Biden ripped as he botches Jefferson quote, claims Americans couldn’t own cannons during Civil War

WASHINGTON, DC: During a speech in favor of gun control on Tuesday, June 11, President Joe Biden misrepresented the Second Amendment's prohibition on gun ownership and botched a well-known quote from one of the founding fathers, as per the New York Post.

Biden said in remarks at the Gun Sense University conference in Washington, DC, "There has never been a time that says you could own anything you want. Never. You couldn’t own a cannon during the Civil War. No, I’m serious. Think about it."

Joe Biden misreads Thomas Jefferson's quote

In fact, the few instances of post-Civil War limitations pertaining to cannons mostly included limiting the areas in which they might be fired, prohibiting the weapon's sale to minors, and controlling the storage of gunpowder.

Notably, a "near-complete absence" of anti-cannon statutes in the 19th century was discovered by David Kopel and Joseph Greenlee in a May 2024 law review article published in the Journal of Legislation.

Biden's assertion is "patently false," according to Kopel, a professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, who spoke with the New York Post.

Moreover, Biden has incorrectly stated that the Second Amendment prohibited the possession of cannons at least three times before.

Kopel said, "This version is a little different from Biden’s previous lies. The earlier ones referred to when the Second Amendment was ratified. Now he’s moving the time frame to the Civil War. Still completely false."

Notably, there are still no federal laws preventing Americans from owning cannons that were made in the Civil War-era, or before 1898.

Not long after the mistake, the president butchered a well-known passage from Thomas Jefferson's 1787 letter to William Stephens Smith, a former Continental Army commander, in which Jefferson backed the people of America against tyranny.

Biden said in a mocking tone, "How much have you heard this phrase, ‘the blood of liberty … washes those’ – give me a break."

Notably, Jefferson’s quote reads, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

In response to American farmers' revolts against local and state taxes and debt collection in the 18th century, the founding father concluded the letter with, "It is its natural manure."

Biden added, "No, I mean it. Seriously. And by the way, if they want to think they can take out government if we get out of line, which they are talking again about, well guess what, they need F-15s."

Internet takes jibes at Joe Biden's gaffes

Joe Biden faced flak online as he misrepresented the Second Amendment's prohibition on gun ownership and botched the well-known quote from Thomas Jefferson.

A user wrote on X, "He is so pitiful. Scary to think this creature is running a country," while one added, "Joe Biden is at a loss after his son Hunter Biden was found guilty."

A person stated, "No one can end something that doesn’t exist," whereas one mentioned, "Biden doesn't even know where he is the majority of the time. this doesn't surprise me one bit."

A user wrote, "Not the first time he has made this claim. He obviously does not understand what the second amendment stands for. Which makes me question, why is he our president."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.