Barack Obama Quotes

Weapons of war have no place on our streets.

The first step is to take weapons off the streets and to put more police on them.

I happen to believe that certain types of assault weapons, which are manufactured and designed for military purposes to kill people very quickly should not be used in civilian society.

Expanding background checks will help create a uniform standard for all gun purchases and prevent criminals and the dangerously mentally ill from obtaining powerful weapons.

The only people in this country who should have guns are police officers and soldiers

Arms have to be the sole purview of the state.

There's simply no reason for a civilian to own a military-style assault weapon. It's no different than why we outlaw civilian ownership of rockets and landmines.

I'm someone who's seen firsthand the effects of gun violence. I've had to carry a gun to do my job in the war. And I know as well as anyone that this violence has no place on our streets, in our schools, in our concerts, so we've got to do something about it.

A lot of guns there's no need for civilians to own those those are for military

I know that there are people out there who believe we should get rid of all guns.

There are some weapons that are just so dangerous that society has a right and the obligation even to take those weapons out of circulation.

We have to enforce the laws we've already got, make sure that we're keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, those who are mentally ill. I also share your belief that weapons that were designed for soldiers in war theaters don't belong on our streets. And so what I'm trying to do is to get a broader conversation about how do we reduce the violence generally.

I came to Ottawa with the firm belief that the only people in this country who should have guns are police officers and soldiers.

Everyone has a right to bear arms. If you take guns away from legal gun owners, then the only people who have guns are the bad guys.

I find it very odd that the amendment about the right to bear arms, laws that were written so long ago, still pertain and don't get adjusted properly. Because the right to bear arms doesn't mean automatic weaponry designed specifically for human combat.

Would the Iraq War have occurred without WMD? I doubt it.

We would like to see, in the future, what we will probably call needs-based licensing of all weapons. ...Where it would make it much more difficult for anybody to be able to purchase handguns.

I kind of think we have too many guns in this country.

Why is it that the same people who have the least confidence in the police and the military are the most willing to allow only the police and the military to have guns?

It's frequently said that there is 'no reason' for such 'military-style weapons' as the Bushmaster to be available to citizens. But isn't that a lot like saying there is no reason why any civilian should drive a military-style car like the Hummer?

I believe in a civil society we should do as much as possible not to have firearms in any guise, but obviously they are a necessary function of policing.

No country that permits firearms to be widely and randomly distributed among its population - especially firearms that are capable of wounding and killing human beings - can expect to escape violence, and a great deal of violence.

Violence is sometimes a very practical solution but I don't think it is the ultimate solution. Owning a gun is not OK for me. But I could argue both sides. Why shouldn't people own them? I'm not fundamentally against citizens having access to a weapon but I think it has complications. It's probably not the wisest idea. Obviously, it has consequences. Personally, I do not own a weapon.

Before we find world peace, we gotta find peace in the war on the streets.

As long as there are guns, the individual that wants a gun for a crime is going to have one and going to get it. The only person who's going to be penalized and have difficulty is the law-abiding citizen, who then cannot have [it] if he wants protection -- the protection of a weapon in his home.