09-03-2008, 08:58 PM
He was actually for gun control before he was against it
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Gun controlAs a state legislator in Illinois, Obama supported banning the sale or transfer of all forms of [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_firearm"]semi-automatic firearms[/url], increasing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms and requiring manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-191"][192][/url] He supported a "ban" on the sale and possession of handguns on a political questionnaire.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-192"][193][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-193"][194][/url] In 1999, he urged for prohibiting the operation of any gun store within five miles of a school or park, which according to gun-rights advocates would eliminate gun stores from most of the inhabited portion of the United States.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-kopel-wsj-oped-194"][195][/url] He sponsored a bill in 2000 limiting handgun purchases to one per month.
As state senator, he voted against a 2004 measure that allowed self-defense as an affirmative defense to those charged with violating local laws making it otherwise unlawful for such persons to possess firearms.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-195"][196][/url] He also voted against allowing persons who had obtained domestic violence protective orders to carry handguns for their protection.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-kopel-wsj-oped-194"][195][/url]
From 1994 through 2002, Obama was a board member of the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Foundation"]Joyce Foundation[/url], which provides funds for gun control organizations in the United States.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-politico-joyce-196"][197][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-197"][198][/url]
While in the US Senate, Obama has supported several gun control measures, including restricting the purchase of firearms at [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_show"]gun shows[/url] and the reauthorization of the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban"]Federal Assault Weapons Ban[/url].[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-198"][199][/url] Obama voted against legislation protecting firearm manufacturers from certain [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liability"]liability[/url] suits, which gun-rights advocates say are designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-199"][200][/url] Obama did vote in favor of the 2006 [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitter_Amendment"]Vitter Amendment[/url] to prohibit the confiscation of lawful firearms during an emergency or major disaster, which passed 84-16.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-200"][201][/url]
During a [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15"]February 15[/url], 2008 press conference, Obama stated, "I think there is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation."[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-ap-obama-gun-rights-201"][202][/url] Obama has also stated his opposition to allowing citizens to [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry"]carry concealed firearms[/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-202"][203][/url] and supports a national law outlawing the practice.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-203"][204][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-204"][205][/url]
Obama is rated F by the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association"]National Rifle Association[/url].[[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed"]citation needed[/url]] The NRA describes the recipient of its F grade as a "true enemy of gun owners’ rights."[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-205"][206][/url] He is also rated F by [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Owners_of_America"]Gun Owners of America[/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-206"][207][/url] who stated that Obama will "Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control".[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-207"][208][/url]
Obama initially voiced support of Washington DC's handgun ban. Following the Supreme Court decision on the ban, he voiced support of the decision overturning the law, saying, "Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe." [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-208"][209][/url]
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]Gun controlAs a state legislator in Illinois, Obama supported banning the sale or transfer of all forms of [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_firearm"]semi-automatic firearms[/url], increasing state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms and requiring manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-191"][192][/url] He supported a "ban" on the sale and possession of handguns on a political questionnaire.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-192"][193][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-193"][194][/url] In 1999, he urged for prohibiting the operation of any gun store within five miles of a school or park, which according to gun-rights advocates would eliminate gun stores from most of the inhabited portion of the United States.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-kopel-wsj-oped-194"][195][/url] He sponsored a bill in 2000 limiting handgun purchases to one per month.
As state senator, he voted against a 2004 measure that allowed self-defense as an affirmative defense to those charged with violating local laws making it otherwise unlawful for such persons to possess firearms.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-195"][196][/url] He also voted against allowing persons who had obtained domestic violence protective orders to carry handguns for their protection.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-kopel-wsj-oped-194"][195][/url]
From 1994 through 2002, Obama was a board member of the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Foundation"]Joyce Foundation[/url], which provides funds for gun control organizations in the United States.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-politico-joyce-196"][197][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-197"][198][/url]
While in the US Senate, Obama has supported several gun control measures, including restricting the purchase of firearms at [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_show"]gun shows[/url] and the reauthorization of the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban"]Federal Assault Weapons Ban[/url].[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-198"][199][/url] Obama voted against legislation protecting firearm manufacturers from certain [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liability"]liability[/url] suits, which gun-rights advocates say are designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-199"][200][/url] Obama did vote in favor of the 2006 [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitter_Amendment"]Vitter Amendment[/url] to prohibit the confiscation of lawful firearms during an emergency or major disaster, which passed 84-16.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-200"][201][/url]
During a [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15"]February 15[/url], 2008 press conference, Obama stated, "I think there is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation."[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-ap-obama-gun-rights-201"][202][/url] Obama has also stated his opposition to allowing citizens to [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concealed_carry"]carry concealed firearms[/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-202"][203][/url] and supports a national law outlawing the practice.[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-203"][204][/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-204"][205][/url]
Obama is rated F by the [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rifle_Association"]National Rifle Association[/url].[[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed"]citation needed[/url]] The NRA describes the recipient of its F grade as a "true enemy of gun owners’ rights."[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-205"][206][/url] He is also rated F by [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Owners_of_America"]Gun Owners of America[/url][url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-206"][207][/url] who stated that Obama will "Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control".[url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-207"][208][/url]
Obama initially voiced support of Washington DC's handgun ban. Following the Supreme Court decision on the ban, he voiced support of the decision overturning the law, saying, "Today's decision reinforces that if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe." [url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Barack_Obama#cite_note-208"][209][/url]
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