Cruz says Obama going after guns with ‘stand your ground’ remark
(CNN) – President Barack Obama’s suggestion that state “Stand your Ground” laws should be examined after the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin could amount to an assault on the right of Americans to own guns, Sen. Ted Cruz said in Iowa Friday.
Speaking after addressing a Republican group, Cruz told reporters he hadn’t yet watched Obama’s remarks. But when asked to respond to Obama’s call for a review of laws in individual states, Cruz responded by saying the president was trampling on constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“It is not surprising that the president uses, it seems, every opportunity that he can to go after our Second Amendment right to bear arms,” the Texas Republican said. “This president and this administration has a consistent disregard for the Bill of Rights.”
For example, Cruz said the Obama administration was violating free speech guarantees by “restricting the rights of our servicemen and women to share their faith and not be gagged,” and that the use of drones raised other constitutional questions.
Obama on Friday made his first public comments about the acquittal of George Zimmerman last week in Martin’s shooting death in 2012.
In his speech, Obama called for reconsideration of “Stand your Ground” self-defense laws in Florida and other states.
“I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations,” Obama said.
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I'm getting really tired of Texas and Texans.
Why doesn't this fool ever shut up! A Joe McCarthy wannabe.
Ted Cruz is so stupid. He shouldn't be allowed to vote for american idol let alone a senate bill.
Will somebody down in Texas please tell this idiot to shut up! A Joe McCarthy wannabe who panders to the ignorant and intolerant. This guy is the last guy that should be holding public office.
Cruz is a nasty man for taking Obama's heartfelt thoughts and mutilating them. Awful.
Those particular self defense laws are certainly not going to change due to anything the president has said or by what happened to Martin either. The federal government is not going to make any attempt to change them because they have no authority to do so and they won't be given the authority anytime soon because the impetus just isn't there. Sen. Ted Cruz is just a great windbag who trades in political rhetoric and should change his name to Chicken Little.
Good lord Ted McCarthy...have you no shame?
This is simply a case of "Political Correctness" vs. "Straight Talk"..........maybe we have had too much of one, and not enough of the other for too long!
Cruz you idiot. Pres Obama is asking to review the
"Stand Your Ground" law. Not "Right to bear arms."
Ted Cruz for President!
He is the epitome of the extreme wingnuts of the the teapublican party!
"Cruz told reporters he hadn’t yet watched Obama’s remarks......" And yet this idiot had the balls to say Obama was out after guns. That's the tea party philosophy. Ignore any and all facts, just make your own up as you go.
Once again he's pushing to start a civil war.
Are you crazy, CRUZ? President Obama has had 4 years to go after your damn gun. So now he decides to do it.Grow up, you idiot.
Ted Cruz is #1 nut job from Texas right now. The expression on his face says it all. Hateful misguided man.
Ummmmmm Senator, apparently you are not aware that the president has signed legislation expanding places where people can carry guns? Figures given that you feel qualified to comment on the presidents remarks without actually listening to them. But you are where you are by sewing the seeds of ignorance and paranoia so keep talking.
Shut up Cruz, what a bag of hot air, 10 million fire arms sold since her has been president.
If Cruz really listened to President Obama's remarks from his perspective, Cruz would have come away with a different conclusion. As a tea partier he just can't help himself so he rather continues the stupidity and fear mongering. The GOP just cannot continue the conversation in an intelligent, constructive, caring way, they rather continue their racist behavior, and continue to dig their own grave deeper and deeper.
LOL there is a gun nut around every corner, ugh, that they are in our government, bought and paid for is sickening. Ted grow up, rational people have no respect for this nonsense! I am not anti-gun, I am anti-gun-nuts.
please do not vote for this idiot next time he's up for re-election.
What it looked like to me was that Obama was trying to dial back his rhetoric without angering black voters. Now that all the facts have been made public it's quite apparent this was not a racially motivated incident and he seemed to be trying to politely explain to all these ignorant protestors that this what not a Stand Your Ground defense and the fact that they're all out crying about the Stand Your Ground law shows that they weren't even following the trial and are completely ignorant of the facts in the case.
Cruz must enjoy hearing himself talk; unfortunately we have to come across his hypocritical ramblings.
Cruz is one ignorant, stupid nitwit. So are the people in Texas who elected this nut case.
"I haven't watched his remarks" but I know Obama is after our guns. Idiot.
You are an idiot – so sad people like you have any say in my government.
Wow, that was a bit of a leap. I'd say that we should think long and hard about laws that allow you to shoot your way out of a fistfight that you had at least partially instigated. I'd spit on Obama's shoes when it comes to assault rifle bans, but, wow; as someone who doesn't carry a firearm, I should have the right to defend myself, too.