Obama Calls For Steps To Reduce Gun Violence After Virginia TV Journalist Murders

The White House is calling on Congress to pursue common sense steps to reduce gun violence after two Virginia television journalists were murdered live on the air.

According to The Hill:

“This is another example of gun violence that is becoming all too common in communities large and small all across the United States,” Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Wednesday.

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Earnest said there are “common sense” steps Congress can take to reduce gun violence in America without infringing on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

Any responsible gun owner should be in favor of common sense steps that would make it more difficult for criminals and the mentally ill to obtain firearms.

The NRA and the gun industry drive the issue to extremes to cause fear and panic that results in inflated gun sales and profits. The reality is that keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people is not an either/or issue. It is possible to protect Second Amendment rights while also protecting the public.

The murders of WDBJ reporter Alison Parker and photographer Adam Ward demonstrated why giving everyone a gun is not the answer. The reporters had their backs turned and were doing their jobs. They were not expecting to be approached by someone with a weapon. The overwhelming majority of victims find themselves in the same situation.

Life is not an action movie where everyone stands around with their guns out and ready to fire. In the real world, innocent people senselessly die when dangerous individuals have easy access to firearms.

Common sense measures include things like fixing the holes in the screening and background checks system, and improving screening and background checks. These measures have nothing to do with taking guns away from anybody, but would be a major step forward for public safety.

The best way to protect the Second Amendment is to make sure that dangerous people who shouldn’t have guns can’t get them.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association