President Joe Biden's utterly fruitless, absolutely vital gun control order

President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday to sweep back the ocean with a broom.

He signed an executive order on Tuesday to close the barn door after the horse has bolted.

He signed an executive order on Tuesday to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

He signed an executive order on Tuesday increasing the number of background checks on firearms purchases.

Biden’s order expands the definition of those who are “in the business” of selling firearms, increasing the number of required federal background checks.

More background checks, but so many guns

Numerous polls taken over the years show that nearly 90% of Americans agree with universal background checks on all gun sales. We’re not anywhere close to that.

And there are estimated to be roughly 466 million firearms in the United States. That amounts to 120 guns for every 100 persons. The closest place on Earth to that ratio of firearms to humans is the Falkland Islands, where there are said to be 62 firearms for every 100 individuals.

Given the level of gun ownership in America and the level of gun violence we suffer each and every day, any rational person would draw two conclusions.

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First, the executive order President Biden signed on Tuesday is too little too late. A complete waste. An exercise in futility.

Two, he should keep at it.

Biden's order is the 'morally right thing to do'

Last year, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first legislation aimed at curbing gun violence to pass in decades. The bill enhanced background checks for some gun buyers, provided billions for mental health services, toughened gun restrictions for domestic abusers and other things.

The executive order Biden signed will increase the number of sellers who will be required to run background checks. It also may help those states with “red flag” laws to deal with armed individuals who have been deemed in court to be dangerous to themselves or others.

David Hogg, a co-founder of March for Our Lives and a survivor of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., said in a statement that Biden “can cut through congressional gridlock and demonstrate action on gun safety. It’s the morally right thing to do, and it will win the youth vote in 2024.”

Why it's worth trying to save some lives

John Feinblatt, the president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said Biden’s order “will significantly expand background checks on gun sales, keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous people and save lives.”

Hopefully, that last part is true. But how many lives? We’ll never know.

What we do know is that no single executive action taken by Biden will put an end to America’s gun violence.

So, why should he keep trying?

It’s like this. When I was a boy a nun in the parochial school I attended sent me and my friend Ray to see a Catholic priest from the parish, hoping he could change our wayward behavior. After a few minutes the priest told us he wasn’t overly optimistic about his chances.

“However,” he said, “even Jesus didn’t put an end to all sin. I’m just hoping to save the occasional soul.”

And who knows, maybe he succeeded.

With Ray.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Joe Biden's gun control order is utterly fruitless. And vital