(RepublicanNews.org) – President Joe Biden observed the anniversary of the Uvalde, Texas, school massacre by calling on Congress to enact more gun-control legislation.
A gunman walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May of 2022 and opened fire, killing 19 kids and two teachers. The slow response of police, who stood outside the door of a classroom for an entire hour while the shooter continued to kill, baffled and angered observers around the nation.
Speaking on the anniversary from the White House, Biden said too many American schools have become “killing fields.” He said Americans were pleading with Congress to “please, do something.”
That statement may be more a reflection of the Biden administration’s priorities than it reflects public sentiment. The administration consistently blames guns themselves, not the murderers, for deaths such as the Uvalde massacre. Gun control legislation remains highly popular among Democrats.
Referring to the specter of “assault weapons,” which does not have an agreed-upon definition, Biden asked Congress to ban these weapons along with clips and magazines that can hold substantial ammunition. The President also wants federal lawmakers to require universal background checks for all gun purchases.
The administration also backs so-called “red flag laws,” which would allow police to temporarily confiscate weapons from people believed to be in a mental crisis. Second Amendment supporters object to this approach, worrying that it will be used arbitrarily to seize guns from people whose views do not align with those of the Democratic party.
Biden pointed to a bipartisan gun bill passed by Congress last year shortly after the Uvalde shooting, but said it was “not nearly enough.” Invoking the grief of parents of murdered children, Biden asked rhetorically how many more families would have to endure their “worst nightmare” until the country pushes back on what he calls “the gun lobby.”
The President’s priorities may have difficulty standing up in court. A federal judge recently temporarily blocked a bill that would ban stabilizing braces for pistols.
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