Editorial: Maybe Biden should personally listen to Parkland’s father’s plea for more gun control | Editorial
As our attention drifted elsewhere in the four years since a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School killed 17 people, Manuel Oliver picked it up again, starkly reminding us that the pain of losing a child does not diminish.
Oliver, whose son Joaquin was shot and murdered along with 16 other students and faculty on Valentine’s Day 2018, staged a dramatic protest on Monday, the tragedy’s fourth anniversary.
Frustrated with the lack of gun control laws passed since the tragedy, Oliver shed light on an administration he says has done little to rein in America’s guns.
Oliver climbed to the top of a construction crane near the White House where, battered by cold winds, spoke into his camera: “The whole world will listen to Joaquin today.”
He unfurled a banner with a photo of his son and the message: “45,000 people have died from gun violence on your watch.” He was talking to President Biden.
Oliver’s unusual protest made national headlines. Mission accomplished, at least for the day. Because his ultimate goal is gun control, the kind that would have prevented a young gunman from getting hold of a deadly weapon.
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Oliver said he requested a meeting with Biden a month ago. “I never understood that,” he said.
It’s too bad, because if there’s a president who knows what it’s like to lose a child, it’s Biden; he lost two. In 1972, his 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, died in a horrific car accident which also killed his first wife.
And in 2015, Biden’s son Beau died of brain cancer at age 46.
The Stoneman Douglas tragedy turned some relatives of the victims into fierce gun control activists. A parent ran for the Broward County School Board and won.
And Oliver climbed a crane. He was arrested, along with two others. As of Monday night, the charges were unclear.
On Monday morning, Biden released a statement observing the Stoneman massacre. But that wasn’t enough for Oliver. In fact, that won’t be enough, period.
Oliver doesn’t want his son to have died in vain. Once down, he unfurled a banner with a photo of his son and the message: “45,000 people have died from gun violence on your watch”.
Maybe Biden should listen and give Oliver his meeting,
Or this: First lady Jill Biden can meet grieving father Oliver when she visits Miami this week.
That too would be the right thing to do.
Today in History: February 17
1863: International Red Cross
In 1863, the International Red Cross was founded in Geneva.
Darko Vojinovic
1972: Richard M. Nixon

In 1972, President Richard M. Nixon left the White House with his wife, Pat, for a historic trip to China.
STF
1995: Colin Ferguson

In 1995, Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder in the December 1993 Long Island Rail Road shootings (he was later sentenced to a minimum of 200 years in prison).
Mike Alban
2012: Congress

A decade ago, Congress voted to extend a cut in Social Security payroll taxes for 160 million workers and to renew unemployment benefits for millions more.
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2014: Jimmy Fallon

In 2014, Jimmy Fallon made his debut as the host of NBC’s “Tonight Show.”
Evan Agostini
2015: Joe Biden

In 2015, Vice President Joe Biden opened a White House summit on countering extremism and radicalization, saying the United States must ensure immigrants are fully included in the fabric of society. to prevent violent ideologies from taking root in them.
Alex Brandon
2017: Mike Pence

Making his debut on the world stage, Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Germany, seeking to reassure skeptical allies in Europe about US foreign policy under President Donald Trump, who had made his “America First” mantra a play. mistress of his new administration.
Andre Harnik
2017: Scott Pruitt

Five years ago: Despite strong objections from environmental groups, the Senate confirmed Scott Pruitt as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
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2021: Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who became the voice of American conservatism, has died aged 70, a year after announcing he had stage four lung cancer.
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