Now and then, we come across fearful news of mass shootings and alarming gun violence. And, amidst all this, we must be aware of how we can control this violence. The timely information regarding gun violence is that there are some great ways by which we can handle this to a significant extent. In this essay, we are going to discuss how we can curb the raging pestilence of gun violence and stop the violence from spreading any further.
Without any shadow of a doubt, many people lose their lives by gun killings. And keeping all the other reasons away, we must prevent this before it goes out of hand for the sake of humanity only.
According to gun violence statistics, more than 30,000 people lose their lives every day worldwide due to a bullet lodged in their bodies.
We can not deny the fact that these deaths happen due to the lack of will by the governance or underinvestment aimed to prevent these killings.
Pass Gun Laws That Actually Reduce Gun Laws
Gun violence results from a lack of intervention of stern laws against it.
5% of the homicides are even done with military-grade rifles, which shows the flaws in the laws. According to gun control essay examples published in known magazines like JAMA, showed that countries with strict laws and restrictions against multiple and easy purchases of guns recorded lower rates of gun-related homicide.
The right-to-carry laws are becoming dangerous. The right to carry guns for citizens with evidential requirements has spiked killings by at least 15%.
Orders regarding gun-violence restraining is another point of attraction for lawmakers. This law will enforce a temporary bar on a person who seems at risk of possessing any firearms. Police are allowed to seize firearms whenever they want to.
These laws can certainly lower gun-related crimes, and many studies have proved it.
Nonetheless, the most prominent shortcoming of laws is that there are some evident loopholes to evade them. Gun killings have even crept their way to education sectors. Some weapons are being available to underage students. The news of gun violence in schools and colleges is simply heart-wrenching.
In January 2013 press conference, U.S. President Barack Obama had said that “If we can set it up so you can’t unlock your phone unless you have got the right fingerprint, then why can’t we do the same for our guns?”
This particular saying from the President had spiked the idea of making smart gun technology. Guns are way smarter than they were before. Nowadays, firearms can be monitored, controlled, and regulated exactly like mobile phones. However, the technology is still under supervision and has a path to get more trustworthy. In fact, there are no smart guns as of yet in the United States.
The main concern behind this is that the gun makers, as well as the users, believe that the technology will fail during utmost requirement. And hence acceptance of smart guns is pretty low.
End Legal Immunity For Gun Violence
Federal laws have been protecting the gun industry.
There were lawsuits passed in the past that had certainly helped gun violence to increase. Experts say that if laws hold the manufacturers responsible for misusing any of their products, they will be instinctive towards making safer firearms.
Fund Gun Violence Prevention Research
More research on guns to make them safer will automatically lower the probabilities of violent homicides.
According to a study by American Medical Association, research regarding gun violence should have received 1.4 billion dollars, but currently, only 22 million dollars were funded to it. This is around 1.6% of the money they should have been received by now.
The yearly budget should a lot immediate hike in money expenditure in this field of research against firearm violence.
Conclusion
We, along with our society, are being used to these types of violence day by day. Tragedies such as gun killings are homicides are being a sort of day-to-day routine.
But, this has to step one day or the other. If not completely stopped, we can try our best to prevent it to a significant extent. This is our right to enjoy a weekend in our house, send our children to playgrounds, go to offices, drive our cars back home and shop at shopping malls, stroll all around our loved city without any fear of being shot.
Hand-in-hand together, we can create an unfathomable barricade against gun-related violence and change our society for the better.
The battle between gun control extremists and those wanting open carry have not died down but rather are no longer at the forefront of the news. The fact that President Trump and a majority of congress is republican has a lot to do with this. Regardless of how hard activists fight to get bills sent to the senate it simply will not work with the overwhelming advantage the republicans have in congress. Each president and congress has a different impact on the gun industry and below delves into some of the impacts Donald Trump has had since taking over as president.
How Has It Gone
The surprising fact is that gun gales have gone down significantly since Trump was elected president. For many people this might be confusing as a pro gun candidate might cause a surge in sales. The truth is that people went out to buy guns when they were scared that former president Barack Obama would increase regulations on the sales and ownership of guns. Congress having a majority of democrats at some points during the Obama administration influenced gun buyers immensely. Nobody was sure of when a law would pass or be voted on as many of these regulations are wrapped up in much more complicated bills.
Does The Industry Need a Democrat To Boom Again
The question becomes when the gun industry has seen a slump since the election of Trump of whether an anti-gun president would help sales skyrocket. This can be a very slippery place for those gun suppliers as supporting this candidate in a few years could all but ruin the gun industry in the country. A democratic president combined with a democratic congress could lead to much harsher restrictions or even a gun registry which violates a myriad of constitutional rights. Restrictions on bulk ammo online as well as other tactical gear could become much more extreme. The best case for those in the gun industry is a congress that is split with a president that is pro-gun rights. This reduces the chances for any extreme changes but still puts fear in people that they might be disarmed by their own government.
Suppliers Need To Focus On Government Contracts
For gun suppliers and manufacturers the golden ticket is getting a government contract to provide weapons for the US military. Regardless if there is a recession as far as personal gun buyers goes, the US seems to be prepping for military action in multiple areas. These firearms can be bought to help protect US soldiers as well as their allies overseas. Other great contract to sign is that of a law enforcement agency whether it is a county police force or a federal law enforcement agency. Hover here…
State and City Laws Still Restrict Certain Firearms
The common person does not realize that many gun laws are on the state and city level. A city can ban guns with a certain caliber or capacity like New York City where a gun with a capacity of more than 6 bullets cannot be used. A majority of automatic weapons are restricted in many states with semi-automatic guns like the AR-15 coming to the forefront of debate as multiple mass shooters used this specific gun. In states like Arizona there are open carry laws which allow those to carry their registered and licensed firearms in the street. Modifications of weapons are illegal if they turn the weapon into a fully automatic rifle as these can only be used by law enforcement as well as military personnel.
The gun industry is not exactly booming with Trump at the head of our country. With all of the conflicts and all-around shooting going on in today’s world the gun industry is sure to recover. The most important thing that can be done is more thorough psychological testing for those purchasing guns. Every American has the right to own a gun if they are of sound mind and haven’t forfeited their civil rights by committing a felony.
Democratic candidates have clashed on gun control and healthcare in their liveliest TV debate so far.
Hillary Clinton attacked Bernie Sanders’ record on gun control, and said his healthcare plan risked derailing recent legislation.
Bernie Sanders accused Hillary Clinton of being in the pocket of financial institutions responsible for the 2008 crisis.
While Hillary Clinton leads nationwide, Bernie Sanders is a threat in key states.
Hours before the debate in South Carolina, Bernie Sanders – a Vermont senator – had unveiled a healthcare plan for all American citizens.
This was the final Democratic debate before caucuses in Iowa on February 1 show who the state’s voters prefer as their candidate.
Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, who is trailing Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in polls, also took part in the lively debate in which personal attacks were few and far between.
Photo AP
Bernie Sanders announced his universal healthcare plan two hours before the debate started.
Hillary Clinton said any moves to scrap the current Affordable Healthcare Act risked plunging the Democrats into “contentious debate”. Instead, the party should work on improving the program, known as ObamaCare.
Bernie Sanders responded: “Nobody is tearing this up.”
He said he wanted to build on ObamaCare.
Gun control was the first subject in the two-hour debate, that was held near a church in Charleston where nine parishioners were shot dead in June 2015.
Hillary Clinton released an advertisement this week attacking Bernie Sanders for his attitude towards gun control. His home state, Vermont, has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the US, with close to one in two households owning a weapon.
In the debate, Hillary Clinton again highlighted legislation she said showed that Bernie Sanders supported the gun lobby.
However, Bernie Sanders told the debate he had a “D minus voting record” from the National Rifle Association, and fully supported moves by President Obama for tougher background checks on gun buyers.
Martin O’Malley pointed out restrictions he passed against combat assault weapons in Maryland, adding: “I have never met a self-respecting deer hunter who needed an AR-15 [semi-automatic rifle] to down a deer.”
Polls indicate Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are neck-and-neck ahead of the caucus in Iowa, where voters will decide who they want as their preferred candidate. She had once commanded a large lead.
In New Hampshire, Bernie Sanders holds a lead in polls ahead of voting in the primary there eight days later.
The US gun sales are rising, just as President Barack Obama unveils control measures designed to limit the availability of weapons.
Smith & Wesson’s shares rose to their highest value since 1999 ahead of Barack Obama’s announcement.
On January 4, Smith & Wesson raised its sales estimate, saying the market was “stronger than originally anticipated”.
The number of background and CRB checks on potential buyers – a guide to future sales – has also risen.
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System said that checks were up by about 38% last month compared with December 2014.
Smith & Wesson’s trading update said that for the three months ending January 31 it expected sales to be about $175 million-$180 million. Earlier guidance put the likely figure at between $150 million and $155 million.
The gunmaker said that “the sell-through rate of its products at distribution has been stronger than originally anticipated, resulting in reduced distributor inventories of its firearms”. That means guns are being bought faster than Smith & Wesson is supplying them.
The company said its net profit was $14.2 million for the period, compared with $5.2 million for the same period last year.
In December, Smith & Wesson reported that profits had nearly tripled for the three months to October and net sales have increased 38% over the last five years.
On January 4, the White House unveiled proposals for gun control measures that require more sellers to get licenses and more gun buyers to undergo background checks.
The US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will require that people who sell guns at stores, at gun shows or over the internet be licensed and conduct checks.
The bureau is also finalizing a rule requiring background checks for buyers of dangerous weapons from a trust, corporation or other legal entity.
News of the stronger gun market saw Smith & Wesson’s shares up 11% on January 5, despite stock markets in general falling sharply. Competitor Sturm Ruger’s share rose 7.28% to a 52-week high.
President Barack Obama has announced he will take unilateral action to tackle the gun violence in the United States.
In his first weekly address of 2016, Barack Obama said he would meet Attorney General Loretta Lynch to discuss actions he could take.
Barack Obama said he was using his executive powers as president because the US Congress has failed to address the problem.
Analysts say there will be a backlash from gun activists and Republicans.
However, Barack Obama told Americans that he had received too many letters from parents, and teachers, and children, to sit around and do nothing.
“We know that we can’t stop every act of violence,” he said.
“But what if we tried to stop even one? What if Congress did something – anything – to protect our kids from gun violence?”
Barack Obama has admitted that his inability to win Congressional backing for what he called “common sense gun laws” was the greatest frustration of his presidency.
The president could use his executive authority in several areas, including expanding new background check requirements for buyers who purchase weapons from high-volume dealers.
However, he is likely to face stiff opposition to his plans.
The National Rifle Association has already launched a video series attacking gun control activists.
In Texas, a new “open carry law” will allow Texans with a permit to wear handguns on their hips in holsters – openly displaying the fact they are armed.
Last month a Texas police chief warned the president that trying to disarm Americans could spark a revolution.
Previous efforts to introduce stricter gun control laws have repeatedly foundered despite the large number of people dying in gun attacks.
A joint Democrat-Republican bill following the 2012 shooting of 20 children and six adults at a primary school in Connecticut failed to get the 60 votes needed to broaden background checks and ban assault weapons.
Hillary Clinton has clashed with her main rival Bernie Sanders over gun control at the first Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
When asked if the Vermont senator was strong on gun control, Hillary Clinton said “no, not at all” before vowing to go after the makers of guns used in shootings.
Bernie Sanders also attacked Hillary Clinton, saying her support for a no-fly zone in Syria would create “serious problems”.
His rallies have drawn big crowds and he has challenged Hillary Clinton’s frontrunner status in some key states.
A lot of the key exchanges came between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, and the three other candidates on stage in Las Vegas – former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee – struggled to make headway.
One of the sharpest points of difference between the two main candidates came over gun control.
Photo EPA
The hugely divisive issue came back on the agenda after a mass shooting at a college campus in Oregon.
When Hillary Clinton said Bernie Sanders was not tough enough, she was referring to him voting in 2005 for a measure to give gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits.
The two also argued over the merits of capitalism, with the former first lady saying it would be a “grave mistake” for the nation to reject it.
Vice-President Joe Biden is still considering a run for the White House and did not make a last-minute entry on to the stage, as his supporters hoped.
Hillary Clinton has seen her support wane amid questions about her use of a private email account when she served as secretary of state, a move she now calls a mistake.
However, she was unfazed during the debate when Lincoln Chafee questioned her credibility over it, refusing to respond when invited.
The candidates tried to draw a distinction with the two Republican debates, where candidates took a tougher stance on immigration and spent more time discussing social issues like abortion and gay marriage.
Martin O’Malley used his 90-second closing speech to say the Republican debates were lessons in intolerance.
Republican candidate Jeb Bush said he saw nothing on the Las Vegas stage to impress him.
“If you think this country is on the wrong track, Hillary Clinton just told you she has no interest in changing direction. I sure will.”
Fifteen Republicans are vying to be the party’s White House nominee in 2016.
Iowa will be the first state to choose its candidate from each party in February, then other states hold primaries in the following weeks and months.
By next summer, each party will have a presidential nominee who will do battle in the race for the White House.
For gun control activists, 2008 was the year the floodgates opened. That’s when the Supreme Court ruled on District of Columbia v. Heller, a landmark challenge to the constitutionality of DC’s 32-year ban on handguns. In a remarkable 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that the personal right to own a gun for lawful purposes, such as self-defense, is a guarantee under the Constitution.
The court did not finish there. In 2010, it further strengthened Second Amendment rights by overturning Chicago’s handgun ban with its 5-4 decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago. Following these two legal decisions, and spurred on by mass shootings in Colorado, Arizona, and Connecticut, the gun control lobby has gone into overdrive. It continues to push legislations that chip away at the Second Amendment.
Image via Flickr by Jim Wrigley Photography
Universal Background Checks
Universal background checks are the least intrusive measure in the gun control arsenal. While federal law already requires background checks for any weapons sold by licensed gun dealers, gun control activists want those checks to extend to every gun transaction. This includes live auctions over the Internet, gun shows, and private sales.
A private seller does not need to perform a background check on the buyer, but certain states such as California require that you do. If you know that the buyer has a criminal history or suffers from a mental illness or drug addiction, you are legally allowed to refuse to sell him or her a firearm without performing a background check.
Magazine Bans
Image via Flickr by Mojave Desert
There are eight states, plus the District of Columbia, that have passed laws restricting magazine capacity. In New Jersey and Colorado, the limit is 15 rounds. In states such as California, Connecticut, DC, and Massachusetts the limit is 10. However, some states, such as Colorado and Massachusetts, grandfathered certain magazines before laws came into effect. Check your date of purchase, as you may be eligible to keep your large capacity magazine.
Law enforcement officers in Colorado recently sued the state over its newly enacted gun control laws, claiming they were unconstitutional and unenforceable; the judge ruled against them based on lack of standing.
Assault Weapons Ban
Image via Flickr by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
In 2003, a decade-long federal ban on “assault weapons” expired. After the Sandy Hook shootings, renewing this ban became a primary focus of gun control groups. Unfortunately, most of the groups pushing for a ban had little understanding of the weapon they were proposing to ban, focusing more on cosmetic alterations. The AR-15, America’s most popular rifle, became their primary enemy. However, there was little support for this ban. Furthermore, a Justice Department study showed the federal ban actually failed to save any lives. It is no longer a primary aim of the largest gun control groups.
Gun Registries
Second only to an outright ban, federal gun registries are the Holy Grail for gun control activists. This is because a gun registry does not track guns so much as it identifies and registers gun owners. This makes it easy to disarm certain classes of people. The Nazis used a national gun registry to disarm its political opponents and the Jews.
States such as Hawaii and the District of Columbia require owners to register their guns. Some states, such as New York, require registration of certain guns (handguns). Check with your state to see whether you need to register your gun, especially if you own different firearms.
Know Your Rights
While the Supreme Court has reaffirmed universal Second Amendment rights, laws still vary from state to state regarding concealed carry, open carry, magazine capacity, and other limitations. The most recent example of the tragedy that can occur over disparate gun laws is Shaneen Allen, a single mother from Pennsylvania who faced prison time over her legally owned and carried gun. At a routine traffic stop in New Jersey, Ms. Allen, a Pennsylvania resident, disclosed to the officer that she had a concealed carry permit and her handgun was in the car. The police immediately took her to jail. She faces a mandatory prison sentence because of New Jersey’s extremely restrictive gun control laws.
Even though the Second Amendment right to gun ownership is universal and guaranteed under the Constitution, it’s still important to understand the gun laws of any state. If you travel and plan to bring your gun, know the rights of each state to avoid trouble.
The White House has announced measures aimed at limiting access to firearms for the mentally ill.
The changes clarify ambiguous regulations and allow hospitals to provide more information for background checks, officials said.
The actions come more than one year after the Newtown school shooting, which sparked a national gun debate.
President Barack Obama’s push for stricter gun controls stalled after the incident.
In a statement released on Friday, the White House said the two new actions “will help strengthen the federal background check system and keep guns out of the wrong hands”.
The first proposed regulation, from the Department of Justice, aims to clarify who is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm for reasons related to mental health.
That change includes clarifying the term “committed to a mental institution” to include involuntary inpatient as well as outpatient commitments, the White House said.
Barack Obama’s push for stricter gun controls stalled after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
The second proposed action, brought by the Department of Health and Human Services, lifts certain privacy provisions preventing states from forwarding relevant information to the background check system.
The change could give medical entities covered by federal health privacy law permission to disclose “limited information necessary to help keep guns out of potentially dangerous hands”, the White House said.
“The proposed rule will not change the fact that seeking help for mental health problems or getting treatment does not make someone legally prohibited from having a firearm,” the White House said.
The proposed changes follow the one-year anniversary of the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 20 children and six school staff members were killed.
The gunman, Adam Lanza, is believed to have had severe mental health issues at the time of the crime.
Barack Obama proposed several federal gun control measures in the wake of the shooting, including tightening the background check system to make it harder for convicted criminals to buy guns, but Congress declined to act under pressure from the powerful gun lobby.
The president has continued to press Congress for further restrictions, although skeptics note that if the murder of 20 children failed to goad Congress to action, it is unclear what could.
“Passing common-sense gun safety legislation – including expanding background checks and making gun trafficking a federal crime – remains the most important step we can take to reduce gun violence,” the White House statement concluded.
Duck Dynasty‘s stars revealed they are no fans of gun control, but there’s another kind of control they think the nation could use.
“It ain’t gun control we need; it’s sin control,” Si Robertson told Men’s Journal magazine in a group interview.
His brother, Phil Robertson, has another kind of control in mind.
“Self-control,” he added.
The bearded bayou clan’s show has been a hit, and they’re not afraid to speak out about their feelings on religion and politics, though the show plays those down.
“We’re trying to infuse a little good into a culture in which gentleness, patience, kindness, self-control, love, joy and peace have become abnormal,” Phil Robertson told the magazine.
“I go out into America and I am literally navigating a minefield. Godliness has become abnormal.”
Duck Dynasty‘s stars revealed they are no fans of gun control, but there’s another kind of control they think the nation could use
Duck Dynasty show has brought Robertson family big bucks – the magazine reports they’re rumored to earn $200,000 each per episode – but they claim it hasn’t changed them.
“This place is probably worth $100,000,” Phil Robertson told the magazine about his Louisiana home.
“But I consider it a mansion.”
Duck Dynasty stars admit they’re not perfect. Si Robertson was drafted during the Vietnam War and remembers those days as especially rebellious.
“I kept a fifth of whiskey in my pocket everywhere I went,” he told Men’s Journal.
“I tried dope one time, OK, like marijuana, but why would you smoke something that makes you feel 100 years old? So, drugs wasn’t it for me. In my mind, it was alcohol and whoring around.”
Miss Kay Robertson was just 16 and pregnant when they wed in 1966, but even the fans who want him to sign their panties can’t sway him from her side.
“They walk up with a pair of little bitty, bitty bikini underwear and say, <<Will you sign these?>>” Phil Robertson said.
“Well, my first question is, <<Are they clean?>>. But, see, as I move forward on my travels, I make sure I take two things with me, my Bible and my woman, Miss Kay. You see what I’m saying? I’ve put my heathen days behind me. I’m not going down that path again.”
President Barack Obama is set to make gun control – as well as taxes and spending – a key part of his 2013 State of the Union speech after the first lady invited the parents of the slain Chicago teenager who has become the poster child for gun violence in the president’s home city.
Barack Obama is also expected to press Congress for additional tax hikes, fewer spending cuts, outreach for military families and immigration reform, which is shaping up to be a key part of his second term agenda.
The agenda Barack Obama will outline will include more money for infrastructure, clean energy technologies and manufacturing jobs, as well as expanding access to early childhood education.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama would outline “his plan to create jobs and grow the middle class” as the nation struggles with persistently high unemployment.
President Barack Obama is set to make gun control, as well as taxes and spending, a key part of his 2013 State of the Union speech
President Barack Obama’s talking points:
Gun control: A mission since December’s Sandy Hook massacre, Barack Obama has pushed for intensified background checks and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Immigration reform: Barack Obama’s proposed plan would put 11 million undocumented residents on the path to American citizenship.
Tax hikes: The president is looking to ramp up tax hikes on the wealthy in an effort to repair the economy while stabilizing the middle class.
Military families: Barack Obama is expected to call for increased outreach to those closest to those fighting overseas
Clean energy initiatives: The development of and investments in clean energy has long been a priority of the Obama administration as part of his ongoing effort to bolster the economy.
President Barack Obama pledged this morning to put his “full weight” behind a legislative gun control package aimed at avoiding another Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Barack Obama voiced skepticism about proposals to place armed guards at schools in the aftermath of the December 14th deadly assault in Connecticut which claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six teachers.
In his boldest terms yet, Barack Obama vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence and said he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high capacity clips or magazines.
“It is not enough for us to say. This is too hard so we’re not going to try,” Barack Obama said.
“So what I intend to do is I will call all the stakeholders together. I will meet with Republicans. I will meet with Democrats. I will talk to anybody.
“I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can’t have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids. And, yes, it’s going to be hard.”
Barack Obama’s comments come as the schoolroom shooting has elevated the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public attention.
Six adults also died at the school. Authorities say the shooter killed himself and also killed his mother at their home.
The slayings have prompted renewed calls for greater gun controls. The National Rifle Association has resisted those efforts vociferously, arguing instead that schools should have armed guards for protection.
“I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools,” the president said.
“And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem.”
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Barack Obama voiced skepticism about proposals to place armed guards at schools in the aftermath of the December 14th deadly assault in Connecticut which claimed the lives of 20 first graders and six teachers
Barack Obama said he intended to press the issue with the public.
“Will there be resistance? Absolutely there will be resistance,” he said.
“The question then becomes whether we are actually shook up enough by what happened here that it does not just become another one of these routine episodes where it gets a lot of attention for a couple of weeks and then it drifts away. It certainly won’t feel like that to me.
“This is something that – you know, that was the worst day of my presidency. And it’s not something that I want to see repeated.”
Besides getting gun violence legislation passed next year, Barack Obama also listed immigration as a top priority for 2013 as well as deficit reduction.
A big deficit reduction deal with Republicans proved elusive this month and Obama is now hoping Senate Democratic and Republican leaders salvage a scaled back plan that avoids across the board tax increases for virtually all Americans.
He issued a defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates for new secretary of defense.
Chuck Hagel, who opposed President George W. Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq, has been criticized in conservative circles for not being a strong enough ally of Israel.
Many liberals and gay activists also have banded against him for comments he made in 1998 about an openly gay nominee for an ambassadorship.
Barack Obama, who briefly served with Chuck Hagel in the Senate, stressed that he had yet to make a decision on a secretary of defense but said called Hagel a “patriot”.
“He is somebody who has done extraordinary work both in the United States Senate,” he said.
“Somebody who served this country with valor in Vietnam. And is somebody who’s currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job.”
Barack Obama noted that Chuck Hagel had apologized for his 14-year-old remark.
“And I think it’s a testimony to what has been a positive change over the last decade in terms of people’s attitudes about gays and lesbians serving our country,” he said.
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