December 6, 2015 at 7 pm EST, United States President Barack Obama addressed his nation from the Oval Office in the White House. Marking his third message to the nation from the historically significant site, his meaning was short and to the point. America would beat the terror group ISIS, not with hatred or suspicion, but with tolerance and acceptance of our Muslim neighbors. Obama said near the end of his speech that it was, “Our responsibility to reject proposals that Muslim Americans should somehow be treated differently.” Obama started by speaking about the San Bernardino tragedy, where 14 people were murdered by a man and his wife. Of the victims, he said that “they were White and Black, Latino and Asian. Immigrants and American born. Moms and dads, daughters and sons. Each of them served their American citizens; all of them were a part of our American family.” Soon after, he described why he had chosen this moment to address the nation; the threat of terrorism was made real by the perpetrators enacting violence on the innocent Californians, but that hateful rhetoric undermined a future peace. The president then discussed what we knew about the attack. Rather than stating if this was simply the act of two mentally unstable people, or the act of two mentally unstable and radicalized terrorists, he attempted to help the American people realize that the FBI was still gathering information about the attack. He said that the San Bernardino killers appeared to have been influenced by the war being waged by the terrorist group ISIS abroad. Obama answered the question that Americans commenting via social media seemed to have: How will America stop ISIS? According to him, “Our success won’t be determined by tough talk. America would stop ISIS by being “strong and smart. Resilient, and relentless.” Obama emphasized how tirelessly its military, intelligence, and terrorist experts were working to keep the country safe. He also explained that America would not beat ISIS with boots on the ground, but rather through airstrikes. Obama believed that if America were to deploy troops, ISIS would use our presence in their country to recruit more members to their organization. And while he spoke of that, he also spoke of how America had to stop ISIS from poisoning the minds of Muslims. ISIS was a poison that led to tragedies such as the recent Paris attacks. However, “we would not win” this war with ISIS through discrimination and racism. Rather, we must work with both American Muslims and Muslims abroad. He encouraged the American people to follow their core values, and to be as accepting as “we’ve always been.” That, he said, “is what makes our country exceptional.” The President said he was confident that ISIS would be beaten, but we must remember that all people, regardless of race, religion, or gender, are equal in the eyes of God and the eyes of the law. Finally, he closed his speech with may “God bless the United States of America.” It is noteworthy that just after his speech ended Reuters released a report that gun ownership had begun soaring. One person was quoted as saying, "If people were armed, it would have changed the outcome totally," Langley said of Wednesday's assault by a heavily armed husband and wife that killed 14 people and wounded 21 in San Bernardino, California. "Instead of 14 victims, there would have been zero, except for those two [attackers] (Reuters)." Reuters went on to print, “many Americans agree and are stocking up on weapons after the country's worst mass shooting in three years. Gun retailers are reporting surging sales, with customers saying they want to keep handguns and rifles at hand for self-defense in the event of another attack.” His entire speech can be viewed online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C-493oPw4Q. Sources: McKay, Rich, and Daina Beth Solomon. "Americans Stock up on Weapons after California Shooting." AOL.com. N.p., 06 Dec. 2015. Web. 07 Dec. 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C-493oPw4Q.
