Rah Rah Ree, Shoot ‘Em in the Knee; Rah Rah Ras, Shoot ‘Em in the Other Knee

Gun safety expert, former Vice President Joe Biden, has again provided expert advice on gun handling and safety, this time to law enforcement. Ratcatcher readers may recall that sage advice that Biden offered to his wife, Jill and the readers of Parents Magazine in 2013 concerning home safety and the use of guns. At the time, Biden was asked about the use of rifles with high capacity magazines [not defined by the questioner or Biden] as a means of self-defense at home. Employing all of the learning and wisdom of his decades of leadership, to say literally nothing of his law school training, Mr. Biden said that he had told his wife, Jill, to go to the second story balcony at their home and aim a double barreled 12 gauge shotgun at the would-be intruders. Bad advice, Joe, just ask Mr. and Mrs. Mark McCloskey in St. Louis who are under indictment for doing even less. Basic gun law, Joe: Do not aim, much less fire, a gun at someone unless you are in imminent physical danger from that person. By definition, Mrs. Biden, on the second story balcony, would not be in imminent physical danger from would-be intruders in the yard!

Twice this year, Mr. Biden had waded into the gun safety and use issue again, both times relieving himself of the opinion that police officers should not shoot at the center mass of a charging attacker but, instead, shoot the attacker in the leg. It is likely that the former VP has never fired a handgun much less at a moving target charging toward him. It seems clear Mr. Biden has no clue how hard hitting a moving leg is as opposed to the center mass of a charging person. Every round that misses the target carries with it the severe risk of hitting someone else – an innocent victim. Even experienced police officers report how difficult it is to hit the center mass of a charging person due to the tension of the moment, the adrenaline rush that it brings, and the inherent challenge of aiming steadily at a moving target. Experts in the use of handguns and in the training of police officers have weighed in on the extreme ignorance Mr. Biden has displayed concerning the use of guns and the danger of his advice to law enforcement and bystanders, alike.

It is unclear at this time what topics Mr. Biden might be qualified to speak about with authority, if any, but gun handling and safety are clearly beyond his reach.

NOTE: If you have found this post interesting or helpful, please refer Ratcatcher.net to your friends. Ratcatcher invites you to leave a Comment or send an email to catcher@ratcatcher.net. Ratcatcher will respond to all civil emails.