As Americans go through the annual and uniquely American national day of prayers and thoughts for slain gun victims and their families, there is less attention from Republicans about the terrorist than normal because he was white. There is, however, some small controversy about whether a gunman killing 59 and wounding over 500 other Americans was really a domestic terror attack as if it makes any difference to the slain, the survivors, and their families. The regular offer of useless prayers from Republicans and gun zealots likely rings hollow to the survivors and their families after conspiring to put more assault weapons into the hands of madmen like the one who rained down terror on peaceful concert attendees.
Apparently law enforcement is still determining if the Las Vegas attack was terrorism or just some disgruntled old white guy with a battlefield arsenal in tow. Based on witness accounts of the attack, each and every one of the 22-plus thousand concert attendees on Sunday night were terrified beyond belief. If law enforcement is looking for extremist groups to connect with the shooter to make it a conspiracy necessary for a “domestic terror” designation, both the National Rife Association and Republican Party have offices in Washington.
Those two groups are solely responsible for the proliferation of firearms in the population by inciting terror to drive the public to arm themselves out of an irrational fear and belief that carrying firearms will keep them safe. Firearms, whether hand guns or battlefield assault weapons, are not for protection or defense; they are offensive weapons. Carrying a gun, no matter how big, is not a shield against a bullet.
It is little wonder Republicans are making statements about prayers. It is likely they are praying the public will ignore their culpability in what was definitely a terror attack; the gunman wasn’t using easily-obtainable battlefield weapons to spread peace and joy to other Americans. Although it’s true that the NRA doesn’t “always” write legislation to arm the population for war against other Americans, they do pay Republicans to pass their “model legislation” and threaten electoral death if they fail to toe the NRA line.
Since January, Republicans, including Trump, have toed the gun-fanatics’ line and were poised to vote on another one of the NRA’s most coveted legislative goals again this week - making “noise suppression” devices (silencers) legal. However, concerned that their involvment in the most recent terror attack will be further exposed, Republicans once again put off the vote; at least for the time being.
Apparently Republicans are concerned that legalizing silencers might bring undue attention to their part in helping maniacs kill other Americans easier. This “silencer” bill was put on hold before and the NRA was irritated because they claimed the restrictions on silencers is costly and unnecessary. Of course they don’t explain why the restriction is costly, but they don’t have to; Republicans do their bidding without question.
Republicans were gung-ho to pass the “silencer” legislation at about the same time a gunman opened fire on a congressional softball practice injuring Republican Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA) and two police officers. It is worth remarking that if the shooter’s weapon was equipped with “noise suppression,” the body count could have been horrific and the madman may have walked away undetected. Still, Republicans knew they couldn’t possibly be seen passing legislation making it easier to kill and escape without bringing undue attention to their insane devotion to their funders at the NRA.
Republicans have another gun-proliferation measure in the works because it has been a major goal of the NRA for a long time; it is doubtful that this atrocity will be put on hold. The Republican legislation allows people the NRA has terrified to legally carry their concealed weapons in “all jurisdictions” nationwide; even in states where concealed carry is banned. What that means is gun safety measures in states with prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons will be null and void if a person comes from a state that allows concealed carry without restriction. It is another “exception” to the Republican rule that “states’ rights” always supersede federal laws.
Trump was given undue credit for not “politicizing” the “tragedy” in his remarks yesterday and there are two good reasons he couldn’t possibly mention the gun proliferation threat to Americans’ lives; the NRA would destroy him and he is responsible for putting more guns in the hands of Americans who should never be allowed near a firearm.
In February Trump signed a bill revoking Obama-era gun checks for mental illness. Signing the bill earned high praise from the NRA leading the gun-sales organization to issue a celebratory statement praising Trump as gun owners’ messiah. NRA-ILA executive director, Chris Cox said that Trump signing the “let lunatics have guns” legislation “marks a new era for gun owners, as we now have a president who respects and supports our arms.”
The NRA has been terrorizing the public to believe if every man, woman, and child is not armed at all times, their lives are in peril. And it is not enough for every person to have a gun; even convicted felons, terrorists who are banned from flying, and people with mental disorders should be well-armed according to the NRA and Republicans in Congress. Now the terrorist conspirators want all Americans to carry firearms with high-capacity magazines and silencers, and they have to be allowed to carry them in schools, in church, while shopping, and at youth sporting events. However, Republicans draw the line at allowing 2nd Amendment rights in the Capital and the White House because they know there are too many guns in the population.
The horror in Las Vegas was a domestic terror attack. Republicans and the NRA may not have fired the shots and terrified over 20,000 peaceful concert goers, but they are responsible for making it easy for the lunatic to gain access to enough battlefield weapons to kill 58 Americans and injure over 500 others. It doesn’t matter what the shooter’s motivation was and it doesn’t matter what his race, politics or religion were; he used battlefield firearms to commit mass murder and terrorize thousands of Americans.
Sadly, nothing will come from this terror attack except platitudes and offers of prayers from the same Republicans that made the massacre possible. It is tempting to place all the blame on the National Rifle Association because they have contributed more than anyone to the proliferation of guns perpetuating these annual national prayer days for victims of gun violence. But the NRA doesn’t get to vote in Congress; they only pay for those votes. That makes them co-conspirators with Republicans who are ultimately responsible for the increase in domestic terror attacks committed with guns.
One would think that because there was a conspiracy to instill terror in the population for the express purpose of selling weapons of war to lunatics committing acts of terror, law enforcement should have an easy task prosecuting this latest attack as what it was; a domestic terror attack aided by the NRA, Republicans in Congress, and the madman in the White House.