President Joe Biden celebrated Independence Day on Monday, but expressed disappointment about the continuing gun violence and the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade case.
“Freedom is under assault, both here and abroad,” he said, referring to the Supreme Court. “In recent days, there has been reason to believe that this country is going backwards, that freedom is shrinking, and that the rights we assumed were protected are no longer.”
The President addressed the American people from the White House as part of a barbecue with military service members.
He revisited his presidential campaign slogan, noting that the country was still in a “constant battle for the soul of America.”
“I know it can be stressful and worrying, but tonight, I want you to know we’re going to get through all of this,” he said, referring to the country’s political divisions.
The president called the United States “a project that failed in many ways, but one that continues even at this hour.”
President Joe Biden signs S. 2938, a bipartisan gun safety bill, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Saturday, June 25, 2022. First Lady Jill Biden looks to the right. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Although Biden celebrated a new gun control bill he signed in June, he hinted at the mass shooting in Chicago, indicating that there was still work to be done.
“You all heard what happened today. We remember every day that nothing is guaranteed about our democracy, and nothing is guaranteed about our way of life. We have to fight for it, defend it, and win it by voting.”
He called on Americans to redirect their efforts toward progress and “recommit us to the great experience.”
“For America it’s always been, always on the move, always in the works,” Biden said. “This is a key word, a basic idea, a fundamental note in the life of our nation. Progress. Forward movement.”
He urged Americans to vote for the betterment of the country and not get discouraged.
“We have to fight for it, defend it, and win it by voting,” he said.
The president also boasted of the strength of the economy under his rule, despite high inflation and gas prices.
“Despite all the challenges, America has the most powerful economy in the world,” Biden declared.
