Of course there are a lot of individuals who are preventing common sense to prevail in gun control policy in this country. But this individual is a really amazing example.
The author of legislation to allow gun sellers to sell arms and ammunition across state lines, Rep. Amodei was being questioned today on MSNBC.
Stephanie Ruhle: When you look at what’s happened. When you see that maybe this man was able to use a modification that he could buy simply at a gun store — something that could turn a weapon into a killing machine — it does strike people at their hearts, and say, “Why on Earth is something like this for sale in a store?”
Rep. Amodei : Well I would just remind you, Stephanie, that this person has demonstrated that he has absolutely no regard for felony crimes or anything else. So to sit there and lay it all off on federal gun legislation is like, well it’s against the law in Nevada to shoot somebody. So, I mean, we need a little more depth than just, I have jumped to the conclusion that it is all this fault or that fault. It would help with a little bit of facts so that we can make informed decisions as opposed to some quick ones.
Ruhle: OK. Just answer me this. Who needs a semi-automatic weapon? I guess answer that. I just don’t understand.
Amodei: I don’t know. I don’t own one so, you know, have a nice day! I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t speak for the other X million people in the country, Stephanie.
It should be noted that Amodei’s expression as he finished his answer can only be described as a smirk. Ruhle and Velshi looked like they were absolutely certain that what they heard could not possibly have been what Amodei said. I had to back up the DVR to make certain I had heard what I thought I had heard. And, in case you are not certain you read what you read, yes, he said, “Have a nice day,” in what should have been a serious discussion about the worst mass shooting in US history.
Is it just me, or should people expect more of their elected representatives? Amodei may not speak for “X million people,” but it is his job to speak for the more than 700,000 citizens of Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District whom he supposedly represents. It may well be that some of them now have views which Amodei seems incapable of adequately expressing, or even comprehending, based on this offensive and incredibly dismissive and condescending response to an enormously serious question:
Who needs a semi-automatic weapon?
But he did come up with this amazingly original and overwhelmingly compassionate statement released October 2nd:
Unfathomable evil. Attacking harmless people who like listening to music – I don’t have the words. Our hearts go out to the victims and families of this terrible tragedy. It’s a sad day.
It sure is a sad day. As will be every day those like Rep. Amodei remain in office.