Flanked By Children, Obama Proposes Sweeping Gun-Control Laws

He called for citizens to let their elected representatives know what they think, saying: "The only way we can change is if the American people demand it."

Opposition Republicans immediately rejected the Obama proposals as an attack on the constitutional right to bear arms.

The powerful National Rifle Association said it would work with Congress to find what it called "real solutions to protecting America's most valuable asset -- our children."

NRA President David Keene said the "Second Amendment is going to survive" Obama's efforts on gun control.

Gun control supporters, including relatives of shooting victims, lauded Obama's proposals as a good first step to reduce gun violence and urged legislators to take on the difficult issue instead of reverting to partisan postures.

A CNN/Time Magazine/ORC International poll indicated that Americans generally favour stricter gun control, but they don't believe that stricter gun laws alone would reduce gun violence.

According to the survey, 55 percent of Americans generally favour stricter gun control laws, with 56 percent saying that it's currently too easy to buy guns in this country.

However, only 39 percent say that stricter gun controls would reduce gun violence all by themselves.