President Barack Obama’s announcements on his decision to take executive action to reduce gun violence in America, Tuesday, January 5, elicited comments from both sides of the issue.

Mark Barden, advocacy director for Sandy Hook Promise, a Newtown organization devoted to educating and preventing gun-related deaths due to crime, suicide, and accidental discharge, and the father of Daniel, one of 20 first graders killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School 12/14, was honored to introduce the President at the Tuesday morning conference. Following the event, Mr Barden said that he was overwhelmed.

“It’s been a long and emotional road between what happened [12/14] and today,” he said Tuesday afternoon, following the televised event. “We are appreciative and grateful for the good work the President is doing to protect our children and keep our country safer,” Mr Barden said, speaking for Sandy Hook Promise.

The room filled with 300 people had a palpable air of emotion, he said of the televised event. “It was very powerful.”

Mr Barden went on to say that he is hopeful the actions taken by the President will be fruitful.

“We know we have the support of the American people. We need it to be visible and help see that Congress does the right thing,” he said, calling the actions “good, simple, comprehensive measures that can save lives and not have an impact on our rights.”

It is important, Mr Barden said, that awareness is raised and that people are educated on what these actions are, and what they are not.

“We owe it to ourselves to be educated. We owe it to ourselves and our nation to continue to evolve in the right direction,” he said, and as President Obama had pointed out in his address, Mr Barden noted, “We know there is no one or no number of actions to stop everything [bad]. But we must do what we can to save as many lives as possible.”

Po Murray, chairman of Newtown Action Alliance, minced no words in a statement released before joining other gun violence prevention advocates at The White House Tuesday morning. 

“We thank the President for taking action to help reduce gun violence in our nation while the NRA-handcuffed Congress sits idle, failing to represent over 90 percent of Americans who support expanded background checks. The tragic shooting of 20 innocent children and six educators should have been enough for Congress to do whatever it takes to reduce the 89 gun deaths that occur daily in our country.

“Congressional inaction is simply unacceptable as more and more families, survivors, and communities around this nation are facing unbearable loss and pain due to the epidemic of gun violence. Six states have passed background check bills since the Sandy Hook tragedy. The President’s executive actions to close the loopholes in the background check system, enforce gun laws, pursue smart gun technology, and increase investments in mental illness treatment are positive steps forward to make our communities safer,” she said.

“The gun industry, the corporate gun lobby, members of Congress and Presidential candidates who have dishonored all victims, survivors, families and communities impacted by gun violence by supporting the bloodshed with inaction have no right to criticize the President’s executive actions. Two dozen constitutional scholars have already defended the constitutionality of these actions.

“Doing nothing is no longer an option. If shootings can impact a community like Newtown, they can happen anywhere. We strongly encourage our fellow Americans to join our efforts to demand that Congress reject the NRA’s rhetoric and money and step up to #HonorWithAction and #EndGunViolence,” Ms Murray said.

Newtown Action Alliance is a grassroots organization formed after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, working to make children, families, and all citizens safer through legislative and cultural change that will reduce gun violence.

Lawmakers Speak Out

Also in attendance at the Tuesday conference were Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, and Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal.

Gov Malloy released the following statement, January 5:

“This is a common sense issue — and one that demands action. President Obama is doing just that. We cannot sit back and let guns get into the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, and we cannot simply watch almost daily tragedy occur. Too many loved ones have been lost, and too many families have been torn apart by gun violence. That’s why President Obama deserves enormous praise for leading on this issue in Washington, just as we have in Connecticut. It’s time to step up — and we deeply appreciate the smart, common sense steps the White House announced today. These actions will no doubt make a difference and make our communities safer.”

Congresswoman Esty was also in attendance at a January 4 meeting with President Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch to discuss possible courses of action. Rep Esty has been vocal about her support for the President to take executive action in light of Congress’s failure to act on this issue.

“I am pleased to see the President taking action and addressing our nation’s crippling gun epidemic. Loopholes exacerbate the difficulty of enforcing current laws and strengthening our longstanding efforts to curb senseless violence and death,” she said, following that meeting. “We should not let Congress’s irresponsible inaction prevent progress.”

Senators Murphy and Blumenthal, and Rep Esty also released a joint statement at murphy.senate.gov, on January 5, following the White House announcements.

“I left the White House today thinking that President Obama just gets it. He’s listened to the heart wrenching stories of grieving parents and spouses. He’s seen the raw pain in the eyes of those who have had their lives shattered in an instant by a murderer with a gun. And like almost everyone I talk to in Connecticut, he cannot believe that Congress has done absolutely nothing to save the lives of the people they represent. He gets it and he knows it’s time to act,” said Sen Murphy, adding, “Today’s meeting reassured me that the President stands with us in Connecticut, even if Congress won’t.”

“The President’s executive measures mark a milestone moment in the marathon effort against gun violence in America. In our meeting at the White House today, President Obama outlined critical, overdue steps that treat gun violence as a public health crisis — an insidious scourge that claims 30,000 lives each year,” said Sen Blumenthal. “His actions are bold, legal, and necessary — essential due to Congress’s reprehensible failure to act in the face of dire need. The overriding message is our common commitment to keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people, including convicted felons, drug addicts, and domestic abusers. Sellers of guns in substantial number should be required to conduct background checks regardless of how they make those sales — a mandate supported by the vast majority of Americans. The existing loophole mocks practical reality and federal law’s clear intent and purpose. The President’s initiative also recognizes the urgent need for mental health services and funding to comprehensively address gun violence as a public health crisis. As Congress continues its complicity through inaction, I applaud President Obama’s move to save lives and protect public safety,” he said.

 “Today’s action is a necessary, responsible next step to update an exceptionally vague definition in the current background check system that some bad actors exploit in order to sell a high volume of guns without ever conducting a background check. We should not let an irresponsible Congress prevent the executive branch from clarifying current law to protect children and families, and President Obama showed that he gets it,” reads Rep Esty’s statement, in part.

NSSF And NRA Weigh In

On its website (nssfblog.com), the National Shooting Sports Foundation, located in Newtown, posted a statement regarding “Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and Make Our Communities Safer,” January 5.

“We all share the goal of reducing the intentional misuse of guns and enhancing the safety of our communities. As the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will carefully review all aspects of the executive actions that President Obama announced today. Much remains to be spelled out. In the interim we have some initial reactions:

“We support further resources being allocated to staffing and increasing operational hours for the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to make the system more efficient and responsive.

“We represent Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). The criteria for what will constitute being ‘engaged in the business’ going forward needs considerable clarification and raises questions about enforceability.

“The number of firearms lost or stolen while in transit to or from FFLs is less than 0.15 percent of the number manufactured and imported in a given year. In these rare occurrences, FFLs already actively participate in ATF’s long-standing voluntary reporting program and FFLs and common carriers work closely with ATF to investigate them. Proposals to make a shipping FFL responsible for tracking and reporting firearms no longer in their inventories, after the legal title has been transferred to the purchaser, are misdirected, as the receiving FFL is in the best position to know if it receives its shipment.

“We have long called for the effective enforcement of the numerous laws already on the books regarding the criminal misuse of firearms and would encourage the administration to carry through on this directive.

“NSSF has been working actively since early 2013 through our FixNICS initiative to encourage states to report all appropriate adjudicated mental health records to NICS and has succeeded in getting legislation passed in more than a dozen states. We welcome the administration’s attention to this issue.

“With regard to the development of ‘smart-gun’ technology, the industry has never opposed its development. How additional government research into this technology would advance it is unclear. Law enforcement agencies and consumers themselves will have to make the determination whether acquisition of firearms with this technology ‘would be consistent with operational needs,’ as the White House itself states. We would continue to oppose mandates for this technology, particularly since there are well proven existing methods to secure firearms, and firearms accidents are at historic low levels.

“NSSF will have additional responses in the days, weeks and months ahead, especially as federal departments and agencies begin the work of carrying out the executive orders.”

A more aggressive stance was taken at nraila.org, where executive director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, Chris W. Cox, issued this statement regarding the executive actions proposed by President Obama:

“Once again, President Obama has chosen to engage in political rhetoric, instead of offering meaningful solutions to our nation’s pressing problems. Today’s event also represents an ongoing attempt to distract attention away from his lack of a coherent strategy to keep the American people safe from terrorist attack.

“The American people do not need more emotional, condescending lectures that are completely devoid of facts. The men and women of the National Rifle Association take a back seat to no one when it comes to keeping our communities safe. But the fact is that President Obama’s proposals would not have prevented any of the horrific events he mentioned. The timing of this announcement, in the eighth and final year of his presidency, demonstrates not only political exploitation but a fundamental lack of seriousness.

“The proposed executive actions are ripe for abuse by the Obama Administration, which has made no secret of its contempt for the Second Amendment. The NRA will continue to fight to protect the fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms as guaranteed under our Constitution. We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be harassed or intimidated for engaging in lawful, constitutionally-protected activity — nor will we allow them to become scapegoats for President Obama’s failed policies.”