Saturday showed the dichotomy of America’s stance on guns, squarely focused on the LGBQT community. The day marked the five-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Florida. President Joe Biden marked the occasion to continue pandering for his pet project of more gun control. Meanwhile, opponents spoked out with an opposite message, with the trending #shootback gaining ground on social media.
Gun Control Versus #Shootback
Of course, #shootback stems primarily from 2A advocates, both conservative and liberal. The slogan means the Second Amendment is for everyone. And many pro-gun groups used it Saturday to welcome the LGBT community, empowering the group to stand their ground and defend their own lives. The message stands in stark contrast to those of the president.
“Pulse Nightclub is hallowed ground,” Biden said in the statement, reported Politico. “We must also acknowledge gun violence’s particular impact on LGBTQ+ communities across our nation. We must drive out hate and inequities that contribute to the epidemic of violence and murder against transgender women — especially transgender women of color.”
Conversely, pro-gun groups sought to empower minorities, not restrict all law-abiding gun owners. The two messages paint a clear picture of the current divide between gun people and anti-gunners.
“Today, we memorialize the lives lost in the Pulse Nightclub tragedy,” said a Facebook statement from Firearms Policy Coalition. “Our stance is the same today as it was five years ago. We’re honored to stand alongside groups like Armed Equality and Pink Pistols in fighting for the Second Amendment rights of ALL individuals. #ShootBack:”
The president also used the tragic anniversary to attempt to tie his own gun control plans to the “Equality Act.” The bill would bar discrimination against people based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Yet, Biden’s gun control bills would literally discriminate against everyone. Worse still, they would prevent minority groups–with way to much evidence of being victims of a history of violence–from taking their self-defense into their own hands.
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