On Wednesday, President Joe Biden inadvertently made the case for why the Second Amendment is necessary.
“Those who say the blood of patriots, you know, and all the stuff about how we’re going to have to move against the government,” he said. “If you think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons.”
The Second Amendment was created so that law-abiding citizens could arm themselves against government tyranny and persecution. It also allows folks to protect themselves against anyone, especially criminals, who intend to harm them. The Supreme Court has clarified as much in its deciding opinions in recent Second Amendment cases. This constitutional right would appear to be especially useful amid the spike in violent crime nationwide.
Unfortunately, Biden’s statements ignorantly paint law-abiding gun owners as a fanatical threat to America. His words are a mockery not just of those citizens but also of the Constitution. Responsible gun owners do not seek to overthrow the government. Side note: F-15s and nuclear weapons are not firearms, and civilians are banned from owning them.
It should be mentioned that the steps Biden laid out are mostly counterproductive. While the Department of Justice is establishing what Attorney General Merrick Garland called “five new cross-jurisdictional law enforcement strike forces” to deal with firearms trafficking, a positive move, other measures will be futile. Zachary Faria outlined some of the relevant concerns on Thursday.
Instead of mocking and lying about the Second Amendment, the Biden administration would be wise to get tough but fair on crime. If he’s serious about this issue, he should also verbally and materially support law enforcement. What is happening across the nation is a brutal riposte to liberal efforts to defund or drastically cut funding to police. These calls have led to police officers leaving forces in droves.
Finally, Biden should be enforcing the laws. That means putting dangerous criminals behind bars. And where laws have made it harder for law-abiding citizens to protect themselves, he should abandon the progressive Left.
He should do these things, that is, if he is at all serious about protecting the nation from rising violent crime.
Jackson Richman is a journalist in Washington, D.C. Follow him @jacksonrichman.
