Joe Biden is Responsible for Increased Gun Violence

Hardly a day goes by without at least one story about firearm violence in America.

Senator Joe Biden as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee when he helped write the Firearms Owners’ Protection Act, which overturned 6 Supreme Court rulings, popularized the modern gun show, created the “Gun Show Loophole,” and facilitated mass shootings by allowing guns to be sold through the U.S. Postal Service and Internet.

It would be darkly funny only if it weren’t so true.

But, on the day after Friday the 13th, this past Saturday, December 14th, 2019, while shoppers thronged the Cumberland Mall in search of Christmas gifts in the Atlanta, GA area, the Cobb County Police Department said that, at 1:18PM EST (local time), following an argument, 18-year old Ethan Green was shot in the neck and shoulder while in the food court by 18-year-old Zaire Dhanoolal and accomplice 19-year-old Joweer Ponce.

Both the accused young men are from nearby Marietta, GA, and Dhanoolal was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, while his accomplice Ponce was charged with reckless conduct and carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Police relied upon surveillance video to identify the suspects, which showed that the suspects first pointed their pistols at 21-year-old Anthony Ezell who wasn’t injured, but was considered a victim of aggravated assault because the suspects pointed a gun at him before Green was shot.

That is nothing but purely shameful. Firearms are killing us.

“But,” counter some people, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

Yes, that’s true, but we don’t have to ignore the “elephant in the room” which is the alarming number of injuries and deaths from firearms – deliberate and accident – including mass shootings. It’s nothing short of inexcusable.

Firearm-related violence is at catastrophic proportions in our nation, and gun sickness is the root cause.

In 1981 Gil Scott-Heron prophetically sang a song entitled simply as “Gun,” from his album “Reflections” which lyrics are in part as follows:

“Everybody got a pistol, everybody got a .45
And the philosophy seem to be,
At least as near as I can see,
When other folks give up theirs, I’ll give up mine.

This is a violent civilization;
If civilization’s where I am.
Every channel that I stop on
Got a different kind of cop on
Killing them by the million for Uncle Sam.

Saturday night just ain’t that special.
Yeah, I got the Constitution on the run.
‘Cause even though we’ve got the right
To defend our home, to defend our life,
Got to understand to get it in hand about the guns.

Everybody got a pistol, this mosty be the NRA
Yeah ’cause when it’s time to line up
You know damn well they’re gonna shine up
Everybody…

Point being, that it wasn’t always like this.

And, sad to say,
then-Senator Joe Biden had a direct hand in
relaxing and eradicating hundreds of laws, and
vacating at least 6 Supreme Court decisions by
his advocacy of the
Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA).

The NRA has called the 1985 Firearm Owners Protection Act “the law that saved gun rights.”

Joe Biden, as Ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, was not merely a proponent of, and voted for the FOPA, he significantly helped advance it by unanimously voting it out of committee. So realistically and ultimately, he bears significant responsibility for the increase in mass shootings and gun violence in America.

What is the FOPA?

The Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA):

• Overturned six Supreme Court rulings,
• Over-ruled at least 33% of the hundreds of lower court rulings interpreting the Gun Control Act (undid numerous firearms regulations),
• Was the measure that allowed gun dealers to sell rifles, shotguns and ammunition through the U.S. Mail and the Internet (which facilitated James Holmes’ mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater July 20, 2012),
• Limited federal inspections of Firearms Dealers,
• Simultaneously allowed firearm dealers to sell guns at gun shows, and by so doing,
• Helped gun shows grow significantly in popularity and size,
• Popularized modern gun shows,
• Created the so-called “Gun Show Loophole,” allowing of “straw purchases” of firearms, and
• Significantly contributed to mass shootings.

The FOPA also made it easier for private collectors to sell guns without obtaining a federal dealers’ license, which would play a role in what later became known as the “Gun Show Loophole.””

Here are Biden’s comments in 1985 about his support of the FOPA which are published in the Congressional Record:

“I give credit to Senator HATCH and the National Rifle Association for their willingness to compromise and develop a revised bill that would strike a fair balance between unnecessary restrictions and regulations on lawful ownership of rifles and handguns and the legitimate interests of law enforcement in carrying out their responsibilities. I believe the compromises that are now a part of this bill have resulted in a balanced piece of legislation that protects the rights of private gun owners while not infringing on law enforcement’s ability to deal with those who misuse guns or violate laws.

During my 12 1/2 years as a Member of this body, I have never believed that additional gun control or Federal registration of guns would reduce crime. I am convinced that a criminal who wants a firearm can get one through illegal, nontraceable, unregistered sources, with or without gun control. In my opinion a national register or ban of handguns would be impossible to carry out and may not result in reductions in crime. … However, on the whole, I am satisfied with the revisions to the bill made in committee, and I believe this bill makes improvements to existing law. ”
– Delaware Senator Joe Biden, July 9, 1985 in Congressional Record – Senate, p18229

Perhaps Joe Biden should be called “Gun Show Joe.”

Illustrations from http://www.GunViolenceArchive.org/