In a speech last night, President Biden laid out several proposals to Congress to curb the epidemic of gun violence in the country. The main element -- and the one unlikely for the Republican / Shooters Party to ever accept - was a call for a ban on assault rifles, and a limit on magazine capacity. Failing that, Biden said Congress should raise the legal limit to purchase them from 18 to 21.
Biden also called on Congress to enact red flag laws, and to strengthen background checks and gun storage laws, three things that enjoy broad public support, but that Republicans have opposed in the past. In addition, Biden said Congress should repeal the law giving gun manufacturers immunity from being sued by the victims of gun violence, a privilege no other industry enjoys.
Biden ended his speech yesterday with an impassioned call for parents to rise up and take action for common sense gun safety:
"Why are we willing to live with this carnage? Why do we keep letting this happen? Where in God's name is our backbone to have the courage to deal with it and stand up to the lobbies?
It's time to turn this pain into action.
For every parent, for every citizen in this country, we have to make it clear to every elected official in this country: It's time to act.
It's time—for those who obstruct or delay or block the commonsense gun laws, we need to let you know that we will not forget.
We can do so much more. We have to do more.
Our prayer tonight is for those parents, lying in bed and trying to figure out, 'Will I be able to sleep again? What do I say to my other children? What happens tomorrow?'"
If the extremist NRA-backed Republican / Shooters Party has their way, nothing will happen tomorrow or any other day.
(photo: New York Times)
