President Biden Calls for a Ban on Assault Weapons Amidst Parkland Shooting Anniversary
On February 14, the anniversary of the horrific Parkland School Shooting, President Joe Biden called on Congress to ban assault weapons, while enforcing other gun-control restrictions.
In the year 2018, February 14 marked the day in which a man opened fire on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland, Florida. The gunman killed a total of 17 people, and injured 17 others, before later being arrested. It has been three years since this deadly shooting spree; an event that angered and upset many Americans, as well as sparked a large debate regarding gun control.
To this day, the Douglas High School Shooting still marks the deadliest high school massacre in United States history. While many Americans see February 14 as a time to celebrate love and companionship, we also see it as a day to mourn the unnecessary deaths of seventeen high school students.
Recently, our newest president came out with an official statement regarding the Parkland School Shooting; “Today, as we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence,” President Biden said. He then went on to demand action from Congress; he called on the government to enact stricter gun laws, including a ban on all assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Congress was specifically asked to pass laws that required background checks on all gun sales, as well as the elimination of immunity for gun manufacturers.
Biden’s proposal has caused a major stir among the public; while many people support the President’s plan, seeing these actions as a practical way to limit gun violence, some citizens are against gun control, seeing the statement as a threat to their rights.
Three years ago today, a lone gunman took the lives of 14 students and three educators in Parkland, Florida. In seconds, the lives of dozens of families were changed forever. As we mourn with the Parkland community, we mourn for all who have lost loved ones to gun violence. pic.twitter.com/k050oDHXIi
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 14, 2021
President Biden has long been a strong advocate for gun control, and within his first year in office, his administration plans to take immense action on gun violence.
Writer│Tweet me @StromanAkilah
