It seems that Republicans can't quite keep their scare quotes consistent when it comes to progressives and guns. The standard bombast has, of course, been that them libruls want to come take away all your guns.
However, a new, contrasting fiction has recently been spreading amongst the least-educated of these: Democrats are the true perpetrators of extreme gun violence.
Here's Think Progress on the latest Republican to play up this disgusting idea:
An Arizona Republican running for Congress argued that Democrats commit nearly all the mass shootings in the country. Gary Kiehne, a rancher looking to unseat Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), made the claim when asked about gun rights at a Republican primary debate on Saturday.
“If you look at all the fiascos that have occurred, 99 percent of them have been by Democrats pulling their guns out and shooting people,” Kiehne said. “So I don’t think you have a problem with the Republicans.”
This ridiculous line of thinking, if it can be called that,
began after the Newtown shooting by Roger Hedgecock, a conservative radio talk show host. Last night, Kiehne recycled that message and delivered it from the podium of a political debate. With a straight face.
And then, with an equally straight face, he went on to claim that:
- He owned more guns than any of his competitors.
- Obama wanted to create a gun registry to track all gun owners so that the government could take them all away.
Except, apparently, from all those Democrats committing mass shootings. No, Obama will let those gun owners keep their firearms.
Because Republican logic.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, just out from Oneworld Publications.