Obama spoke today at the Vernon Park Church of God on Chicago's Far South Side about the recent spate of gun violence afflicting the community.
"The violence is unacceptable, and it's got to stop," he said.
Obama called for better enforcement of existing gun laws, tighter background checks on gun buyers and for making an expired assault weapon ban permanent.
"A couple weeks ago, cops found an AK-47 near a West Side school," he said. "That type of weapon belongs on a battlefield, not on the streets of Chicago."
But Obama said the "power of the gun lobby in Washington" has blocked tougher gun laws and enforcement.
"If you want to go hunt, go hunt. Nobody is trying to take your shotgun or rifle away," he said. "But when you've got the gun lobbying saying that we can't use ballistics to trace back where guns came from ... then it is time for us to stand up to the gun lobby and say enough. It is time for a change in Washington."
It's good to see that he's not afraid to take on the NRA. We've been way too willing to lay down on this issue and give the NRA what it wants just to avoid angering a few rural voters. And then the NRA attack us anyway when it comes time to the election, so I don't see the point of it.
Read more about his speech here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obamagunsjul16,1,2507768.story?coll=chi-news-hed
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