In the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, leaders on both sides of the aisle are calling for action. Here’s what you need to know.
Around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, gunshots were fired at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. By midday, 50 people were dead, including the alleged shooter, and 53 others were wounded.
The presumptive major presidential nominees weighed in with sympathetic words and policy proposals.
In a prepared statement, businessman Donald Trump criticized President Barack Obama for failing to identify “radical Islam” in his remarks to the nation, and reiterated his belief that, “if we do not get tough and smart real fast, we are not going to have a country anymore.”
Trump also noted that the shooter was the son of Afghan immigrants, and said that, “since 9/11, hundreds of migrants and their children have been implicated in terrorism in the United States.” After last December’s mass shooting in San Bernardino, California, Trump called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. “until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on.” In a tweet, he reaffirmed that call:
What has happened in Orlando is just the beginning. Our leadership is weak and ineffective. I called it and asked for the ban. Must be tough
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016
For her part, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the incident “an act of hate,” highlighting that the attack took place at an LGBT club. “To all the LGBT people: know that you have millions of allies all over the country. … We will continue to fight for their right to live freely, openly and without fear."
Clinton also reasserted her call for greater public safety restrictions on gun use, saying that “weapons of war have no place in our streets.” (Police say the Orlando shooter carried a handgun and AR-15 assault rifle, among other items.) Like Trump, Clinton echoed her remarks after the San Bernardino attack, at which point she called for the government “to take action now” on guns.
"We need to keep guns like the ones used last night out of the hands of terrorists or other violent criminals." —Hillary on the FL attack — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 12, 2016
In the weeks and months ahead, the country will continue to grapple with important questions about guns, immigration, terrorism, and more. The National Constitution Center will continue to be a nonpartisan resource for learning about the Constitution; watch this space for further analysis.
INTERACTIVE CONSTITUTION: The Second Amendment
Adam Winker of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Nelson Lund of George Mason University explain what they agree about, and disagree about, when it comes to the Second Amendment.
BLOG: “Constitution Check: Should gun control laws have to pass the toughest constitutional test?”
Lyle Denniston, the Center’s constitutional literacy adviser, looks at a federal appeals court decision that requires the strictest constitutional test for a law that restricts assault weapons ownership.
BLOG: “Constitution Check: Would a ban on all Muslims entering the U.S. be valid?”
Denniston looks at the scholarly debate over Donald Trump’s proposed Muslim ban and some possible court scenarios.
BLOG: “Constitution Check: Can guns used in mass shootings be banned?”
Denniston analyzes the Supreme Court’s refusal to take a case about banning assault weapons.
PODCAST: “A reasoned debate about the Second Amendment”
Winkler and Lund join We the People to examine the history of the Second Amendment and the current debates about the extent of its protections.
TOWN HALL: “Should We Restrict Speech Promoting Terrorism Online?”
As part of Freedom Day 2016, Geoffrey Stone and Eric Posner of the University of Chicago join Monika Bickert of Facebook to discuss the balance between free speech and public safety.
TOWN HALL: “Resolved: The Second Amendment Protects the Individual’s Right to Own and Carry a Gun”
At an event in Chicago, Illinois, Michael O'Shea of Oklahoma City University and Carl Bogus of Roger Williams University debate whether or not the Supreme Court got it right when it ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own a handgun.
TOWN HALL: “The History of the Second Amendment”
Attorney Alan Gura and Michael Waldman of the Brennan Center for Justice discuss the history of the Second Amendment and the constitutionality of gun control—from the time of our Founding Fathers through present day.
