After President Joe Biden again tacitly threatened to use military grade weapons against gun-owning civilians, Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Arizona Blake Masters and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake are firing back.
“This is the logic of an authoritarian. ‘We have bombs and missiles, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Therefore surrender your puny guns.’ No,” said Masters in a Tweet.
This is the logic of an authoritarian. “We have bombs and missiles, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Therefore surrender your puny guns.” No https://t.co/MEdXC0Z3f4
— Blake Masters (@bgmasters) August 30, 2022
“In the same breath, [Joe Biden] can call grassroots Patriots semi-fascists & then gleefully rave about being able to crush any dissent under his heel,” said Lake, replying to Masters. “Every word that comes out of his mouth seem [sic] like a threat. THIS is the rhetoric of a tyrant. Freedom is on the line in November.”
In the same breath, @JoeBiden can call grassroots Patriots semi-fascists & then gleefully rave about being able to crush any dissent under his heel.
Every word that comes out of his mouth seem like a threat.
THIS is the rhetoric of a tyrant
Freedom is on the line in November. https://t.co/NS871YKROW
— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) August 30, 2022
The controversy began when Biden, during a rally, tacitly threatened gun owners.
“To those brave right wing Americans who say it’s all about keeping America independent and safe – you want to fight against the country you need an F-15,” Biden said. “You need something a little more than a gun. I’m not joking. Think about this. Think about the rationale we use.”
NOW – Biden: "For those brave right-wing Americans… if you want to fight against the country, you need an F-15. You need something little more than a gun." pic.twitter.com/ce3BJEEo7G
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 30, 2022
This is the second time Biden has seemingly threatened to use military force against ordinary Americans.
During a 2021 speech, he echoed the same sentiment:
“Those who say the blood — “the blood of patriots,” you know, and all the stuff about how we’re going to have to move against the government,” he said at the time. “Well, the tree of liberty is not watered with the blood of patriots. What’s happened is that there have never been — if you wanted or if you think you need to have weapons to take on the government, you need F-15s and maybe some nuclear weapons.”
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15) used similarly threatening language in 2018 when he noted that the government has nuclear weapons that could be used against citizens.
Biden has also faced recent scrutiny for referring to those who support former President Donald Trump “semi-fascists.”
– – –
Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Kari Lake” by Kari Lake. Photo “Blake Masters” by Blake Masters.
