Key takeaways:
- Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the issue of gun ownership in America, saying it has become an “ideological” and “partisan” issue.
- Obama called on Americans to “come together and find common ground on the issue of gun violence” and urged Congress to pass “common-sense gun safety laws”.
- He concluded by saying that “we can and must do more to keep our communities safe.”
Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the issue of gun ownership in America, saying it has become an “ideological” and “partisan” issue. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court declined to block a new law in Illinois that bans assault-style weapons such as the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.
The law was enacted in the wake of a July 4 shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, that killed seven people. The Supreme Court’s decision to reject an application for emergency relief sought by a gun rights group and gun store owner means the law will remain in effect while legal challenges continue.
The decision comes on the heels of a six-day span of fatal shootings beginning May 1, including an outlet mall shooting in Allen, Texas, that killed eight people. In January, the Supreme Court declined to block new New York gun restrictions, and a federal judge has blocked a similar law in Illinois, but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has put that decision on hold.
Obama, who has long advocated for stricter gun control laws, said in a statement that the issue of gun ownership has become “a political wedge issue used to divide us further.” He called on Americans to “come together and find common ground on the issue of gun violence.”
The former president also urged Congress to pass “common-sense gun safety laws” and said that “we can’t allow ourselves to become numb to the violence that we see every day.” He concluded by saying that “we can and must do more to keep our communities safe.”
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