--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then President [Barack] Obama went on to…" description: "\"Then President [Barack] Obama went on to argue that a citizen's Second Amendment rights can be restricted without being infringed, just like any other ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/melissa-harris-perry-10452_amendment_then-president-barack-obama-went-on-to-a_1946985.png" --- # Then President \[Barack\] Obama went on to argue that a… ![“Then President [Barack] Obama went on to argue that a citizen's Second Amendment rights can be restricted without being infringed, just like any other rights. There are limits on your free speech and on your right to privacy. But he also made another nuanced Constitutional argument, that the…” quote by Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/melissa-harris-perry-10452_amendment_then-president-barack-obama-went-on-to-a_1946985.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/melissa-harris-perry-10452_amendment_then-president-barack-obama-went-on-to-a_1946985.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/melissa-harris-perry-10452_amendment_then-president-barack-obama-went-on-to-a_1946985.png) > “Then President \[Barack\] Obama went on to argue that a citizen's Second Amendment rights can be restricted without being infringed, just like any other rights. There are limits on your free speech and on your right to privacy. But he also made another nuanced Constitutional argument, that the rights enshrined in the Second Amendment must be balanced alongside the others rights guaranteed by the Constitution.” [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obama argued that Second Amendment rights, like other freedoms, can be limited without violating the Constitution, emphasizing the need to balance all rights. **In simple terms:** Second Amendment rights can be restricted like other rights, balancing them with the Constitution. Key Takeaway Balance rights with societal safety. Themes constitutionality rights balance Mood thought‑provoking analytical Type political legal When to use this quote - legislative debates - court rulings - civil rights advocacy - public education Key Concepts legal theory public policy Questions to Reflect On - What limits are acceptable on gun ownership? - How do we ensure equal protection for all rights? A Different Perspective Balancing rights may be politically contentious and complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Amendment Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment-rights-402949/) [Amendments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendments/) [Arguing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arguing/) [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Balanced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balanced/) [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitutional Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-argument-3136554/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-barack-obama/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Right to privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-to-privacy/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-limits-3136552/) [Rights Restricted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-restricted-3136553/) [Second amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-amendment/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [ Maybe this Democratic president\[Barack Obama\] did and can get comprehensive health care reform passed, but notice, Medicaid is not expanded in any of these… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/maybe-this-democratic-president-barack-obama-did-and-can-get/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Some of my colleagues argue that by further curtailing our Second Amendment rights, they can enhance public safety. Fine, the burden of proof is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/some-of-my-colleagues-argue-that-by-further-curtailing-our-second/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [You can't have one, two, three more picks on the Supreme Court go against our Second Amendment rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/you-can-t-have-one-two-three-more-picks-on-the-supreme-court-go/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [“Other corporations have asserted Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination as well as asserted that the Fourteenth Amendment—passed after the Civil War to strip slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-hartmann/other-corporations-have-asserted-fifth-amendment-rights-against-self/) [Thom Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-hartmann/) > [People feel very strongly about the Second Amendment. Their rights. And so if we can find, agree on, for example, that we should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/people-feel-very-strongly-about-the-second-amendment-their-rights-and/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [There is a group of people that I think in good faith honestly believe that further curtailing our Second Amendment rights will enhance public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy/there-is-a-group-of-people-that-i-think-in-good-faith-honestly/) [John Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy/) > [If we're going to change the laws, let's change them in ways which makes it easier to catch criminals, and yet at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dingell/if-we-re-going-to-change-the-laws-let-s-change-them-in-ways-which/) [John Dingell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dingell/) > [A campaign ought to demonstrate the basic human decency of the candidate. That means your First Amendment rights end at the tip of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/a-campaign-ought-to-demonstrate-the-basic-human-decency-of-the/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Success in restoring and bolstering Second Amendment rights through aggressive legal challenges depends on you, your friends, family and colleagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-lapierre/success-in-restoring-and-bolstering-second-amendment-rights-through/) [Wayne LaPierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-lapierre/) > [I'm a firm believer in the Second Amendment and the Bill of Rights. I don't think you should infringe on the type of weapon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-e-gomez/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-the-second-amendment-and-the-bill-of-rights-i/) [Gabriel E. Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-e-gomez/) > [I want to regain my First Amendment rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/i-want-to-regain-my-first-amendment-rights/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [My view is that we have the Second Amendment rights to bear arms, and in this country my view is that we should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/my-view-is-that-we-have-the-second-amendment-rights-to-bear-arms-and/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [As a strong supporter of our 2nd Amendment rights, I believe tougher enforcement of our nation's existing gun laws must be done before any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-miller/as-a-strong-supporter-of-our-2nd-amendment-rights-i-believe-tougher/) [Jeff Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-miller/) > [In the state legislature, I supported Second Amendment rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kander/in-the-state-legislature-i-supported-second-amendment-rights/) [Jason Kander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kander/) > [Once you step foot on the Supreme Court steps, you lose your first-amendment rights. I don't see how, as an American citizen, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-devaughn/once-you-step-foot-on-the-supreme-court-steps-you-lose-your-first/) [Raheem DeVaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-devaughn/) ## More by Melissa Harris-Perry > [I learned that you can't write a book in the margins of your life. I'd forgotten how much uninterrupted time it takes to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/i-learned-that-you-can-t-write-a-book-in-the-margins-of-your-life-i-d/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [ The debate was a chance for senator \[Bernie\] Sanders to have a game-changing moment to recapture the news cycle and build momentum going into… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/the-debate-was-a-chance-for-senator-bernie-sanders-to-have-a-game/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Having a white parent undoubtedly makes for a different childhood experience than having two black parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/having-a-white-parent-undoubtedly-makes-for-a-different-childhood/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [Drink lots of water, and nap. 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Interestingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-behr/people-who-have-attended-concealed-carry-classes-and-those-already/) [Gary Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-behr/) [Browse all 2,041 Amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then President [Barack] Obama went on to argue that a citizen's Second Amendment rights can be restricted without being infringed, just like any other rights. There are limits on your free speech and on your right to privacy. 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