LaPierre: No universal gun registration

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RENO, Nev., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Wayne LaPierre, head of the National Rifle Association, accused President Obama of trying to control all gun transactions in a speech in Reno, Nev.

LaPierre's speech Tuesday was billed as a response to President Obama's inaugural address, Politico reported. LaPierre said semi-automatic weapons should continue to be legal and said there is no need for universal background checks of weapons purchasers.

LaPierre also attacked the president for his statement in his inaugural speech Monday that "we cannot mistake absolutism for principle."

"Obama wants to turn the idea of absolutism into a dirty word," LaPierre said. "Just another word for extremism. He wants you, all of you, and Americans throughout all of this country, to accept the idea of principles as he sees fit. It's a way of redefining words so that commonsense is turned upside down and that nobody knows the difference."

In his speech, LaPierre slammed proposals released last week by Vice President Joe Biden in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.

"He wants to put every private, personal firearms transaction right under the thumb of the federal government," LaPierre said. "He wants to keep all of those names in a massive federal registry. There's only two reasons for a federal list on gun owners: to either tax 'em or take 'em. That's the only reasons. And anyone who says that's excessive, President Obama says that's an absolutist."

LaPierre gave the 14-minute speech at the Weatherby Foundation International Hunting and Conservation Awards.