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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 31 May 2022
are we going to stand up
to the gun lobby? Why are
we willing to live with this
carnage? Why do we keep
letting this happen?"
Over the years, Biden has
been intimately involved
in the gun control move-
ment's most notable suc-
cesses, such as the 1994 as-
sault weapons ban, which
expired in 2004, and its
most troubling disappoint-
ments, including the failure
to pass new legislation after
the 2012 massacre at San-
dy Hook Elementary School
in Newtown, Connecticut.
As president, Biden has tried
to address gun violence
through executive orders.
He faces few new options
now, but executive action
might be the best the presi-
dent can do, given Wash-
ington's sharp divisions on
gun control legislation.
In Congress, a bipartisan
group of senators talked
over the weekend to see
if they could reach even
a modest compromise on
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at a memorial outside Robb Elementary School to honor the victims killed in a gun safety legislation after
school shooting in Uvalde, Texas Sunday, May 29, 2022. a decade of mostly failed
Associated Press efforts.
Encouraging state "red
Continued from Front turning this pain into ac- ware. It was not clear if focus on healing right now." flag" laws to keep guns
After visiting the memo- tion," he said. the group included officers Mckinzie Hinojosa, whose away from those with men-
rial, Biden attended Mass The visit to Uvalde was who were involved in the cousin Eliahana Torres was tal health issues, and ad-
at Sacred Heart Catholic Biden's second trip in as immediate response to the killed Tuesday, said she re- dressing school security
Church, where several vic- many weeks to console a shooting. spected Biden's decision to and mental health resourc-
tims' families are members, community in loss after a Biden visited amid mount- mourn with the people of es were on the table, said
and one of the families was mass shooting. He traveled ing scrutiny of the police Uvalde. Sen. Chris Murphy, who is
in attendance. to Buffalo, New York, on response. Officials re- "It's more than mourn- leading the effort.
Speaking directly to the May 17 to meet with vic- vealed Friday that students ing," she said. "We want While there is nowhere
children in the congre- tims' families and condemn and teachers repeatedly change. We want action. near enough support from
gation, Archbishop Gus- white supremacy after a begged 911 operators It continues to be some- Republicans in Congress
tavo Garcia-Siller tried to shooter espousing the rac- for help as a police com- thing that happens over for broader gun safety
assuage the fears of the ist "replacement theory" mander told more than a and over and over. A mass proposals popular with the
youngsters, some appear- killed 10 Black people at a dozen officers to wait in a shooting happens. It's on public, including a new as-
ing about the same age as supermarket. hallway. Officials said the the news. People cry. Then sault weapons ban or uni-
the victims. Both shootings and their commander believed the it's gone. Nobody cares. versal background checks
"You have seen the news, aftermath put a fresh spot- suspect was barricaded And then it happens again. on gun purchases, Murphy,
you have witnessed the light on the nation's en- inside an adjoining class- And again." D-Conn., told ABC's "This
tears of your parents, trenched divisions and its room and that there was "If there's anything if I could Week" that these other
friends," he said, encourag- inability to forge consensus no longer an active attack. tell Joe Biden, as it is, just ideas are "not insignificant."
ing them not to be afraid on actions to reduce gun The revelation caused to respect our community The group will meet again
of life. "You are the best re- violence. more grief and raised new while he's here, and I'm sure this coming week under a
minders to us that the lives "Evil came to that elemen- questions about whether he will," she added. "But we 10-day deadline to strike
of the little ones are impor- tary school classroom in lives were lost because of- need change. We need to a deal. "There are more
tant." Texas, to that grocery store ficers did not act faster to do something about it." Republicans interested
As Biden departed church in New York, to far too stop the gunman, who was Authorities have said the in talking about finding a
to meet privately with fam- many places where inno- ultimately killed by Border shooter legally purchased path forward this time than
ily members, a crowd of cents have died," Biden Patrol tactical officers. two guns not long before I have ever seen since San-
about 100 people began said Saturday in a com- The Justice Department the school attack: an AR- dy Hook," said Murphy who
chanting "do something." mencement address at the announced Sunday that it style rifle on May 17 and a represented the Newtown
Biden answered, "We will," University of Delaware. "We will review the law enforce- second rifle on May 20. He area as a congressman at
as he got into his car. It was have to stand stronger. We ment response and make had just turned 18, permit- the time of the Sandy Hook
his only public comment must stand stronger. We its findings public. ting him to buy the weap- shooting. "And while, in the
during roughly seven hours cannot outlaw tragedy, I "It's easy to point fingers ons under federal law. end, I may end up being
in Uvalde. know, but we can make right now," said Ronnie Gar- Hours after the shooting, heartbroken, I am at the
Biden later tweeted that he America safer." za, a Uvalde County com- Biden delivered an impas- table in a more significant
grieves, prays and stands Biden also met with first re- missioner, on CBS' "Face sioned plea for additional way right now with Repub-
with the people of Uvalde. sponders before the trip the Nation," before adding, gun control legislation, ask- licans and Democrats than
"And we are committed to back to his home in Dela- "Our community needs to ing: "When in God's name ever before."q