Obama: Urban violence "not just a gun issue"

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks at Hyde Park Academy on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013, in Chicago. / AP Photo/Evan Vucci

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Obama: "Change is always possible"

In an unusually personal speech not far from his Chicago home, President Obama today reiterated his ongoing call for Congress to pass laws aimed at reducing gun violence in America. But the president, invoking his personal history and his relationship with his father, also stressed the need for parents and communities to combat gun violence from the ground up -- "neighborhood by neighborhood" and "one block by one block" - to fight overarching issues related to urban poverty and violence.

The president, speaking at the Hyde Park Academy in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, lamented the losses in Newtown, Conn., in December, and remarked on the "profound and uniquely heartbreaking" fact that 20 of the victims were six years old.

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But he also pointed out that "last year, there were 443 murders with a firearm on the streets of this city, and 65 of those victims were 18 and under."

"That's an equivalent of a Newtown every four months," he said.

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Obama: I wish I had a father around

In the ongoing national conversation about gun violence post-Newtown, the president and his administration have been persistent in their acknowledgement of the everyday gun violence that takes place in cities across the country.

Mr. Obama focused heavily on the issue in his remarks this afternoon, touching briefly on the need for federal legislation before launching into a discussion about community and -- invoking his own experience -- family.

"In too many neighborhoods today... it can feel like, for a lot of young people, the future only extends to the next street corner," he said. "There are entire neighborhoods where young people, they don't see an example of somebody succeeding. For a lot of young boys and young men in particular, they don't see examples of fathers and grandfathers... who are in a position to support families and be held up and respected."

"That means that this is not just a gun issue," he continued. "It's also an issue of the kinds of communities that we're building."

"It's very hard to develop economically if people don't feel safe," he added.

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Obama mourns "a Newtown every four months"

The president, who speaks often of his relationship with his mother, as well as with his wife and children, argued that "there's no more important ingredient to success, nothing that would be more important for us reducing violence, than strong stable families."

That means, he said, enlisting community leaders to help build strong economies, improving the quality and accessibility of education and job training for students of all ages, and raising the minimum wage. He also said America needs to be doing more "to promote marriage and encourage fatherhood."

"Don't get me wrong. As the son of a single mom who gave everything she had to raise me... I turned out ok," Mr. Obama said. "We've got single moms out here, they're heroic, what they're doing, and we are so proud of them. But at the same time, I wish I had had a father who was around and involved."

Reflecting on his own history as a community organizer on Chicago's south side, Mr. Obama acknowledged the difficulties of pursuing change in communities riddled with crime and poverty.

"It wasn't easy. Progress didn't come quickly. Sometimes I got so discouraged I thought about just giving up," he said. "But what kept me going was the belief that with enough determination and effort, persistence and perseverance, change is always possible. That we may not be able to help everybody but if we help a few then that propels progress forward."

If communities pursue change with that kind of persistence, he argued, "we will write the next great chapter in American history."

[debternation]

Your're damn right it's not just a gun issue. It's really the cause of most of our social ills today. The lack of a family unit. The responsibility for themselves that these parents abdicate to the schools and government. They look to anyone but themselves. The last thing that they want is to look themselves in the mirror and assign responsibility for their own lot in life. This is mainly because that's exactly how they were raised. They know no difference. Many are grandparents by the time they are thirty. Never bothered with education or keeping their pants zipped up. And know we are told how it's all really our fault. We need to take away others rights, to deal with an ever growing segment of this welfare state, that will not take responsibility for their own actions or those of their children. This is the pivotal question for our country. When are we going to ask these people to be responsible for their own actions or lack their of?

[GeorgeontheJesusway]

But to liberal, progressives and atheist communists it is though. This is because they think that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed is something for them to change since they are not for freedom as the AMERICAN people have had it for over two-hundred years. And they wont stop there but will and have already gone after freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of the press as well as to be tried by a trial by jury for any crime and instead would have people tried by the U.N. instead which is foolishness. And their ideas would never work on gun control stopping crimes since real criminals are lawless and dont want any law and order because of their sin nature and not mental illness as some say. But what people need including criminals or oppressive politicians is to repent and believe the gospel and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. And believe on the only begotten Son of God , the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord God. Who died on the cross to pay for all of their sins against God , was buried, and rose from the dead the third day, was seen of men, and went back up to heaven. And lying,thievery,stealing,profanity and murdur,drunkenness and unbelief are all sins with more also and can be forgiven by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross by shedding his atoning blood as the full atonement for our sins. This is found in God's inspired and preserved word, the King james Version Holy Bible. Sincerely ;

[washmohickory]

Democrats extolling the virtues of marriage? Obama ought to go to Hollywood with his bosom buddies and make that speech. Maybe push Hollywood for more pro-marriage/pro-family movies. The democrats for ever have been doing all they can to destroy the family. They have criticized the principles and morals for the last 40 years. It is good to hear them talking about values. Maybe they can start rebuilding what they destroyed. Of course, it will be their values they will want to teach - not Chick-fil-a values. That would be reprehensible. Good luck to BORE.

[empirebuilder]

Obama misses one other key point, the culture of violence as a lifestyle that pervades segments of the population. He touched on it slightly by recognizing the disintegration of the family unit as a cause, but the cultural acceptance that has prevailed in many of these neighborhoods for generations is the concern.

The culture must change. The bad will always find a way to kill, guns, knives, bombs, it doesn't matter. Like any enforcement, stop one and another pops up.
Hate and fear mongering are one major cause of this culture. Greed and lack of esteem and values couple up as a cause.

This is where Obama needs to concentrate. His own disfunctional family and friends should give him invaluable insights in where to start solving the issues.

[JohnGaltWasHere]

Well said Empirebuilder, thank you. And it is not just about Chicago, it applies to nearly all inner city blight and crime.

[ammo17]

i wonder how many of eric holders assault rifles have found their way into our city`s from mexico.just a thought.

[kirkwilliams]

tyranny

1.
arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority. Synonyms: despotism, absolutism, dictatorship.

2.
the government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler.

3.
a state ruled by a tyrant or absolute ruler.

4.
oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler.

5.
undue severity or harshness.

[kirkwilliams]

Chicago already has a gun ban, and the highest murder rate in the world, proof that gun bans don't work, because criminals don't adhere to them, it only disarms the law abiding citizens and provides more helpless victims.

Yet Obama's kids have 11 armed guards in THEIR school.

and Obama is protected by 6 secret service agents with machine guns.

Obama's Tyranny Tour 2013 continues, his Career of Evil !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR2TLxroHhw

[milkweed222]

And you really think Obama WANTS to have to have Secret Service protection for himself, his wife and his children rather than walk freely and safely as most of us do? And you really think he WANTS to live in fear of every right-wing gun nut while he tries to straighten things out against the most determined, hateful and downright crazy opposition any President has ever faced? I can't imagine any political or monetary award that would be worth my peace of mind about my family. Maybe I'm naive, but the only reason I could think of to put myself in such a place would be the sincere desire to try to make this country right. And I think that's where Obama is. And sorry, that's not tyranny.

[matt6052]

What's so amazing to me is that Chicago created its own problems and yet it blames guns which it long ago outlawed. Financially, Chicago and Illinois are in terrible condition, even compared to other failing states like California. And Barack Obama knows only how to scale up the Chicago model of success to America.

[raflin1]

Should we ALSO talk about the financial state of Californa??

[raflin1]

Should we ALSO talk about the financial state of Californa?? Which had a REPUBLICAN governor???

[whaas2]

The President's speech is all bs. How will raising the minimum wage have any positive on gang gun violence in Chicago. Raising the minimum wage will cause effected employers to raise proces and or cut back on the number of employees that they can hire. Raising the minimum wage will make it more difficult for us to compete in the global market place and hence will decrease jobs. How will accelerating inflation and decreasing jobs help decrease gang gun violence in Chicago?

[raflin1]

GRUVEN? Please tell us about Repubican's efforts to inform us that raping a women will not make her "pregnant" if it's a "LEGITIMATE" rape? THAT is the Republican mentality......

[eroteme2]

You don't suppose his 'Community Organizing' was not all that successful?