Can You Dig It?: Obama on Gun Control: Emotional Emphasis for Change
KAYIU WONG
Opinions Editor
President Barack Obama’s words in the wake of mass violence all seem to touch on similar themes: the incurable pain of loss, lament for the innocent victims, and perhaps most strongly expressed, frustration over political neglect to make each act of violence the last. His response to the shooting in Roseburg, Oregon on Oct.1 was no exception. The massacre at Umpqua Community College ultimately left ten dead and seven wounded, adding on to the list of tragedies Obama has had to unfortunately address in the White House lectern.
In his speech, Obama expressed his personal rage over how “routine” mass shootings have become in America. However, even more “routine” is the president’s need to deliver wake-up call after wake-up call, pleading with voters to force change regarding gun laws and imploring that the government amend gun regulation.
It’s sad to say that these wake-up calls have never been truly recognized, but Obama’s Roseburg speech is the biggest wake-up call yet. His speech was more than just another emotional expression of agitation for a political system he believes fails to change gun laws for the better; it was a cry of impatience at the nation to overcome the treacherous politics over gun control and Second Amendment issues. Obama reminds us that relying on our elected officials is not enough, especially when it comes to gun control. It is up to us as the American people to think about how to get the government to change laws and save lives. For one thing, proposals to close loopholes in background checks for gun sales and restore the ban on assault weapons are realistic and essential measures needed to concretely overhaul the nation’s gun laws.
As the country mourns the lives lost, the controversy over gun control will take center stage again and whether or not Obama will be able to effectively change gun legislation before his presidency ends is unclear. Regardless, the president’s anger and impatience is something we must all feel when we look at the constant presence of mass violence in our country and the lack of political change to tackle it. Obama on gun control: I dig it.