Sandy Hook massacre
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==The gun control debate== | ==The gun control debate== | ||
| − | None of these angry white people had much to say about [[gun control|the easy availability of | + | None of these angry white people had much to say about [[gun control|the easy availability of guns]] in the United States. Quite a lot of other people did. The shooter's mother, whom he had [[murder]]ed before driving to the school, was a [[gun nut]] and [[survivalist]] who, despite Connecticut's supposed tightness of gun laws, had legally obtained multiple rifles and handguns, including a semi-automatic civilian variant of the military M4 carbine, which was used for all but one of the deaths. |
However, [[MSNBC]] contributor [[Joe Scarborough]], a noted gun-rights advocate, announced in an editorial that he had, because of the tragedy, reversed his position on unrestricted access to firearms.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc-morning_joe/#50222624]</ref> He is joined by former [[West Virginia]] governor Joe Manchin and [[Virginia]] [[US Senate|Senator]] Mark Warner,<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20763749 Newtown shootings: Gun debate flares as funerals begin]</ref> and likely more to come. So give it up for them. | However, [[MSNBC]] contributor [[Joe Scarborough]], a noted gun-rights advocate, announced in an editorial that he had, because of the tragedy, reversed his position on unrestricted access to firearms.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc-morning_joe/#50222624]</ref> He is joined by former [[West Virginia]] governor Joe Manchin and [[Virginia]] [[US Senate|Senator]] Mark Warner,<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20763749 Newtown shootings: Gun debate flares as funerals begin]</ref> and likely more to come. So give it up for them. | ||
Revision as of 10:52, 18 December 2012
On December 14 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, a gunman attacked and killed 20 children and six teachers before committing suicide.
Contents |
Wingnut excuses
America's extreme wingnut contingent has reacted with calm and considered diplomacy. Wait, no, the other thing: they've used it as an excuse to blame all sorts of completely irrelevant bullshit, because, frankly, they are awful, opportunistic shitheads.
- Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas and Republican presidential primary candidate, blamed it on separation of church and state: "We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools."[1]
- After sane people everywhere pointed out how stupid that was, he walked it back. "I'm not suggesting by any stretch that if we had prayer in schools regularly as we once did that this wouldn't have happened, because you can't have that kind of cause and effect. But we’ve created an atmosphere in this country where the only time you want to invoke God’s name is after the tragedy."[2]
- Professional homophobe Bryan Fischer also blamed separation of church and state. "God is not going to go where he is not wanted."[3]
- The Westboro Baptist Church announced plans to picket the school "to sing praise to God for the glory of his work in executing his judgment."[4] The 6-year-olds were probably 'fag enablers' or somesuch.
- Glenn Beck said it was "because of the ever expanding lack of self control & personal responsibility."[5]
- Pastor Sam Morris from the Old Paths Baptist Church in Tennessee blamed the teaching of evolution and "how to be a homo" in public schools, and said that abortion is a far worse problem.[6][7]
- Eric Hovind—son of tax fraudster and creationist Kent Hovind—hopped on to Twitter to also blame secularism: "Are you happy now that the shooter grew up in a school without God?"[8][9]
- He later gave a notpology on Facebook by saying that his tweet was "poorly worded" but quoted a passage similar same sentiments.[10]
- James Dobson from Focus on the Family blamed abortion and same-sex marriage.[11]
- Tim Wildmon from the American Family Association said it was because of Satan![12]
- Steve Deace, a right-wing radio host, said that it was because of, let's see, a "culture of death" in public schools, secularism, "movies glorifying the occult and gory violence," abortion and a school which required students to write suicide notes in class.[13] Which apparently did happen... in France, once.[14] Quite how that would affect a man in Connecticut is left as an exercise for the reader.
- Ray Comfort said it was because America has "lost its fear of God."[15]
- Andy Schlafly, the owner of Conservapedia, blamed the shooting on video games and said that it wouldn't have happened "if laws banning guns for self defense in public school were repealed."[16] Because concealed carry worked so great in Aurora, didn't it.
- Victoria Jackson said the shooting happened because America had "forgotten the Ten Commandments." She also linked the shootings to abortions.[17]
The gun control debate
None of these angry white people had much to say about the easy availability of guns in the United States. Quite a lot of other people did. The shooter's mother, whom he had murdered before driving to the school, was a gun nut and survivalist who, despite Connecticut's supposed tightness of gun laws, had legally obtained multiple rifles and handguns, including a semi-automatic civilian variant of the military M4 carbine, which was used for all but one of the deaths.
However, MSNBC contributor Joe Scarborough, a noted gun-rights advocate, announced in an editorial that he had, because of the tragedy, reversed his position on unrestricted access to firearms.[18] He is joined by former West Virginia governor Joe Manchin and Virginia Senator Mark Warner,[19] and likely more to come. So give it up for them.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Mike Huckabee: Newtown Shooting No Surprise, We've 'Systematically Removed God' From Schools, Huffington Post
- ↑ Mike Huckabee Explains Bizarre Claim That God's Absence From Sandy Hook Led To Massacre, Huffington Post
- ↑ Fischer: God Didn't Stop CT School Shooting Because He's a 'Gentleman' Who Doesn't Go Where He Is Not Wanted, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Reports: As Newtown Plans Burials For Shooting Victims, Westboro Baptist Church Prepares To Picket, CBS Local New York
- ↑ Glenn Beck tweet
- ↑ Tennessee pastor: Mass shootings because schools teach evolution and ‘how to be a homo’, Raw Story
- ↑ I weep for America, Jerry Coyne, Why Evolution Is True
- ↑ Stay classy, Eric Hovind., Unreasonable Faith
- ↑ Hovind's utter lack of class prompted theologian James F. McGrath to call him a "lowlife pseudochristian" and suggest to him that he ought to read the read the Book of Job
- ↑ Eric Hovind's Facebook
- ↑ Dobson: Connecticut Shooting was God Allowing 'Judgment to Fall Upon Us' for Turning Our Back on Him, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Wildmon: Satan Carried Out the Shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Right Wing Watch
- ↑ Steve Deace Ties Connecticut Shooting to Public Schools' 'Culture of Death', Right Wing Watch
- ↑ French teacher suspended for asking pupils to write suicide notes, Telegraph.co.uk
- ↑ Connecticut School Shooting... Why???, Way of the Master (just after 3m mark).
- ↑ diff img
- ↑ Ex-SNL star Victoria Jackson links massacre to abortion
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Newtown shootings: Gun debate flares as funerals begin