President Barack Obama made the following remarks after a terrorist shot at least 50 people dead Sunday morning in the worst mass-shooting in American history:
“I just finished a meeting with FBI Director Comey and my homeland security and national security advisors. The FBI is on the scene and leading the investigation, in partnership with local law enforcement. I’ve directed that the full resources of the federal government be made available for this investigation.
“We’re still learning all the facts. This is an open investigation. We’ve reached no definitive judgment on the precise motivations of the killer. The FBI is appropriately investigating this as an act of terrorism. And I have directed that we must spare no effort to determine what — if any — inspiration or association this killer may have had with terrorist groups. What’s clear is that he was a person filled with hatred. Over the coming days, we will uncover why and how this happened, and we’ll go wherever the facts lead us.
“This morning I spoke with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and conveyed the condolences of the entire American people. This could have been any one of our communities. So I told Mayor Dyer that whatever help that he and the people of Orlando need – they’re going to get it. As a country, we are going to be there for the people of Orlando today, tomorrow and all the days to come.
“We also express our profound gratitude to all the police and first responders who rushed into harm’s way. Their courage and professionalism saved lives, and kept the carnage from being worse. It’s the kind of sacrifice that our law enforcement professionals make every day for us all. We can never thank them enough.
“This is an especially heartbreaking day for all our friends — our fellow Americans — who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The shooter targeted a nightclub where people came together to be with friends, to dance and sing-to live. The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub — it’s a place of solidarity and empowerment where people have long come together to raise awareness, speak their mind and advocate for their civil rights. So this is a sobering reminder that attacks on any American — regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation — is an attack on all of us and on the fundamental values of equality and dignity that define us as a country. And no act of hate or terror will ever change who we are or the values that make us Americans.
“Today marks the most deadly shooting in American history. The shooter was apparently armed with a handgun and a powerful assault rifle. This massacre is therefore a further reminder of how easy it is for someone to get their hands on a weapon that lets them shoot people in a school, or a house of worship, or a movie theater, or in a nightclub. We have to decide if that’s the kind of country we want to be. And to actively do nothing — that’s a decision, too.
“In the coming hours and days, we’ll learn about the victims of this tragedy. Their names. Their faces. The joy they brought to families and friends. The difference they made in this world. Say a prayer for them and their families — that God give them the strength to bear the unbearable. That He give all of us the strength to be there for them, and the courage to change. We need to demonstrate that we are defined more – as a country — by the way they lived their lives, than by the hate of the man who took them from us.
“As we go forward together, we’ll draw inspiration from heroic and selfless acts — friends who helped friends, took care of each other and saved lives. In the face of hate and violence, we will love another. We will not give in to fear or turn on each other. Instead, we will stand together, united, as Americans, to protect our people, defend our nation and take action against those who threaten us.
“May God bless the Americans we lost this morning. May He comfort their families. And may God continue to watch over this country we love.”
21 thoughts on “President Obama’s remarks on the worst mass-shooting in American history”
The Orlando incident was not the largest mass shooting in US History. That “honor” goes to the US Government’s slaughter of Native Americans at Wounded Knee.
When Omar Mateen bought the weapons he used, he had already undergone a more rigorous background check than the typical firearms customer.
As the holder of a Class D security officer license from the state of Florida, he had submitted fingerprints and a photograph, passed criminal background and mental health screenings and submitted proof of 40 hours of professional training. As holder of a Class G gun permit, which allowed him to carry up to two concealed weapons, he underwent the same checks, as well as 28 hours of classroom and range training.
Not enough laws for you?
“The striking thing about what we think we know about this incident is that all of the so-called loopholes that people point to were not a part of this crime, not a part of this terrorist act. There was a background check. There was a further background check that allowed him to become an armed security guard. You have a U.S. citizen with no criminal record, a U.S. citizen with no prior mental health issues, who waited the three days and went through yet another background check at the point of purchase. So it does not appear that the typical legislative actions would have had an impact on this individual’s ability to purchase a firearm,”
As usual the murderer was a Democrat and voted for Obama. Most mass killers are Democrats. Only Democrats should not be allowed to own guns. They just can’t be trusted.
Wow! You’ve got to be kidding me. The crazies are out, they need to put you back in your cage!
Seriously. Look at history before looking dumb.
Sad……. this is becoming a hateful web site.
So ban semi-autos. Then all Obama’s illegal friends can criss cross the border hauling illegal guns into the country making the cartels already operating all over our country a lot richer and more in control. Sounds wonderful.
Odummy should go to his local mosque and have a beer with isis smoke pot an sing cumbiya That’ll make them pickup where weapons to keill you. Dems don’t care about any of this.. At least Trump has been warning everybody and he loves America .
Make AMERICA GREAT again vote for Trump
NO RUMP – Yea! like the friggin demorats are jumping all over this like free bernie sanders cheese – kill the 2 amendment /confiscate all gunS – your nothing but a bunch of liars and thieves. GO TRUMP !
NO ONE has said anything about repealing the 2nd amendment or takin’ ur gunz!!! You are paranoid, a liar and have issues!
I knew Trump and his lunatic fringe supporters would make, even this terrible tragedy, political…BS
What else would you expect? They are Republicans, they don’t really care about average Americans at all and they will do or say anything to win back the White House.
Bod – why don’t you wake up an stop dring the kool aid. You have to be a clintonite.
And you’re a dumbass.
Bodacious has forgotten more than you will ever know.
Thanks but that probably isn’t true. I just try to think before I spout off on NIT.
Bodacious
You are one of the very few intelligent and rational posters on this site.
For some reason, this site seems to draw in numerous idiots, cretins and all around dumb-asses to its ranks.
Like a flame to moths, NIT lures in the dregs of NI society.
I am not a Clintonite but I have enough sense to know that Trump would be the worst thing that could ever happen to this country.
Mateen worked for an international security company -worlds largest – that was contracted by the U S government to haul illegal immigrants from the mexican border to cities across the U S. and release them. Is’nt this against the law?
The WORST president ever and he still cannot say Islamic terrorism – Hillery is just obummers private server.
why does this have to be political? Why can’t you just keep your foolish mouth shut and grieve for the victims? The President said this is an act of terror and hate. It was. Doesn’t matter who did it nor why.