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Anger Over Donald Trump Gun Rights Remarks

Anger Over Donald Trump Gun Rights Remarks
Anger Over Donald Trump Gun Rights Remarks

Republican Donald Trump has sparked anger by appearing to suggest his supporters could stop his rival Hillary Clinton by exercising their gun rights.

Speaking at a rally in North Carolina, Trump said Clinton would put liberal justices on the Supreme Court if she wins the presidency in November, threatening gun ownership rights.

He hinted that gun rights advocates could stop her taking power. That sparked an online backlash, many accusing him of inciting violence, BBC reported.

But his campaign team said he was actually talking about getting gun rights supporters to the ballot box to enact change politically. The remarks that sparked the firestorm were made at a rally in Wilmington on Tuesday afternoon.

The Republican presidential nominee said of his Democratic opponent: “Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, and if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks.”

The Second Amendment enshrines the right to bear arms in the US Constitution.

A man sitting behind Trump as he made the remarks assumed a look of disbelief as he heard them. Twitter users were quick to respond to Trump’s comments, criticizing the Republican nominee for appearing to encourage gun violence.

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said that “unstable people” who hate Clinton could respond. Robby Mook, Clinton’s campaign manager, said “what Trump is saying is dangerous”.

But Trump’s campaign was quick to respond, saying the candidate was referring to the power of gun rights advocates to vote in large numbers.

“It’s called the power of unification; Second Amendment people have amazing spirit and are tremendously unified, which gives them great political power,” the statement read.

And former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani backed Trump, saying it clearly was not a threat but the press was involved in a “conspiracy to elect Hillary Clinton”.

Some Trump supporters leaving the rally in Wilmington told CNN they were not concerned by the remarks because they were clearly a joke and they liked the fact he spoke off-the-cuff.

The National Rifle Association also backed Trump and warned Clinton would pick judges that would not uphold the Second Amendment.

Clinton has made tightening some gun laws part of her campaign but there is no evidence that she wants to abolish the right to bear arms.

Trump’s remarks come after eight days of negative headlines, controversial remarks and some leading Republicans saying they cannot vote for him in November’s presidential election.

CAPTION:

Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, speaks at the National Rifle Association convention in Louisville, Kentucky. (File Photo)

Twitter users were quick to respond to Donald Trump’s comments, criticizing the

Republican nominee for appearing to encourage gun violence.

Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, attends a rally in Las Vegas. (File Photo)

 

Financialtribune.com