Former Congressman Joe Walsh was quick to blame this terrorist attack on Islam.
"For all you young liberals. Pls realize this is the evil face of Islam. They kill gays in the Middle East. Islam hates gays #Orlando."
https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/742004452643610625
Hearing this makes you glad it's former Congressman.
But the lie that only fundamentalist Muslims and not also fundamentalist Christians hate gays is already being debunked GOP Rep. Dan Patrick and others.
http://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2016/06/dan-patrick-shows-you-dont-have-to-be.html
"As lawmakers from both parties rushed to condemn the mass shooting that left 50 dead in Orlando, Republicans appeared to shy away from noting the LGBT connection, while Democrats explicitly brought it up."
"Officials say the shooting, the deadliest such attack in U.S. history, occurred at a gay-themed nightclub and is being investigated as a possible act of domestic terrorism. The suspected shooter is a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, leading to fears of an Islamist extremist connection, though his motive has not yet been established."
"The attack saw a collision of a number of sensitive issues in U.S. politics — gay rights, terrorism, Islam, gun control and hate crimes -- that have often put Democrats and Republicans at odds. (Republican statements Sunday also avoided discussing gun control.) That the attack occurred in June, the LGBT community’s pride month, which sees celebrations held around the world, added to the tensions."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/orlando-shooting-gay-rights-224235#ixzz4BO43ELdO
In other words, their only response is to saber rattle about Islamic terrorism. They want to be angry at Muslims but not about bigotry and not even broach the subject of gun control.
"Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, who each chair their chambers’ homeland security committees, were among the first to release statements Sunday. Both Republicans expressed sympathy for the victims and resolve in the battle against terrorism, with McCaul calling it “a sobering reminder that radical Islamists are targeting our country and our way of life.” But neither noted the LGBT factor.
(A Johnson aide told POLITICO, “The senator is monitoring developments and will update his statement as more information becomes available.”)
"Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida who failed in his recent bid for his party’s presidential nomination, said he is “grieving for those who lost their lives and praying for those who were injured in this senseless act of hatred, violence and terror.” But even in mentioning the nightclub, Rubio did not specify it was gay-themed."
"Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, meanwhile, drew outrage when he tweeted a part of a Bible verse early Sunday that said: "Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." The Republican's office quickly deleted the tweet, which it told The Dallas Morning News had been scheduled in advance and had nothing to do with the shooting."
"Democrats made sure to point out the gay connection to the shooting."
"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s statement said that “the pain of this attack in a mainstay of the Orlando LGBT community is surely magnified as our nation celebrates LGBT Pride month.” Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, also noted that LGBT theme of the nightclub."
"And Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a congresswoman from Florida who chairs the Democratic National Committee, wrote on Twitter that she was “heartbroken” and that her “thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the entire Orlando LGBT community today.”
"Some Democrats also called for tightening gun control laws, a prospect that is dim considering the lack of will among Republicans who control both chambers of Congress."
"It’s time for Congress to finally act on gun violence and ban military-style weapons, put limits on clips and magazine sizes, ban those on the terrorist watchlist from purchasing firearms and require background checks on all gun sales," said Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, whose statement also prominently called the shooting "an attack on the LGBT community.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/orlando-shooting-gay-rights-224235#ixzz4BO4aHMIw
It's dispiriting in a sense that the response to tragedies like these are always 'political' but that's inevitable. There are not too many things which Americans agree wholeheartedly on these days.
To attempt to solve the problem, 'politicization' is inevitable.
For more on Congress' response please see here.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/shootings-hill-orlando-224233
President Obama is scheduled to speak soon.
"For all you young liberals. Pls realize this is the evil face of Islam. They kill gays in the Middle East. Islam hates gays #Orlando."
https://twitter.com/WalshFreedom/status/742004452643610625
Hearing this makes you glad it's former Congressman.
But the lie that only fundamentalist Muslims and not also fundamentalist Christians hate gays is already being debunked GOP Rep. Dan Patrick and others.
http://lastmenandovermen.blogspot.com/2016/06/dan-patrick-shows-you-dont-have-to-be.html
"As lawmakers from both parties rushed to condemn the mass shooting that left 50 dead in Orlando, Republicans appeared to shy away from noting the LGBT connection, while Democrats explicitly brought it up."
"Officials say the shooting, the deadliest such attack in U.S. history, occurred at a gay-themed nightclub and is being investigated as a possible act of domestic terrorism. The suspected shooter is a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, leading to fears of an Islamist extremist connection, though his motive has not yet been established."
"The attack saw a collision of a number of sensitive issues in U.S. politics — gay rights, terrorism, Islam, gun control and hate crimes -- that have often put Democrats and Republicans at odds. (Republican statements Sunday also avoided discussing gun control.) That the attack occurred in June, the LGBT community’s pride month, which sees celebrations held around the world, added to the tensions."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/orlando-shooting-gay-rights-224235#ixzz4BO43ELdO
In other words, their only response is to saber rattle about Islamic terrorism. They want to be angry at Muslims but not about bigotry and not even broach the subject of gun control.
"Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, who each chair their chambers’ homeland security committees, were among the first to release statements Sunday. Both Republicans expressed sympathy for the victims and resolve in the battle against terrorism, with McCaul calling it “a sobering reminder that radical Islamists are targeting our country and our way of life.” But neither noted the LGBT factor.
(A Johnson aide told POLITICO, “The senator is monitoring developments and will update his statement as more information becomes available.”)
"Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida who failed in his recent bid for his party’s presidential nomination, said he is “grieving for those who lost their lives and praying for those who were injured in this senseless act of hatred, violence and terror.” But even in mentioning the nightclub, Rubio did not specify it was gay-themed."
"Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, meanwhile, drew outrage when he tweeted a part of a Bible verse early Sunday that said: "Do not be deceived. God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." The Republican's office quickly deleted the tweet, which it told The Dallas Morning News had been scheduled in advance and had nothing to do with the shooting."
"Democrats made sure to point out the gay connection to the shooting."
"House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s statement said that “the pain of this attack in a mainstay of the Orlando LGBT community is surely magnified as our nation celebrates LGBT Pride month.” Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, also noted that LGBT theme of the nightclub."
"And Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a congresswoman from Florida who chairs the Democratic National Committee, wrote on Twitter that she was “heartbroken” and that her “thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the entire Orlando LGBT community today.”
"Some Democrats also called for tightening gun control laws, a prospect that is dim considering the lack of will among Republicans who control both chambers of Congress."
"It’s time for Congress to finally act on gun violence and ban military-style weapons, put limits on clips and magazine sizes, ban those on the terrorist watchlist from purchasing firearms and require background checks on all gun sales," said Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, whose statement also prominently called the shooting "an attack on the LGBT community.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/orlando-shooting-gay-rights-224235#ixzz4BO4aHMIw
It's dispiriting in a sense that the response to tragedies like these are always 'political' but that's inevitable. There are not too many things which Americans agree wholeheartedly on these days.
To attempt to solve the problem, 'politicization' is inevitable.
For more on Congress' response please see here.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/shootings-hill-orlando-224233
President Obama is scheduled to speak soon.
Walsh: you knew somebody would say something like that. Did anybody put a microphone in Pat Robertson's face?
ReplyDeleteInteresting article here by Steve Berman of TheResurgent:
http://theresurgent.com/lgbt-americans-deserve-our-protection/
I would gladly stand guard, AR-15 in hand, at any gay bar to protect these Americans, with whom I disagree, but will defend with my life. I do this because I love them like Jesus loves them. When the time comes for choosing enemies, I pray that LGBT Americans would choose very carefully.
BTW, I'm happy to hear his attitude. It's definitely from a right wing gun loving fundamentalist Christian perspective, but it's about the best you could hope for from that perspective. I appreciate that he didn't shit all over Obama, though he was (almost unavoidably) critical.
DeleteThe image of him volunteering his time to stand outside gay clubs with his AR-15 guarding their lives is a nice sentiment I suppose, but complete fantasy I think. That line made me laugh.
His heart's in the right place.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, he clearly wants to hear nothing about gun control