Saying Mass

The only positive thing coming from Allen, Texas, on Saturday was that Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) didn’t explain how many of the 15 shooting victims and eight dead were "illegals" -- which this time not only at least allowed the proper focus to be on the actual AR-15-style shooting massacre and people killed, rather than a ham-fisted attempt to divert attention, but also spared himself from again getting the number wrong.  Unfortunately, he did call the massacre an “unspeakable tragedy,” which is completely incorrect since we have to speak about gun massacres literally every single day in the U.S.

On the other hand, Ted Cruz (R-TX) did impressively put out a tweet offering his support, after the fact, rather than expressing that he would now work to lessen the number of gun massacres in his state and elsewhere.  Fortunately, though, he didn’t suggest that the problem was the mall had too many doors.

Unfortunately, though, Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Bedlam) felt her obligation to chime in and place the blame on "mental illness, drugs and evil forces."  Though she didn’t specify which “evil forces” were at work here – whether demonic, ghostly or liberals.

This is today’s reminder that there are mental illness, drugs and evil forces in every country of the world.  Also, violent video games, schools without on-site police guards, lots of doors on their schools, good guys without guns and more.  What the rest of the world doesn't have are daily gun massacres.

Of course, this is the ongoing mantra for the GOP.  And Gov. Abbott brought up his supposed great concern about mental illness and gun violence.  It is therefore worth noting that Abbott cut $200 million from the state agency that provides mental health services in Texas -- which ranks last in mental health services in the U.S.

Furthermore, one of the first bills the Republicans in Congress passed under Trump was to roll back an Obama measure that had added people receiving Social Security checks for mental illness to the national background check database, making it harder for them to own a gun.

Also notable are all those on the right-wing freaking out because of news stories that the Allen, Texas, massacre shooter was wearing a "Right Wing Death Squad" patch which is popular among white supremacists and neo-Nazi -- but was Hispanic, so that apparently is not possible.  (As one person on Twitter wrote with knowing, absolute certainty, "There has never in the history of racism been a Klan member or a neo nazi with a name even remotely close to ‘Mauricio Garcia.’)  It seems to the extreme right that leading white supremacist advocate Nick Fuentes and former Proud Boy head Enrique Tarrio somehow slipped through the cracks. 

(And in fairness, it's also possible that "Francisco Franco" doesn't count as remotely close to "Mauricio Garcia," or him working with Hitler doesn't count as "neo" Nazi.  Also, never mind all the actual Nazis who fled to South America and settled there.)

But the winner yesterday in trying to explain away gun massacres without referencing guns was Rep. Keith Self (R-TX).

In a TV interview, Mr. Self was asked by CNN’s Paula Reid about how many people argue that just praying isn’t having any impact on the massacres.  To which he answered – and I swear this is true, because it’s on video --

“Well, those are people that don't believe in an almighty god who has, who is absolutely in control of our lives.”

Okay, I know some may not believe me and think I’m just making that up.  So, as they say in sports coverage, let’s go to the video –

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/11b1a3_eee9ba609154473092b3f0aa2b5aee44/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Let’s make clear, then, by the view of Rep. Keith Self (once again, R-TX) since God “is absolutely in control of our lives,” the Almighty – according to Keith Self -- is responsible for the gun massacres.

That aside, until Mr. Self has any statistics to back up that foolishness he says that people who don’t think prayer helps in gun massacres are all atheists who don’t believe in God, it's as empty as he appears to be.  

The only thing Self got right in trying to tie God and prayer to dealing with the Allen, Texas gun shooting (and all the others like it, daily) was "mass."

By the way, though I don’t have any statistics to back it up either, I would not be surprised to learn that some, if not many, if not most mass shooters believe in "almighty god."

All that aside, what I would have liked the reports to ask Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) is while he was praying for those shot dead, has he ever prayed that no one again gets shot to death?  If not, why not??  But if so -- how has that worked out?

Which once again brings us to our traditional gun massacre pondering:

Did Andrew Clyde (R-GA) take off his adorable AR-15 pin yesterday, or just continue passing them out?

And does the other Andy -- Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) still plan to send out the same warm-hearted Christmas card his family made last year?

​Until next time...