President Biden said the Second Amendment is “not absolute” in a speech Thursday following a wave of mass shootings across the nation, pleading with Congress to pass what he called “commonsense” gun control legislation, including reinstating an assault weapons ban, requiring background checks, and limiting magazine capacity.
The president, speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House, told Americans restricting access to guns “is one of conscience and common sense.” “For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear – this is not about taking away anyone’s guns,” the president said. “It is not about vilifying gun owners.
In fact, we believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave.” “I respect the culture, the tradition, the concerns of lawful gun owners,” Biden continued. “At the same time, the Second Amendment, like all other rights, is not absolute.”
Biden added: “This isn’t about taking away anyone’s rights. It’s about protecting children. It’s about protecting families. It’s about protecting whole communities. It’s about protecting our freedoms to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church without being shot and killed.” The president’s remarks come after a wave of mass shootings in recent weeks in Oklahoma, Texas, and New York.
