While details of an attack that left 14 dead were still developing, a myriad of gun violence released fast responses to the tragic event.
The mass killing at holiday party on the grounds of the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, around 11 a.m. Wednesday afternoon by up to three suspects garnered massive media attention both domestically and overseas. Within hours, groups with an agenda that includes increased gun regulation began to make calls to action, citing the attack.
“Expand Brady Background Checks to all gun sales NOW. You’re either with the American people or you’re with those intent on doing us harm!” noted the Brady Campaign as part of a drive for concerned citizens to contact their lawmakers in Washington in support of universal background checks to include private transfers.
Mark Carmen with the newly formed American Coalition for Responsible Gun Ownership posted an emotional video calling on gun owners and “oath keepers” to “drop all this nonsense” about “someone taking their guns” and take action to help effect increased gun regulations before the government does.
Other groups from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Gabby Giffords’ Americans for Responsible Solutions and Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety fired off statements complete with graphics and further pleas for increased regulation.
“While the community needs our thoughts and prayers—more than that—they need our action,” reads a statement on Moms Demand Action’s Facebook page only hours after the news broke of the San Bernardino incident, along with a Text Now short code to join the group.
The call for change was also echoed from the White House where President Obama urged more gun safety laws and stronger background checks. The chief executive in particular cited a controversial proposal on stripping the firearms rights away from individuals on the no-fly list.
“And for those who are concerned about terrorism, some may be aware of the fact that we have a no-fly list where people can’t get on planes, but those same people who we don’t allow to fly could go into a store right now in the United States and buy a firearm and there’s nothing that we can do to stop them. That’s a law that needs to be changed,” said the President Wednesday afternoon.
To which House Republicans urged caution.
“People have due process rights in this country,” Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday, advising there are still too many unknowns in the San Bernardino shootings
