Oregon shooting: Barack Obama in rage, call for 'common sense' gun laws

Barack Obama
Oregon shooting: Barack Obama in rage, call for 'common sense' gun laws

Preident Obama visibly moved and angry after yet another mass shooting, stating 'our thoughts and prayers are not enough'

Barack Obama launched a stringent attack on America's gun laws on Thursday night after yet another mass shooting, this time in Oregon.

The president, who has said his inability to reform gun laws has been the biggest frustration of his two terms in office, said "our thoughts and prayers are not enough".


In one of the most impassioned press conferences of his presidency, Mr Obama expressed his sheer disbelief that the gun lobby and his Republican opponents could not see that weak gun legislation leads to more shootings.

"How can you, with a straight face, make the argument that more guns will make us safer?" he asked.



Calling for "common sense" reform, to enable "young people to grow old", he said: "We know that states with the most guns laws tend to have the fewest gun deaths."

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He suggested Britain and Australia as examples of countries that have implemented gun laws that have virtually eliminated mass shootings.



America is "the one advanced nation on earth where we do not have common sense gun laws".

During his presidency, he has repeatedly attempted to tackle America’s gun violence, but has consistently been blocked by Congress.

"Somehow this has been become routine. The reporting is routine. My response on this podium is routine," he said.

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"To allow this to happen every few months in America, we collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones because of our inaction," he said.

"Each time this happens I'm going to bring this up... This is not something I can do myself."

"I hope and pray that I don't have to come out again during my tenure as president to offer my condolences to families... but based on my experience as president I can't guarantee that. And that's terrible to say. And it can change."

Hillary Clinton, Democrat presidential hopeful said on Thursday night that it was beyond her comprehension that "we are seeing these mass murders happen again and again and again".

Responses to Mr Obama's speech on social media showed the levels of passion the issue evokes