After blaming a cruel and sick ideology for the deadly racially motivated mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, US President Joe Biden blasted white supremacy as a disease running through American politics.
Biden came to the city on Tuesday morning for a hurriedly scheduled visit to speak with a mostly black community in grief following a shooting spree that left ten people dead and three more wounded.
Biden Rebukes "Poison" of White Supremacy
There were eleven black victims and two white victims. Payton Gendron, 18, from 200 miles distant, was accused of the killings after embracing white nationalist conspiracy theories. Biden spoke at a nearby community center after visiting the shooting site and meeting with victims' relatives, describing the act as domestic terrorism and brutality perpetrated in the name of hatred and a lust for power.
He also identified the great replacement idea as one of the core reasons for the rampage and other racist violence in the United States. On the American far-right, the fringe idea, which promotes bogus allegations that non-whites are scheming to grab political power, is gaining traction, Financial Times Reported.
Local police claim the suspected assailant went more than 320 kilometers (200 miles) to find a predominantly black neighborhood. According to authorities, if he hadn't been stopped, he would have continued to attack other such places. In his purported manifesto, he invoked white holocaust and white replacement conspiracy theories to justify his hatred of minorities. He also defined himself as being on the authoritarian left in the meandering rant.
He warned that America's democracy was in danger as it had never been in my lifetime, citing the fatal far-right extremist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 as the event that convinced him to seek government again. President Biden's primary goal in visiting Buffalo was to act as a soother in chief. In his own life, he has experienced significant loss. His first wife and 13-year-old daughter were murdered in a vehicle accident, and one of his kids died of brain cancer later in life.
He promised the families that the remembrance of their loved ones will offer them a smile before it gave them a tear one day. While the residents here say they appreciate the condolences and prayers, they also want action.
Joe and Jill Biden Meet With Buffalo Shooting Victims' Families
On that front, President Biden has nothing to say, as he confessed on Air Force One upon his return to Washington. He said he would attempt to persuade Congress to pass gun control and prohibit assault weapons, but that it would be tough. On domestic terrorism, he said there were already enough laws in place and that the country needed to look in the mirror and confront reality, according to BBC.
He outlined several steps that may be taken to avoid future attacks, including adopting laws to keep assault weapons off our streets and tackling the internet's persistent use to recruit and mobilize terrorists. He also urged Americans to speak out against white supremacy.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paid a visit to a monument for the victims of the attack in Buffalo. Following that, they visited with victims' relatives, law enforcement, first responders, and community leaders.
During his remarks, Biden took the time to name each of the victims and offer a few personal insights about each of them. When recounting one of the victims, 53-year-old Andre Mackneil, who was shot and murdered while going to the store to fetch his 3-year-old son a birthday cake, he looked to cry up, as per Politico.
Related Article : President Joe Biden Redeploys US Troops in Somalia To Help Counter Extremist Group
@YouTube
