Like a teacher reading the roster before class, US PresidentBarack Obama sketched in haunting, human terms, the horror of the Connecticutschool massacre. "Charlotte, Daniel, Olivia, Josephine, Ana, Dylan,Madeline, Catherine, Chase, Jesse, James, Grace, Emilie, Jack, Noah, Caroline,Jessica, Benjamin, Avielle, Allison, God has called them all home." Deep,heartrending sobs broke the silence at a harrowing vigil service, as Obamavoiced the names of 20 kids -- aged six and seven -- shot multiple times intheir classrooms by a crazed gunman.
Obama, called for the fourth time in his presidency toeulogize the dead of a mass gun crime, sought to offer solace to parentssuffering unimaginable loss, as well as hints of a push for gun control reform.Anguished moans from relatives also split the hush as Obama lauded six heroicteachers and support staff who sacrificed themselves trying to halt gunman AdamLanza's rampage at Sandy Hook elementary school. "Dawn Hocksprung and MarySherlach, Vicki Soto, Lauren Russeau, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy. Theyresponded as we all hope we might respond in such terrifying circumstances,with courage and with love, giving their lives to protect the children in theircare."
Many eyes in the audience glistened with tears as Obamaspoke, and -- as a father of young girls and as a president -- seemingly secondguessed himself over his failure to do more to stiffen federal gun laws. In hisspeech at the high school in picturesque Newtown, close to the cursedelementary school, Obama did not mention gun control directly, though hisintent appeared clear.
Obama's vow may herald a push for laws governing, andrestricting, ownership and use of powerful guns and rapid-fire ammunition. Hisposition was that the administration would do everything in its power to keep gunsout of the hands of criminals and unstable individuals, while protectingAmericans' constitutional right to bear arms. The constitution's SecondAmendment is defended tooth and nail by the US gun lobby, which has beensuccessful in blunting past drives to restrict the sale of high poweredweapons.
To change the laws, Obama needs Congress to act, and so farthe Republican opposition has blocked all reforms of the federal gun laws,including a return of the ban on assault rifles passed under president BillClinton but which expired in 2004 under president George W. Bush.
