President Joe Biden delivered a moving speech Tuesday evening in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting at an elementary school that left at least 18 children and three adults dead. The gunman, an 18-year-old who was attending high school in the district, was killed by law enforcement. Two officers were injured but were not critically hurt.
Biden lamented the fact that there have been so many shootings since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and called for more common sense gun laws—laws that a majority of Americans are in favor of.
“As a nation we have to ask: ‘When in God’s name are we gonna stand up to the gun lobby? When in God’s name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?’ It’s been 3,448 days—10 years—since I stood up in a grade school in Connecticut where another gunman massacred 26 people, including 20 first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School. Since then, there have been over 900 incidents of gunfire reported on school grounds: Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; Santa Fe High School in Texas; Oxford High School in Michigan. The list goes on and on, and the list grows ... I am sick and tired of it.
“We have to act. And don’t tell me we can’t have an impact on this carnage. I spent my career, as a senator and a vice president, working to pass common sense gun laws. We can’t and won’t prevent every tragedy, but we know they work and have a positive impact.”
Watch Biden’s remarks below.
Biden proved his point by citing the lapsed legislation that may have led to an uptick in shootings. “When we passed the assault weapons ban, mass shootings went down,” the president explained. “When the law expired, mass shootings tripled. The idea that an 18-year-old kid can walk into a gun store and buy two assault weapons is just wrong.
“What in God’s name do you need assault weapons for, except to kill someone? Deer aren’t running through the forest in Kevlar suits. For God’s sake, it’s just sick. And the gun manufacturers have spent two decades marketing assault weapons, which make them the largest profit. For God’s sake, we have to encourage [people] to stand up to the industry.”
Biden concluded his remarks with a call to action and support for those most affected by the tragedy at Robb Elementary School. “It’s time to turn this pain into action,” Biden said. “For every parent, for every citizen of this country, we have to make it clear to every elected official of this country: It’s time to act. It’s time—for those who’ve struck or delayed or blocked the common sense 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,” Biden said, “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?’ May God bless the loss of innocent life on this sad day, and may the Lord be near the broken-hearted and save those crushed in spirit. Because they’re gonna need a lot of help and a lot of our prayers. God love you.”
