prevent future
tragedies from occurring. To effect this change and stem gun violence, the
President is seeking, among other things, to restrict the ability of U.S.
citizens to obtain certain types of guns and to strengthen the background
checks of people seeking to acquire a weapon.
For an increasingly large and vociferous segment of the
U.S. population President Obama’s efforts to reform gun policy are being
wholeheartedly embraced. For others, the President’s proposed reforms are a
reprehensible assault on their Constitutional rights.
U.S. population President Obama’s efforts to reform gun policy are being
wholeheartedly embraced. For others, the President’s proposed reforms are a
reprehensible assault on their Constitutional rights.
U.S. citizens have a right to bear arms guaranteed by the
2nd Amendment. And bear arms they do. There are presently over 300 million
firearms in private ownership in the U.S. With that many guns in private
ownership, guns are all but entwined in the social fabric of the U.S.[3]
The gun policy reform issue is as divisive as it is because if the President’s
reforms are successful they will not merely alter the laws of the land, they
will transform the culture in the U.S. Despite the accusations of those opposed
to any further gun regulation, the President is not trying to abolish or
otherwise overwrite the 2nd Amendment. The President is simply
seeking to reform gun policy to make gun ownership in America less cavalier.
2nd Amendment. And bear arms they do. There are presently over 300 million
firearms in private ownership in the U.S. With that many guns in private
ownership, guns are all but entwined in the social fabric of the U.S.[3]
The gun policy reform issue is as divisive as it is because if the President’s
reforms are successful they will not merely alter the laws of the land, they
will transform the culture in the U.S. Despite the accusations of those opposed
to any further gun regulation, the President is not trying to abolish or
otherwise overwrite the 2nd Amendment. The President is simply
seeking to reform gun policy to make gun ownership in America less cavalier.
The opposition to the proposed reforms is fierce and must
be met by a President with enough iron in his spine to push forward despite the
opposition. With a Presidential Memorandum from the White House Office of the
Press Secretary reporting that each year there are 30,000 firearm-related
deaths in the U.S., 11,000 of which are homicides, President Obama should have
no shortage of motivation to bolster him as he travels the long and difficult
road to gun policy reform[4].
By all accounts the President is ready to face the challenges ahead, having
recently been noted as saying: “This is our first task as a society:
keeping our children safe. This is how we will be judged.” He has also
stated that taking measures to offer such protection cannot be put off any
longer[5].
be met by a President with enough iron in his spine to push forward despite the
opposition. With a Presidential Memorandum from the White House Office of the
Press Secretary reporting that each year there are 30,000 firearm-related
deaths in the U.S., 11,000 of which are homicides, President Obama should have
no shortage of motivation to bolster him as he travels the long and difficult
road to gun policy reform[4].
By all accounts the President is ready to face the challenges ahead, having
recently been noted as saying: “This is our first task as a society:
keeping our children safe. This is how we will be judged.” He has also
stated that taking measures to offer such protection cannot be put off any
longer[5].
To this end, a proposal for reform has been put forward.
The proposal contains four principal sections: law enforcement; the
availability of dangerous firearms and ammunition, school safety and mental
health. President Obama has made
numerous recommendations that would support these key areas of concern,
including requiring criminal background check for all gun sales, a
reinstatement of the ban on ownership of assault weapons that was in place from
1994-2004[6],
and the provision of mental health services in schools.
The proposal contains four principal sections: law enforcement; the
availability of dangerous firearms and ammunition, school safety and mental
health. President Obama has made
numerous recommendations that would support these key areas of concern,
including requiring criminal background check for all gun sales, a
reinstatement of the ban on ownership of assault weapons that was in place from
1994-2004[6],
and the provision of mental health services in schools.
The
recommendations require congressional approval if they are to be made effective.
In the environment of divisiveness and fractured opinion surrounding gun policy
reform, congressional approval presents an obvious obstacle to reform. Not to
be dissuaded, however, the Obama administration is supplementing the proposals
with 23 Executive Orders, which include the promotion of research on gun
violence and a rule requiring federal agencies to make pertinent information
available to the federal background check system[7].
recommendations require congressional approval if they are to be made effective.
In the environment of divisiveness and fractured opinion surrounding gun policy
reform, congressional approval presents an obvious obstacle to reform. Not to
be dissuaded, however, the Obama administration is supplementing the proposals
with 23 Executive Orders, which include the promotion of research on gun
violence and a rule requiring federal agencies to make pertinent information
available to the federal background check system[7].
None of the
Executive Orders will impact on the guns that are currently owned by U.S.
citizens. Further, all proposals to limit the availability of assault weapons
and large ammunition magazines will still need congressional action. The
restraint the President is showing in the content of these Orders is likely
deliberate. The Orders make it virtually impossible for anyone in opposition to
the reforms to make a case that the current administration has abused its
executive authority[8].
The President is masterfully walking the line between enacting gun policy
reform and creating a constitutional crisis.
Executive Orders will impact on the guns that are currently owned by U.S.
citizens. Further, all proposals to limit the availability of assault weapons
and large ammunition magazines will still need congressional action. The
restraint the President is showing in the content of these Orders is likely
deliberate. The Orders make it virtually impossible for anyone in opposition to
the reforms to make a case that the current administration has abused its
executive authority[8].
The President is masterfully walking the line between enacting gun policy
reform and creating a constitutional crisis.
With the
execution of these 23 Orders, President Obama follows in a long and proud
tradition of Presidents who have used Executive Orders to effect positive change
in the culture of America. President Eisenhower, for instance, desegregated
schools via Executive Order and Presidents Kennedy and Johnson used Executive
Orders to bar racial discrimination in federal housing, hiring and contracting[9]. At
the time, these Executive Orders were arguably as controversial as the
Executive Orders President Obama is currently using to force a shift in
American gun culture. Though controversial at the time, there are not many
today who would argue for a return to racial segregation or systemic racism.
Through the strength and resolve of these former Presidents, America’s culture
changed for the better.
execution of these 23 Orders, President Obama follows in a long and proud
tradition of Presidents who have used Executive Orders to effect positive change
in the culture of America. President Eisenhower, for instance, desegregated
schools via Executive Order and Presidents Kennedy and Johnson used Executive
Orders to bar racial discrimination in federal housing, hiring and contracting[9]. At
the time, these Executive Orders were arguably as controversial as the
Executive Orders President Obama is currently using to force a shift in
American gun culture. Though controversial at the time, there are not many
today who would argue for a return to racial segregation or systemic racism.
Through the strength and resolve of these former Presidents, America’s culture
changed for the better.
While it may
be an overstatement to say that President Obama courts controversy, he is
certainly no stranger to it. In passing the Affordable
Care Act in his first term, the President has faced down detractors and
masses of opposition before. If history is any guide, President Obama shares
the mettle of estimable predecessors like Lincoln who sought to abolish slavery
in spite of opposition from powerful interests, or Eisenhower, Kennedy and
Johnson when they made Executive Orders that were met by widespread disfavour.
President Obama, in short, appears to be made of the right kind of stuff to
successfully change America’s gun culture.
be an overstatement to say that President Obama courts controversy, he is
certainly no stranger to it. In passing the Affordable
Care Act in his first term, the President has faced down detractors and
masses of opposition before. If history is any guide, President Obama shares
the mettle of estimable predecessors like Lincoln who sought to abolish slavery
in spite of opposition from powerful interests, or Eisenhower, Kennedy and
Johnson when they made Executive Orders that were met by widespread disfavour.
President Obama, in short, appears to be made of the right kind of stuff to
successfully change America’s gun culture.
With the President recently saying of his recommendations
that, “I intend to use whatever weight this office holds to make them a
reality,” there is little doubt that the President will not be pushed back
by the current furor or the powerful gun lobby which opposes his proposals. The
President has said that if change is to come, the American people must support
this effort at reform[10].
We have no doubt that the American public will recognize the wisdom of the
President’s reform proposals and will support his common-sense approach to
dealing with gun violence and will enable a historic shift in U.S. culture.
that, “I intend to use whatever weight this office holds to make them a
reality,” there is little doubt that the President will not be pushed back
by the current furor or the powerful gun lobby which opposes his proposals. The
President has said that if change is to come, the American people must support
this effort at reform[10].
We have no doubt that the American public will recognize the wisdom of the
President’s reform proposals and will support his common-sense approach to
dealing with gun violence and will enable a historic shift in U.S. culture.
No matter what country a person hails from, no one wants themselves or
their loved ones to be victims of violence. It is in the power of the American
people to break the cycle of violence in their own country and put a stop to
what the President has called “the epidemic of gun violence in this country.”[11]
With the shadow of Newtown and other massacres still hanging heavy on the
American conscience, American gun culture is poised to change. More and more
people are coming to agree with the President that now is the time for
America’s gun culture to change, for if not now, then when?
their loved ones to be victims of violence. It is in the power of the American
people to break the cycle of violence in their own country and put a stop to
what the President has called “the epidemic of gun violence in this country.”[11]
With the shadow of Newtown and other massacres still hanging heavy on the
American conscience, American gun culture is poised to change. More and more
people are coming to agree with the President that now is the time for
America’s gun culture to change, for if not now, then when?