On the 10th anniversary of the worst shooting ever at Sandy Hook Elementary School, US President Joe Biden said America must feel collective “guilt” and shame for its inability to deal with gun violence. “We have a moral obligation to pass and enforce laws that can Prevent these things from happening again,” Biden wrote in a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in which 26 people lost their lives, including 20 children, ages 6 and 7.
At the time, Biden served as vice president in the former Obama administration. The U.S. should feel the collective “societal guilt” for not taking more action to address gun violence after the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, Biden stressed.
“I am determined to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like those used at Sandy Hook,” said US President Joe Biden as he honored those left behind by the shooting tragedy across the United States.
“I am determined to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like those used in Sandy Hook and countless other mass shootings in America. Enough.”
For ten years, Sandy Hook survivors and victims’ families have turned their pain into a cause.
We owe them more than our prayers. We owe them action. pic.twitter.com/Yap2LVb9kl
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 14, 2022
Biden told Americans he signed the bipartisan Safe Communities Act of 2022 in hopes of preventing future tragedies and that his administration is committed to implementing effective gun control. “We owe it to the brave and young survivors and the families who lost part of their souls ten years ago to turn their pain into a goal,” he noted in a statement. Furthermore, the US commander in chief reiterated that the Biden administration has cracked down on the arms trade and increased resources to prevent violence.
“Our duty is clear,” said Biden, adding that the Americans must “eliminate these weapons that have no purpose other than to kill people in large numbers.”
“Events like this are difficult”: Biden on shooting events
Last week, Biden gave an impassioned national speech at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Washington to show support for survivors affected by gun violence. At the annual national vigil, Biden said that “events like this are difficult,” referring to shooting incidents. “Our work continues to limit the number of bullets that can be in a magazine, the type of firearms that can be purchased and sold, the attempt to ban firearms – a whole range of things,” Biden told the families of gun violence. Survivors and victims. “It’s just common sense. Just plain common sense,” he argued.
Biden labels gun violence a “public health epidemic.” An estimated 40,000 civilians die from firearm injuries each year in the United States, and some of these deaths and injuries are the result of mass shootings. Others are the result of everyday acts of gun violence or suicides. Biden introduced the Brady Gun Violence Prevention Act in Congress that established the background check system for more than 3 million firearms, but America has failed to effectively deal with mass shootings.
