Obama Gets Emotional In Crime-Ridden Chicago, Calls For Greater Emphasis On Fatherhood

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama delivered an emotional speech Friday in his hometown of Chicago, decrying gun violence and emphasizing the need for a whole-community approach to boost the economy and keep children safe.

Speaking at the Hyde Park Academy on the final stop of his post-State of the Union sales pitch, Obama addressed rampant gun violence in the city, where Hadiya Pendleton was shot earlier this month just a mile from his home — and a week after participating in the inaugural festivities in Washington.

"Last year there were over 443 murders with a firearm in this city and 65 of them were 18 and under," he said. "That's the equivalent of a Newtown every four months."

"This is not just a gun issue but also an issue of the communities that we're building,' Obama added, returning to his roots as a community organizer and decrying "the self-destructive impulses and the senseless violence."

http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/obama-gets-emotional-in-crime-ridden-chicago-calls-for-great?s=mobile