President Joe Biden has called for a US ban on assault weapons in an attempt to end America’s long history of gun violence
In light of America’s back-to-back terrorist attacks, one killing eight people in Atlanta and one murdering ten more in Colorado, President Joe Biden has taken this moment to address a traumatised nation.
In the State Dining Room of The White House, The President spoke of how tighter gun controls could and should become a reality.
Mr Biden said he did not “need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common-sense steps that will save lives in the future and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act.”
Referring to the 1994 ten-year ban on such weapons, The President said, “We can ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines in this country once again.”
“This is not and should not be a partisan issue. This is an American issue. It will save lives. American lives. And we have to act.” Many famous faces weighed in on the conversation on Twitter.
GUN REFORM NOW. This is why we worked hard to get you elected. Do your fucking jobs. What’s the point of reopening the country if we’re all going to get massacred?
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) March 23, 2021
Anyone who shoots to kill innocent people is a domestic terrorist. Gun reform now. Ban assault weapons.
— ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) March 23, 2021
How can one be Pro-Life and at the same time not want gun reform, not believe in climate change, not care about regulations, not care about white supremacy terrorists, not care about health care for all, not care about masks and every other thing I can’t fit in 280 characters
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) March 24, 2021
Olaf has a point.
“We should be able to buy groceries without fear … But in America, we can’t,” said Former President Barack Obama in a statement. However, Mr Obama remains hopeful that change is on the horizon. “We can overcome opposition by cowardly politicians and the pressure of a gun lobby that opposes any limit on the ability of anyone to assemble an arsenal. We can, and we must,” he said.
A once-in-a-century pandemic cannot be the only thing that slows mass shootings in this country. It’s time for leaders everywhere to listen to the American people when they say enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/7MEJ87Is3E
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 23, 2021
Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association took the day following the Colorado shooting to remind everyone of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. pic.twitter.com/eFBP2PTTUu
— NRA (@NRA) March 23, 2021
The House of Representatives passed two measures this month leading towards required background checks for all US firearm sales, however, as at least nine Republicans are needed to vote for them, they are unlikely to pass through the Senate.
Nevertheless, Senate leader Chuck Schumer is committed to bringing background checks to the floor. “This Senate is going to debate and address the epidemic of gun violence in this country,” said Mr Schumer.
