I’ve deliberately put LouisianaVoice on hold since the horrendous events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in order to try and let my emotions level off somewhat. That’s because I couldn’t really write how I feel about the NRA, the failure of law enforcement to read the signs, and the incredibly simplistic and idiotic reactions of our Coward-in-Chief, who would have us believe, in hindsight, that he would have tried to save the day had he just been there.
You see, I have seven grandchildren, five of whom are in public schools (the other two are in college). I also have two daughters who are teachers. So, whenever I hear about a Columbine or a Sandy Hook or Parkland, it becomes very personal—and emotional—to me.
So, before it even gets to that point, don’t bother trying to label me as some sort of idealistic liberal who wants to take you precious guns away—unless you happen to be the owner of an AR-15, a gun no civilian has any business possessing in the first place.
I have guns and I haven’t heard of a single person who wants to take them away from me. (If you think differently, please provide name of the person or persons and any backup data you may have to support your theory. Otherwise, I will just assume you’re drinking the NRA Kool-Aid and you’re regurgitating their nonsense.)
Two things are important to consider here:
- If the government ever does decide to take your guns, there’s not a thing you can do to prevent it. Even with your AR-15, you’ll be dead meat against the arsenal the military and police can throw at you. How well do you think you’re going to do against rocket launchers, stinger missiles, grenades, helicopters, armored urban assault vehicles, tanks, satellites and drones?
- You would be far wiser to follow the money. The Republicans, the guys you think are your friends, are busy saying things you like to hear—like white supremacy, free markets, anti-communism, anti-Islam, anti-immigration, anti-union, voter fraud, and of course, pro-guns. All the while, they’re quietly maneuvering to take away your Medicare/Medicaid, your Social Security, your minimum wage, your overtime, your vacation and retirement benefits, your workplace safety protection, environmental protection, and your union representation—all while ensuring the continued flow of benefits to your CEOs and corporate boards….and you’re not even paying attention because you hear only the siren’s song. Stage magicians call that misdirection. They get you to focus on their left hand while the right hand lifts your wallet. Don’t believe it? Hide and watch.
Other than the senseless shootings themselves, the most outrageous thing to come out of all this is the nonsensical blathering of the conspiracy theorists who insist Sandy Hook, Columbine, Las Vegas and yes, Parkland, were staged by those who want to justify seizing our guns. Or that survivors of the shootings who want something done about the easy access to assault weapons are not students at all, but “CRISIS ACTORS.” What a load of unadulterated, shameless crap! Those who would attack these kids as political operatives represent the very lowest bottom feeders on the planet.
CNN’s (that lying, liberal, left-wing CNN—as opposed to that beacon of journalistic integrity Faux News) ANDERSON COOPER (and yes, I’m keenly aware that he’s gay and such an obvious threat to family values and the American way—as opposed to that towering symbol of virtue and all things good, the female genitalia-grabbing Trump) probably said it best when he described the conspiracy theories at “sick.” And, now that he’s back from promoting the Trump brand in India, you may wish to ask why Donald Trump, Jr., “liked” the Facebook posting by one of those conspiracy theorists.
You certainly have to admire Sen. Marco Rubio whose reactions to the shooting were described by Fred Guttenberg, the father of one of the victims, as “PATHETICALLY WEAK.” Rubio was even more PITIFUL in responding to a student’s request to vow he would not accept NRA contributions. Instead of being a man, Rubio said, “…(NRA) people buy into my agenda.” He even attempted to convince a hostile audience that the influence of the NRA “comes not from money. The influence comes from the millions of people who support that agenda.”
What a crock. Here’s a news flash, Rubio: representative democracy is not about donors reflecting your agenda, it’s supposed to be you reflecting—and representing—the agenda of your constituency, 70 percent of whom demand something be done about access to assault weapons. Your response to that young man only served to confirm the fact that you are just another political whore.
If influence does not come from money, then why the hell does the NRA, Big Pharma, oil and gas interests, financial institutions, military contractors, and cable television, to name only a few, spend untold millions of dollars lobbying Congress and contributing to political campaigns? Why do the corporate interests fight so hard to defend Citizens United? Rubio looked right into the eyes of that student and lied through his pearly white teeth. And he did it with a straight face.
Of course, the Florida legislature, in a proud display of courage and religious-patriotic-moral zeal, refused to act on restricting access to assault weapons but did advance a bill requiring schools to display “In God We Trust” signs and another declaring pornography as dangerous.
Apparently, this courageous bunch of morons doesn’t consider AR-15s dangerous. But CHELSEA ROMO might beg to differ. She is a survivor of last October’s Las Vegas shooting rampage that left 58 others dead. If you’re squeamish, you may wish to skip this story, but it’s a great example of what AR-15s are designed for: killing human beings.
And much has been made of the Broward County deputy sheriff who waiting outside the school while the shooting was taking place instead of entering the building and engaging the shooter. Coral Springs police, in fact, claim that there were actually three deputies who remained outside the building.
Sheriff Scott Israel expressed his disgust that his deputy/deputies did not engage the shooter but as always, there are two sides to any story.
First of all, the deputies would have been going up against a semi-automatic assault weapon while they were armed most probably with only a sidearm. Not good odds, perhaps even suicidal. So, let’s not be too quick to judge the deputies who, after all, are political appointees.
Which brings up another interesting point. Israel’s detractors—and it appears there are many—point out that he has PADDED HIS PAYROLL with hangers-on and political supporters. His self-proclaimed “great leadership” aside, he seems to have devoted far more attention to returning political favors in his hiring decisions than to actual qualifications for the positions he filled—much like sheriffs across the gret stet of Looziana.
And of course, WAYNE LaPIERRE, the high potentate of the NRA, lost no time going on the attack before a friendly, carefully-chosen audience at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (C-PAC)—one of our very own Bobby Jindal’s favorite haunts.
Exploiting the Parkland tragedy for political gain, LaPierre, the eager opportunist, accused “opportunists” of using the Parkland tragedy “for political gain” in one of the most curious examples of circular logic found anywhere. LaPierre, of course, was given center stage for his diatribe by Faux News.
Isn’t it interesting to know that we’re living in a time where the plea to stop shooting our kids is regarded as a “liberal talking point” by the pro-life, pro-gun, God-fearing segment of society?
And then there was the NRA mouthpiece DANA LOESCH who had the gonads to say that “Many in legacy media (whatever that is) love mass shootings.”
You bitch. Name me one person, just one, in the media (I don’t even know what she means by “legacy” media) who loves mass shootings. With one incredibly stupid, ill-advised, ill-informed statement—no, not ill-informed; you knew exactly what you were saying, you lying, simple-minded idiot—you have libeled an entire group of people and I consider myself one of that group. My degree is in journalism and I made a living at the trade for four decades and picked up an award or two along the way so I can rightfully resent the hell out of your implication and your accusation.
Like nearly everyone else, we entered our chosen field not for the purpose of exploiting tragedy but as a calling (it certainly wasn’t for the money). If we happened upon a chance to expose frauds like Dana Loesch and Wayne LaPierre, then we consider our jobs a public service. You’re welcome.
(As a side note, it would be interesting to know if the NRA headquarters is a concealed carry zone and if its entrances are equipped with metal detectors.)
And just why is it, anyway, that the Second Amendment is so much dearer than say, the Fourth Amendment, which is supposed to protect us from unreasonable searches and seizures but which is routinely violated…and the NRA never makes a peep?
Or the Sixth Amendment which guarantees the right to a speedy trial but which is often ignored…and the NRA utters not a word?
Or the First Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech and the right of the people to assemble peaceably but whenever it is exercised, heads often get busted…and the NRA is silent?
Now, to the biggest fraud of them all: Donald Trump, aka The Trumpinator, aka Donnie Bone Spur.
The Trumpinator appears to have used the same speech writer as LaPierre. Either that, or he simply PLAGIARIZED LaPierre is using the same “harden our schools,” “soft,” “gun-free zone” phraseology in his White House talk as LaPierre had used hours earlier at C-PAC. (by the way, I would love to see LaPierre, Dana Loesch, or Trump take their talking points away from the friendly C-PAC audiences and to the parents and students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.)
But as bad theater as that was, it paled in comparison to his disgraceful meeting with shooting victims from Parkland, Columbine, and Sandy Hook. He couldn’t even hold an informal meeting without going in with crib notes on how to be spontaneous and empathetic—including a written reminder to say “I hear you.” You had to write that down to remember what to say? Seriously?
(The “45” om his cuff is to remind the Great Unwashed (us) that he is the 45th POTUS)
And his suggestion that teachers be armed would have been laughable had it not been so incredibly shortsighted and ignorant.
Police officers who are Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified only manage to hit their targets 18 percent of the time in real-life shootouts and only 30 percent of the time when suspects do not return fire. So, help me understand: Trump is suggesting that teachers, who are not POST certified, will be the best line of defense in case of an attack by someone wielding an AR-15?
Two questions:
- When a shooter knows a teacher is armed, who do you think he would go for first?
- And how many kids do you think would perish in the crossfire?
And there’s this: If my daughters wanted to become firearms proficient, they would have opted for military careers instead of becoming educators.
Of Course, the Trumpster, as he so often does, tried to walk back his suggestion by saying he was referring to teachers who are “retired from the Marines.” Really? How many teachers do you know who are retired Marines?
As might be expected of such a playground-type solution to a real problem, it was roundly CRITICIZED by those who know better—and that’s just about everyone on the planet.
But far and away the most audacious, most self-serving, most self-delusional, most indescribably derisory thing The Trumpinator has uttered his entire presidency (even more so than his “very stable genius” blathering) came when he said he would have entered the school unarmed had he just been there. “I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon,” he said in his criticism of the deputy who did not engage the Parkland shooter.
BONE SPUR TRUMPINATOR: “I’LL BE BACK BIGLY. COVFEFE.”
That remark left Sarah Huckabee Sanders somewhat dubious.
The only place Trump might ever consider running into would be into the girls’ locker room.
The Washington Post observed of that flamboyant boast of Bone Spur Donnie, who received five deferments during the Vietnam War (one for bone spurs): “Run into a shooting scene? He won’t even go into a conference room with Mueller.”
Louisiana Voice 