Chinanews.com, Beijing, April 9th, title:

Biden's gun control is easier said than done

　　Author Bo Wenwen

　　"Gun violence is an epidemic in the United States and embarrassing the United States internationally." US President Biden delivered a speech on the 8th local time, announcing a series of administrative measures to strengthen gun control and reduce gun violence.

　　The problem of gun violence, described by Biden as an "epidemic", has a long history in the United States.

In recent times, under the superimposed influence of the new crown epidemic and racial discrimination, this "disease" has become increasingly severe.

Data map: On March 22, local time, a shooting occurred in a supermarket in Colorado, USA that day.

The picture shows the police and rescue workers are in place.

　　Just last month, there were a number of major shooting incidents in the United States in the past week.

First, there were 3 shootings in a single day in Atlanta, Georgia, killing 8 people, including 6 Asian women, and then a shooting in a supermarket in Colorado, killing 10 people.

Between the two cases, another 850 shootings occurred in the United States, which claimed more than 250 lives.

　　According to statistics from the US non-profit organization "Gun Violence Archives", nearly 20,000 people will die from gun violence in the United States in 2020, the highest in the past 20 years.

At the same time, the number of gun sales in the United States in 2020 has also broken historical records, and public safety concerns have intensified.

　　Public reports show that the administrative measures announced by Biden include: combating "ghost guns", that is, guns that are manufactured and assembled by purchasing parts and have no traceable commercial serial numbers; strengthening the control of pistols "stabilizing brackets" to prevent pistols from turning into A more lethal and accurate rifle; etc.

Biden also nominated David Chipman on the same day as the director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Chipman, who advocates gun control, has worked in the Bureau for 25 years.

　　US media said that Biden's move was welcomed domestically and was considered "ambitious."

However, analysts pointed out that as far as gun control is concerned, the unilateral role that the president can play is "limited."

　　As Biden said in his speech, "We still have a long way to go."

In the face of Biden, there is no shortcut to control guns. The obstacles are complicated, stubborn, and tricky.

Data map: US President Biden.

　　One of the obstacles is "the right to grant guns from heaven."

　　The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that took effect in 1791 gave individuals the right to "hold and carry weapons."

In the historical background at that time, in order to restrict the powerful government and prevent the government from inflating its power to infringe upon the rights of citizens, it gave citizens a weapon of resistance, commonly known as "the power of guns granted by heaven."

　　Although gun ownership is protected by the U.S. Constitution, in fact, its constitution is not unchangeable.

Therefore, the root cause of the proliferation of guns in the United States is still based on reality.

　　The second obstacle is that the two parties in the U.S. Congress are deadlocked on the issue of gun control.

　　The Democratic and Republican parties of the United States have always had sharp differences on the issue of gun control.

Democrats are mostly in favor of gun control, while Republicans almost all have guns.

The Associated Press reported that although supporters of gun control praised Biden's move as a strong first step in combating gun violence, they also acknowledged that "members of Congress must take action to make lasting changes."

　　The report quoted analysts as saying that since the two parties each hold 50 seats in the Senate, and gun control-related legislation requires 60 votes to pass, it is very difficult to pass. "It is hard to imagine who the 10 Republicans will be."

The "New York Times" report also pointed out that although the National Rifle Association is currently facing financial difficulties, the organization's lobbying activities are still strong, and the gun movement has not wavered under the control of the Republican Party.

　　According to US media reports, the United States has not passed important gun control laws for more than 20 years.

In 2019, Democrats passed a similar bill after regaining a majority in the House of Representatives, but it was then shelved by the Senate, which was controlled by the Republican Party.

Data map: On March 18, local time, a federal building in Anchorage, Alaska, was lowered to half-mast.

U.S. President Biden ordered federal buildings across the United States to fly at half-mast on the same day to commemorate the victims of the Atlanta shooting.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Liu Guanguan

　　The third obstacle is the conflict between the federal government and the state government on gun control.

　　The laws of each state in the United States are independent of each other, and the gun control legislation of each state is also different from each other.

The "Washington Post" article pointed out that the lack of federal standards makes it more difficult to implement state laws designed to control guns.

The article cited data from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives last month that the tracking of guns used in crimes found that generally, guns were purchased locally, but in states with stricter gun control laws Inside, guns are often bought from elsewhere.

　　The article said that this is also a problem that has always plagued gun control supporters.

Even if a state strengthens its gun control laws, there may be a state with loose laws next door.

Obviously, the legislative conflicts between different states will weaken the effectiveness of the government's implementation of gun control measures.

　　In the United States, gun control is both a security issue, a historical issue, and a political issue.

Therefore, it is not easy for Biden to control the gun.

Especially at the moment, the United States is still facing urgent challenges such as fighting the epidemic, vaccine distribution, and economic recovery. It is still unknown how much Biden can invest in gun control.

(Finish)