An applause line in Joe Biden‘s State of The Union address was the straightforward: “Ban assault weapons now. Ban them now…Let’s finish the job and ban these assault weapons.”
Biden had just spoken about legislation that did things that “the majority of responsible gun owners already support — enhanced background checks for 18- to 21-year-olds. Red flag laws keeping guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others.”
While the applause in the House chamber was raucous if hardly unanimous, Kari Lake, a Trump-backed Arizona politician who recently lost the governor’s race there, resisted the call by the president to ban assault weapons. Lake was not in the chamber, as she currently does not hold political office, but Lake resisted on Twitter.
Shall NOT be infringed.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) February 8, 2023
Sorry, Joe. I’m not handing over my AR-15. Not gonna happen.
Anyone else?
[Note: whether the AR-15 is technically an assault rifle is discussed here.]
Described by TV journalist Piers Morgan describes as the “rising star of the Republican Party and one of the most controversial figures in US politics,” Lake tweeted that she wasn’t “handing over her AR-15. Not gonna happen.”
The “rising star” description gets some LOL treatment in the comments. (Lake has run in one political race and lost.) But the gun legislation is no laughing matter. In the last three years, according to the BBC, there have been more than 600 mass shootings — almost two a day on average in the United States.
The New York Times reports that Lake is considering a Republican campaign next year for the U.S. Senate, where she would potentially vote on legislation proposing to ban assault weapons.
TONIGHT: She’s the rising star of the Republican Party and one of the most controversial figures in US politics – Kari Lake will be speaking with Piers Morgan on TalkTV at 8pm.@KariLake | @piersmorgan | @TalkTV | #PMU pic.twitter.com/N2e4YINZbf
— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) February 8, 2023
