If legislators who choose to support women's reproductive rights are blamed for every abortion that happens, as if they did it themselves, and are labelled baby killers, shouldn't Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz, because of their stance on unregulated assault rifle sales, be blamed for the deaths at the mall in Allen, Texas? And since two of the victims were small children, sisters, a second grader and a fourth grader, doesn't that make them child killers?
Just asking. But that would be the same thing, in the twisted political rhetoric that the far right uses.
They can't be labelled as pro-life. At least, if the same standard they apply to those on the left who see the issue as a matter of individual choice and personal conscience is used to judge them. Clearly, if they are in favor of the completely unregulated sale of guns that are designed to kill human beings with maximum effectiveness, with a force that separates body parts, ensures almost certain death and leaves the remains a mangled mess, then they can't be considered pro-life, that would be hypocritical and contradictory. Murder is a sin, and legislators and government officials who are in favor of a hands off approach to the sale of weapons designed specifically to commit it are guilty of it. That's exactly what tagging lawmakers who favor abortion rights as baby killers does. So that's fair.
But there's some hypocrisy here, too. How close to the state capitol or the governor's mansion in Texas do you think a heavily armed nut job equipped with an assault rifle would get? People attending his campaign rallies last year had to pass through metal detectors to get in. Maybe that's one way to make Texas safe. Make everyone entering an outlet mall, a church, a school, or the downtown shopping district go through metal detectors. But that would violate the second amendment rights of someone who wanted to carry their assault rifle inside that perimeter. At least, in their way of thinking it would. But they wouldn't let someone like that get that close to them. That's just for the rest of us.
Remember, Cruz is the guy who headed for Cancun when an ice storm paralyzed the state and shut down the power grid and left everyone else in the cold without even a comment. The shooting took place in an outlet mall, not someplace he would shop. As long as none of his family members are effective, he doesn't care. And the same goes for the governor. They're where they are for themselves and their bank accounts, not for the people.
The fact that the Texas governor wants to pardon a shooter makes it pretty clear he's not against murder. If Daniel Perry is pardoned, that's a lot more direct evidence and accountability for killings committed with guns that rests with the governor than anything legislators who are pro-choice have to their credit. A pardon sends a strong political message, in this case, that it is OK to kill someone for misinterpreting their actions or not liking the way they look at you. Or if they share your right wing conspiracy theories, fear mongering and political backwardness.
Nor can Cruz or Abbott be said to support and care about family values. One entire family, except for a six year old child, was murdered in this rampage. They're dead because the governor of Texas supports unrestricted ownership and sale of assault rifles made for the purpose of mowing down families. That's how it was used in this case. And the murderer was able, because of Abbott's and Cruz's failure to pass legislation requiring background checks and restricting gun ownership by crazy nut jobs, to kill nine people. So much for families getting together and enjoying an afternoon of shopping at the suburban outlet mall. In Texas, even in the suburbs, getting shot is a real danger, thanks to their governor and senator. And what help do you think the governor will offer the six year old who is the only survivor in the family?
A couple of weeks ago, when a private, Christian school was attacked and six people were killed in Nashville, at least the governor started using words like background checks and limits on assault rifle ownership. But that's because that shooting happened on his turf, at a private, Christian school where his wife knew one of the victims. Abbott and Cruz are headed in the opposite direction, because these were just ordinary people, and they, frankly, care more about their gun lobby dollars than they do about the people they were elected to represent.
Both have offered the victim's families their thoughts and prayers. I just wonder who hears their prayers.
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