Biden says we have now an ethical obligation to forestall mass shootings on Sandy Hook anniversary

President Biden said America should have a societal debt and the nation has a moral responsibility to prevent mass shootings.

The President said in a statement to PoliticusUSA:

Ten years ago today, our nation saw the unthinkable happen at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty little kids with their whole lives ahead of them. Six educators who gave their lives to protect their students. And countless survivors who still carry the wounds of that time.

We should bear the societal blame for taking too long to address this issue. We have a moral obligation to make and enforce laws that can prevent such things from happening again. We owe it to the brave young survivors and the families who lost part of their soul ten years ago to find meaning in their pain.

A few months ago I enacted the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. We’ve curbed so-called ghost weapons, which don’t have serial numbers and are harder to track down. We have cracked down on the arms trade and increased resources for violence prevention.

Nevertheless, we must do more. I am determined to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like those used in the Sandy Hook and countless other mass shootings across America. Enough is enough. Our commitment is clear. We must eliminate these weapons, which have no purpose other than killing people in large numbers. It is in our power to do so – not only for the lives of the innocent lost, but for the survivors who still have hope.

Jill and I pray today for the families of Sandy Hook and the innocent lives lost that day.

May God bless them all.

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The Sandy Hook shooting was one of the days that should have sparked political action immediately after the killings of kindergarten and first graders in Connecticut. Instead, Republicans showed their cowardice as a party and blocked a measure as limited as universal background checks.

Americans should be ashamed that the children who died in Sandy Hook, Parkland and Uvalde did not lead to national action to stop the senseless killing of children.

Republicans in Congress are the reason children keep dying.

The Sandy Hook anniversary is a reminder of how Republicans are putting gun manufacturers’ blood money ahead of children’s lives.

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House press pool and congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His thesis focused on public policy with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and professional memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association