White House Releases YouTube Videos Of Children Reading Letters To Obama On Gun Violence

The White House released a series of YouTube videos on Thursday, showing the children who attended President Barack Obama's gun violence press conference earlier in the week reading their letters to the president.

"I feel terrible for the parents who lost their children," reads 8-year-old Hinna Zeejah. "Mr. President, can we do something which will stop all of these terrible problems?"

On Wednesday, Obama rolled out his list of executive actions and congressional recommendations to curb gun violence. He spoke directly to the group of kids seated behind him at the podium and quoted from their letters, written to him after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. last month.

"These are our kids. This is what they’re thinking about," Obama said. "And so what we should be thinking about is our responsibility to care for them, and shield them from harm, and give them the tools they need to grow up and do everything that they’re capable of doing -- not just to pursue their own dreams, but to help build this country. This is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe. This is how we will be judged. And their voices should compel us to change."

The decision to invite children in an emotional plea to remind of the youngest victims of gun violence has received heavy criticism, particularly in conservative circles.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh took a particularly aggressive line of attack, accusing Obama of exploiting the children and using them as "human shields." He then proceeded to assume a little child's voice to mock them for not wanting to die.

So far, the response on YouTube appears to be similarly critical.

Below, a slideshow of the videos: