Vice President Kamala Harris sparked debate Thursday when she declared that “the right to be safe is a civil right” during an East Room event where President Joe Biden signed a new executive order aimed at limiting the development of gun technologies. Harris’s statement raises questions about the administration’s stance, particularly in light of efforts to limit the constitutional right “to bear arms,” which many believe is crucial to ensuring personal safety.

“It is a false choice to suggest you are either in favor of the Second Amendment, or you want to take everyone’s guns away,” Harris said, attempting to balance her documented support for gun restrictions with her election-season claims of backing the right to bear arms in an attempt to fool voters. Her simultaneous call to reinstate the assault weapons ban raises concerns about the Democratic administration’s true intentions regarding gun ownership. For gun rights advocates, the logical inconsistency is clear: Harris calls for protecting Americans’ safety as a civil right while seeking to curtail the very means by which law-abiding citizens ensure that safety—their right to bear arms, which is explicitly protected by the Second Amendment.

Biden, in a symbolic moment, handed Harris the pen after signing the executive order, remarking, “Keep it going, boss,” a phrase that seemed to cement Harris’s leadership on gun control in the administration. The president’s comments underscore the critical role Harris plays as she leads the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The vice president’s call for safety as a civil right stands in contrast to her push for gun control measures, which critics argue could infringe on the right of self-defense, a key component of personal safety for many Americans.

The executive order signed by Biden directs research into active shooter drills and their potential trauma on students and educators, while also forming a task force to investigate the growing threat of machine gun conversion devices and 3D-printed guns. These measures, the administration argues, are designed to curb gun violence. However, Second Amendment supporters point out that the solution lies in empowering responsible citizens to protect themselves, not in creating further obstacles to lawful gun ownership.

Harris, who claims to support the Second Amendment while advocating for more gun restrictions, continues to face scrutiny from those who argue that her policies aim to restrict gun rights. The vice president’s insistence that Americans have a right to live “without fear of violence — including gun violence” leaves many wondering how that can be achieved while limiting access to the very tools that allow individuals to defend themselves.

Biden echoed his long-standing call for more aggressive gun control measures, including universal background checks and stricter firearm storage laws. He emphasized holding parents accountable for negligence, reinforcing the administration’s stance that more regulation is the answer to reducing gun violence. Yet, the tension between Harris’ call for more gun restrictions masked as “safety,” and the administration’s efforts to restrict gun rights remains a focal point of criticism from gun rights advocates.

As Harris takes a more prominent role in shaping gun policy, the contradiction between promoting safety as a civil right and limiting the Second Amendment continues to be a sticking point for those who believe the right to bear arms is integral to ensuring personal and public safety.