Are the presidential hopefuls missing the mark in their reactions to this horrific event (those that actually acknowledged it)? This is opinion from the right-leaning Boston Herald suggests they are...
Atkins: Politicians failing to grasp reality of racial terrorism
WASHINGTON — Imagine if Wednesday’s horrific massacre at the historic Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., were perpetrated in the name of ISIS.
GOP presidential hopeful and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) would have declared his beloved home state under attack by his campaign’s enemy of choice: “radical Islamic extremists.”
After all, after police thwarted an attack on a “Draw Muhammad” contest event in Garland, Texas, Graham predicted that the next mass casualty event in America would be at the hands of Muslim extremists.
He was wrong. Wednesday’s accused terrorist, authorities tell us, is a white hatemonger who targeted blacks as they worshipped.
So how did Graham characterize alleged shooter Dylann Roof?
He’s just “a whacked-out kid,” Graham said in TV interviews, adding, “There are real people who are organized out there to kill people in religion and based on race; this guy’s just whacked out.”
What will it take to get our leaders to acknowledge that race remains a persistent source of deadly division in this country, and a much bigger concern to black America than foreign terror groups?
It’s not just black people who want to hear candidates address race issues frankly and directly. It’s everyone concerned about justice.
Yesterday, at an event hosted for GOP White House hopefuls, Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Rand Paul of Kentucky said nothing of the attack, despite the troubled racial histories of both their states. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz started his remarks with a moment of silence for the victims — after Twitter users noted his competitors’ glaring omission.
The racial tone-deafness isn’t limited to Republicans. The Democratic front-runner also seemed flatfooted at a Las Vegas event just hours after leaving South Carolina.
“How many innocent people in our country, from little children to church members to movie theater attendees, how many people do we need to see cut down before we act?” Hillary Clinton asked.
By lumping the Emanuel AME church massacre with the Aurora, Colo., movie theater shooting, Clinton was pushing the false narrative that Wednesday’s horror was a random, unexplainable act by an unstable person. The murderer in that church knew exactly what he was doing: perpetrating not only a heinous mass murder, but also an act of racist terror.
Yet somehow, it was lost on those who need to hear it the most.
[Edited on 6/19/2015 by gondicar]
Why are the nine black people murdered last night in Charleston more important to you than the dozens of black people murdered every day?
Could it be that the dozens of black people killed every day are murdered in the cities run by liberals who have the responsibility for public safety?
A political issue? Apparently.
Obama today, while feigning emotion at the murders last night in Charleston went right for his political agenda; gun control and played the race card yet again.
Then in his usual pattern jumped on the tax-payer’s Air Force One and flew to California for Democrat fund raising events many of which are with the movie and TV folks who blow away people in their shows and make a living with guns in their hands.Obama wants gun control? Fine
Show us you proposed legislation.
You won’t see it because Obama is always calling for Congress to do something while never offering his own plan.After Sandy Hook, Obama called for gun control and for a fix to the nation’s broken mental health system. He never offered a plan, never pursued the matters.
The hypocrisy is pathetic.
In the meantime, black people are being murdered, mostly by other black people and what do we hear from the liberals?
Nothing.
I knew it was just a matter of time before Mule blamed or linked this to Obama and liberals in general. Just when I think he can't top himself he does. You never cease to amaze Mule. 
So, all flags in South Carolina are flying at half-mast today, except one. The confederate flag, that symbol of racism to many, flies on the top of the capital building and the governor cannot order it to be lowered to half staff. How's that for a slap in the face.
POTUS candidate from SC Lindsey Graham is finding it a little tough to defend that today, as he should...
Lindsey Graham: The Confederate flag is 'who we are' even though 'it's been used in a racist way'
South Carolina senator and long-shot Republican presidential candidate Lindsey Graham has been having a little trouble calibrating his response to the racist mass murder in his home state Wednesday night. In one of his efforts, on CNN, Graham said he is theoretically open to "revisiting" the decision to have the Confederate flag flying outside the state capitol, but he says it's also "who we are."
"At the end of the day it's time for people in South Carolina—to revisit that decision would be fine with me, but this is part of who we are. The flag represents to some people a Civil War and that was the symbol of one side. To others it's a racist symbol, and it's been used by people, it's been used in a racist way. But the problems we have in South Carolina and throughout the world are not because of a movie or a symbol, it's because of what's in people's heart. You know, how do you go back and reconstruct America? What do we do in terms of our history?"
Gosh, I don't know, it seems like removing from its proud position outside the South Carolina capitol building that symbol of racism and of the side in the Civil War that was fighting to defend slavery would be a start. Telling people who have racism in their hearts that the state is not with them on this one. Admitting that South Carolina was wrong in 1860 when it became the first state to secede in defense of slavery and wrong through the Civil War when it fought to keep people enslaved and wrong when it again raised that flag over the capitol in 1962 as a direct response to the civil rights movement.
Because let's be clear. That flag's official presence, the fact that the governor cannot order it to fly at half staff as she can so order the American and state flags, is not some age-old remembrance of 19th-century war dead. It's an expression of 20th-century racism and outrage that black people would demand equality. And its presence there in that spirit was affirmed by the South Carolina government in the year 2000.
For a South Carolina politician like Lindsey Graham to say "it's who we are" is to say "who we are is defiant and proud in our racism." And that may be true. But if what we care about is not official actions of the state in embracing or rejecting racism but only what is in people's hearts, then this should be a moment when every South Carolinian who has supported the presence of that flag at the capitol should look into their heart and think hard, really hard, about how it came to be there and what that means to them.
In the mean time, though, while people are working on what's in their hearts, South Carolina could remove its official support for the symbol, whether so that the families of the victims of this racist mass murder or of other past racist murders or of routine, everyday, but still unjust and soul-killing racism do not have to look at it or so that racists like Dylann Storm Roof don't look at the symbolic center of their state and see their racism affirmed and reflected back at them.
Why are the nine black people murdered last night in Charleston more important to you than the dozens of black people murdered every day?
Could it be that the dozens of black people killed every day are murdered in the cities run by liberals who have the responsibility for public safety?
A political issue? Apparently.
Obama today, while feigning emotion at the murders last night in Charleston went right for his political agenda; gun control and played the race card yet again.
Then in his usual pattern jumped on the tax-payer’s Air Force One and flew to California for Democrat fund raising events many of which are with the movie and TV folks who blow away people in their shows and make a living with guns in their hands.Obama wants gun control? Fine
Show us you proposed legislation.
You won’t see it because Obama is always calling for Congress to do something while never offering his own plan.After Sandy Hook, Obama called for gun control and for a fix to the nation’s broken mental health system. He never offered a plan, never pursued the matters.
The hypocrisy is pathetic.
In the meantime, black people are being murdered, mostly by other black people and what do we hear from the liberals?
Nothing.I knew it was just a matter of time before Mule blamed or linked this to Obama and liberals in general. Just when I think he can't top himself he does. You never cease to amaze Mule.
________________________________________________________________________
It was Obama that brought the politics of guns and race into the Charleston matter when ran to the TV cameras yesterday before running off to California on the tax-payer’s dime to do fund raising for Democrats.
Race relations have turned far worse since Obama himself brought race baiting into the campaign in 2007.
Blaming "mental illness" is a cop-out -- and one that lets us avoid talking about race, guns, hatred and terrorism
This might be the funniest line I've read in a while. "Avoid" talking about race, guns, hatred? AVOID? Seriously? Please tell me exactly when this avoidance starts! LOL
Opening the article with such a ridiculous statement doesn't bode well for the rest of the piece. Whoever wrote that clearly must live on Mars.
Avoid?
An entire thriving industry has been built through talking about race, hate, ect. People are getting rich beyond their wildest dreams off of it. Politicians are using these topics to shore up voting blocks, retain power, and attempt to stifle opposition.
Avoid talking about it? Really?
My God.
And still people keep getting gunned down in our schools, movie theaters, churches, and in the streets. I've posted the numbers here numerous times for gun related deaths in the US compared to the rest of the world and it is tragically embarrassing. Texas is about to allow open carry in the state. I'm sure more guns more readily available will decrease the violence. I watch this thread in particular turn into another left vs. right rabbit trail and think the situation is beyond repair. I believe the same thing that goes on in this forum goes on all through our country. We are going to destroy ourselves.
Avoid?
An entire thriving industry has been built through talking about race, hate, ect. People are getting rich beyond their wildest dreams off of it. Politicians are using these topics to shore up voting blocks, retain power, and attempt to stifle opposition.
Avoid talking about it? Really?
My God.
I put the blood of these murders and others like them precisely on your hands. You and the murderous NRA. The NRA that says, this is not the time to talk about gun control, when these tragedies are exactly the time to talk gun control.
Your God? Really? You want to bring up God as a means to perpetuate murder?
Wow. You are a good Christian soldier.
Terrorism is usually defined as an act of violence committed to further a socio-political message or bring attention to an organization or cause.
So, basically, it's the difference between and nutjob and a nutjob with a point to make. 😛
Basically what you said but the point usually is associated with an affiliation with a group. If this guy is a klansman I'd call it terrorism. Otherwise the lunatic attack of a lone gunsman
Avoid?
An entire thriving industry has been built through talking about race, hate, ect. People are getting rich beyond their wildest dreams off of it. Politicians are using these topics to shore up voting blocks, retain power, and attempt to stifle opposition.
Avoid talking about it? Really?
My God.
I put the blood of these murders and others like them precisely on your hands. You and the murderous NRA. The NRA that says, this is not the time to talk about gun control, when these tragedies are exactly the time to talk gun control.
Your God? Really? You want to bring up God as a means to perpetuate murder?
Wow. You are a good Christian soldier.
OK, I'll take the blame if you insist. This one is on me.
Here I was thinking you would take the normal approach and blame an object.
Terrorism is usually defined as an act of violence committed to further a socio-political message or bring attention to an organization or cause.
So, basically, it's the difference between and nutjob and a nutjob with a point to make. 😛
Basically what you said but the point usually is associated with an affiliation with a group. If this guy is a klansman I'd call it terrorism. Otherwise the lunatic attack of a lone gunsman
I disagree completely. This guy was definitely making a political point, he even told one of the people in the church that he left her alive so she could spread his message for him.
If this were a loan Muslim gunman inspired by ISIS who attached the church because they were Christian as opposed to because they are black, he would be called a terrorist whether he was "officially" affiliated with them or not, and whether he acting on someone's orders or on his own. Whether he was acting out of religious hatred toward all non-Muslims or racial hatred toward all non-whites, terrorism is terrorism.
Some people have said why label him anything other than a murder and I get that, but words do matter and they provide the context for discussion and reaction, and how this particular guy gets labeled is not inconsequential to the overall narrative of race, religion, politics, extremism and terrorism in America.
You just gotta love the NRA.
NRA board member blames Charleston Pastor Clementa Pinckney for his own death
The reaction to this tragedy in Charleston has me confounded. There are so many people who think this horrific incident demonstrates the validity of some predisposed position that they hold. Many, including the President, have identified this as a gun control issue. Some are focused on how the terms “terrorism”, or “hate-crimes” are applied. Others bring up the issue of mental illness. Some go as far as making this a political debate, Democrat vs Republican. But very few are focusing on the underlying cause of this incident, and that is racism. This young man went to that church to kill people because they were black. There was no other reason.
While gun control, terrorism, mental illness, or politics may play a contributing role in this tragedy, the root cause is racism. Our nation has struggled with racism since its founding. The early economic structure was based on racism. By the second century of our existence the issue divided the nation to the point of war. Even after slavery was abolished race codes and Jim Crow laws were established to maintain the racial hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. The civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s appeared to eliminate most of the government sanctioned racist policies, but the culture of racism has not been eliminated. In fact it seems to be in resurgence in recent years.
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
The reaction to this tragedy in Charleston has me confounded. There are so many people who think this horrific incident demonstrates the validity of some predisposed position that they hold. Many, including the President, have identified this as a gun control issue. Some are focused on how the terms “terrorism”, or “hate-crimes” are applied. Others bring up the issue of mental illness. Some go as far as making this a political debate, Democrat vs Republican. But very few are focusing on the underlying cause of this incident, and that is racism. This young man went to that church to kill people because they were black. There was no other reason.
While gun control, terrorism, mental illness, or politics may play a contributing role in this tragedy, the root cause is racism. Our nation has struggled with racism since its founding. The early economic structure was based on racism. By the second century of our existence the issue divided the nation to the point of war. Even after slavery was abolished race codes and Jim Crow laws were established to maintain the racial hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. The civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s appeared to eliminate most of the government sanctioned racist policies, but the culture of racism has not been eliminated. In fact it seems to be in resurgence in recent years.
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
x2. A great post, and very well stated.
Blaming "mental illness" is a cop-out -- and one that lets us avoid talking about race, guns, hatred and terrorism
This might be the funniest line I've read in a while. "Avoid" talking about race, guns, hatred? AVOID? Seriously? Please tell me exactly when this avoidance starts! LOL
Opening the article with such a ridiculous statement doesn't bode well for the rest of the piece. Whoever wrote that clearly must live on Mars.
According to muleman, "It was Obama that brought the politics of guns and race into the Charleston matter" and called it race baiting, as if to say this tragedy is all Obama's fault. So yeah, there are people who don't want to talk about it and just pretend this was nothing more than a mentally ill person who didn't know what he was doing and will have us believe that any talk about guns and race and hatred is only going to make thing worse.
[Edited on 6/19/2015 by gondicar]
The reaction to this tragedy in Charleston has me confounded. There are so many people who think this horrific incident demonstrates the validity of some predisposed position that they hold. Many, including the President, have identified this as a gun control issue. Some are focused on how the terms “terrorism”, or “hate-crimes” are applied. Others bring up the issue of mental illness. Some go as far as making this a political debate, Democrat vs Republican. But very few are focusing on the underlying cause of this incident, and that is racism. This young man went to that church to kill people because they were black. There was no other reason.
While gun control, terrorism, mental illness, or politics may play a contributing role in this tragedy, the root cause is racism. Our nation has struggled with racism since its founding. The early economic structure was based on racism. By the second century of our existence the issue divided the nation to the point of war. Even after slavery was abolished race codes and Jim Crow laws were established to maintain the racial hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. The civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s appeared to eliminate most of the government sanctioned racist policies, but the culture of racism has not been eliminated. In fact it seems to be in resurgence in recent years.
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
So then what do we do? Not talk about it?
Is racism not a form of extremism? Are racial extremists and religious extremists all that different? The Klu Klux Klan claims to be a faith-based Christian organization and they cloak themselves in god's name, so does their racism drive their religious beliefs or vice versa? Seems to be a very blurred line here. And how does easy access to guns play into this kind of extremism? The pro- and con-gun lobbies have already started blaming each other so I don't know how you can take that out of the conversation.
The reason to talk about these things is not just to have a philosophical debate but to try to understand what is behind it and try to find some solutions or at least ideas as to how to move past it as a society. That isn't going to happen if we stay silent and don't have some discussion and debate (yes, debate, which is a necessary thing in a free society) about these topics and how related (or not) they may be.
[Edited on 6/19/2015 by gondicar]
The reaction to this tragedy in Charleston has me confounded. There are so many people who think this horrific incident demonstrates the validity of some predisposed position that they hold. Many, including the President, have identified this as a gun control issue. Some are focused on how the terms “terrorism”, or “hate-crimes” are applied. Others bring up the issue of mental illness. Some go as far as making this a political debate, Democrat vs Republican. But very few are focusing on the underlying cause of this incident, and that is racism. This young man went to that church to kill people because they were black. There was no other reason.
While gun control, terrorism, mental illness, or politics may play a contributing role in this tragedy, the root cause is racism. Our nation has struggled with racism since its founding. The early economic structure was based on racism. By the second century of our existence the issue divided the nation to the point of war. Even after slavery was abolished race codes and Jim Crow laws were established to maintain the racial hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. The civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s appeared to eliminate most of the government sanctioned racist policies, but the culture of racism has not been eliminated. In fact it seems to be in resurgence in recent years.
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
So then what do we do? Not talk about it?
Is racism not a form of extremism? Are racial extremists and religious extremists all that different? The Klu Klux Klan claims to be a faith-based Christian organization and they cloak themselves in god's name, so does their racism drive their religious beliefs or vice versa? Seems to be a very blurred line here. And how does easy access to guns play into this kind of extremism? The pro- and con-gun lobbies have already started blaming each other so I don't know how you can take that out of the conversation.
The reason to talk about these things is not just to have a philosophical debate but to try to understand what is behind it and try to find some solutions or at least ideas as to how to move past it as a society. That isn't going to happen if we stay silent and don't have some discussion and debate (yes, debate, which is a necessary thing in a free society) about these topics and how related (or not) they may be.
I am not saying we should stay silent. I an saying we should be talking about racism. Why not talk about race? Do you really believe there is a bigger issue in play here?
The reaction to this tragedy in Charleston has me confounded. There are so many people who think this horrific incident demonstrates the validity of some predisposed position that they hold. Many, including the President, have identified this as a gun control issue. Some are focused on how the terms “terrorism”, or “hate-crimes” are applied. Others bring up the issue of mental illness. Some go as far as making this a political debate, Democrat vs Republican. But very few are focusing on the underlying cause of this incident, and that is racism. This young man went to that church to kill people because they were black. There was no other reason.
While gun control, terrorism, mental illness, or politics may play a contributing role in this tragedy, the root cause is racism. Our nation has struggled with racism since its founding. The early economic structure was based on racism. By the second century of our existence the issue divided the nation to the point of war. Even after slavery was abolished race codes and Jim Crow laws were established to maintain the racial hierarchy that existed before the Civil War. The civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 60’s appeared to eliminate most of the government sanctioned racist policies, but the culture of racism has not been eliminated. In fact it seems to be in resurgence in recent years.
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
So then what do we do? Not talk about it?
Is racism not a form of extremism? Are racial extremists and religious extremists all that different? The Klu Klux Klan claims to be a faith-based Christian organization and they cloak themselves in god's name, so does their racism drive their religious beliefs or vice versa? Seems to be a very blurred line here. And how does easy access to guns play into this kind of extremism? The pro- and con-gun lobbies have already started blaming each other so I don't know how you can take that out of the conversation.
The reason to talk about these things is not just to have a philosophical debate but to try to understand what is behind it and try to find some solutions or at least ideas as to how to move past it as a society. That isn't going to happen if we stay silent and don't have some discussion and debate (yes, debate, which is a necessary thing in a free society) about these topics and how related (or not) they may be.
I am not saying we should stay silent. I an saying we should be talking about racism. Why not talk about race? Do you really believe there is a bigger issue in play here?
Race is a HUGE issue, I think that's been made pretty clear over the last few days and months in particular. I just don't think it is the only issue that we need to be talking about.
Why are the nine black people murdered last night in Charleston more important to you than the dozens of black people murdered every day?
Could it be that the dozens of black people killed every day are murdered in the cities run by liberals who have the responsibility for public safety?
A political issue? Apparently.
Obama today, while feigning emotion at the murders last night in Charleston went right for his political agenda; gun control and played the race card yet again.
Then in his usual pattern jumped on the tax-payer’s Air Force One and flew to California for Democrat fund raising events many of which are with the movie and TV folks who blow away people in their shows and make a living with guns in their hands.Obama wants gun control? Fine
Show us you proposed legislation.
You won’t see it because Obama is always calling for Congress to do something while never offering his own plan.After Sandy Hook, Obama called for gun control and for a fix to the nation’s broken mental health system. He never offered a plan, never pursued the matters.
The hypocrisy is pathetic.
In the meantime, black people are being murdered, mostly by other black people and what do we hear from the liberals?
Nothing.I knew it was just a matter of time before Mule blamed or linked this to Obama and liberals in general. Just when I think he can't top himself he does. You never cease to amaze Mule.
________________________________________________________________________
It was Obama that brought the politics of guns and race into the Charleston matter when ran to the TV cameras yesterday before running off to California on the tax-payer’s dime to do fund raising for Democrats.
Race relations have turned far worse since Obama himself brought race baiting into the campaign in 2007.
Nope, I'm pretty sure that the racist shooter with a gun is the cause of the guns a race discussion. Had Obama said nothing about the incident, you would be here talking about his lack of leadership.
We have got to find a constructive way to talk about all of these issues. We have to confront and address our issues as a nation with race. We've got to reduce the availability of guns on the street. We have to increase sentences for people who have guns that shouldn't and who use guns while committing crimes. We have to put money and resources back into the community mental health system. We have to improve our education system. We have to find a way to address poverty in this country. We have to learn to work these things out together. We can give millions and millions of dollars to other countries for all kinds of stuff. Maybe its time to reinvest those resources at home.
You just gotta love the NRA.
NRA board member blames Charleston Pastor Clementa Pinckney for his own death
Clearly the answer to gun violence is more guns, I guess.
You just gotta love the NRA.
NRA board member blames Charleston Pastor Clementa Pinckney for his own death
Clearly the answer to gun violence is more guns, I guess.
Clearly 🙁
A nice summary as to how the term "terrorism" is now meaningless other than serving government propaganda. Good theory as to why many do not want it applied to the Charleston shooter too:
Terrorism is usually defined as an act of violence committed to further a socio-political message or bring attention to an organization or cause.
So, basically, it's the difference between and nutjob and a nutjob with a point to make. 😛
Basically what you said but the point usually is associated with an affiliation with a group. If this guy is a klansman I'd call it terrorism. Otherwise the lunatic attack of a lone gunsman
I disagree completely. This guy was definitely making a political point, he even told one of the people in the church that he left her alive so she could spread his message for him.
If this were a loan Muslim gunman inspired by ISIS who attached the church because they were Christian as opposed to because they are black, he would be called a terrorist whether he was "officially" affiliated with them or not, and whether he acting on someone's orders or on his own. Whether he was acting out of religious hatred toward all non-Muslims or racial hatred toward all non-whites, terrorism is terrorism.
Some people have said why label him anything other than a murder and I get that, but words do matter and they provide the context for discussion and reaction, and how this particular guy gets labeled is not inconsequential to the overall narrative of race, religion, politics, extremism and terrorism in America.
I never thought the Ft Hood massacre in 2009 was terrorism either; just a crazy guy who was Arabic.
I am willing; however; to concede the fact that neither Brady nor Billy B. were involved in this
A nice summary as to how the term "terrorism" is now meaningless other than serving government propaganda. Good theory as to why many do not want it applied to the Charleston shooter too:
That is a good read.
Is murder ever committed by someone who is sane? Is murder ever a sane act? Even a hired killer...is he/she sane just because he can do it without it bothering him/her...that would be to me the highest level of insane.
There is no sane way to murder someone so to use it as a defense is ludicrous....To be able to commit murder in and of itself is a insane behavior.....
Is pre-planning someones murder a sane thought.....Is sitting in a room full of people waiting for your "moment" a sane act....
People who live in sanity don't pre-plan murderous rampages....they don't lie in wait or in the open...sane people don't contemplate murder
Only an insane person could go to those levels
Sad state of society we live in....
All of you who are going to jump on the gun control band wagon can ease their jets....If killing numerous children in a school yard won't make it happen neither will this
Which leaves us with even a sadder state of affairs than I want to even think about
Argue all you want about gun control. Engage in the philosophical debate about what constitutes terrorism. And have fun participating in partisan political nonsensical arguments. As long as racism continues to be part of our culture we can expect incidents like that which occurred in Charleston to happen.
I'm not so sure about this. Race clearly played a major role since he admitted it was his motivation. But my folks and grandparents are racists. I have a few friends who are racists. They simply view blacks in an inferior light, for whatever reason. But they would never even think of doing such a thing. Someone who makes a conscious decision to shoot up any place for any reason, is indeed mentally ill. The shooter may believe race was his motivation, but there is no way in hell he grew up in a strong healthy family household. This tragedy is the result of deep-seeded issues that were being expressed through the smoke-screen of a racism. IMO of course.
Obama has a penchant for making statements after any given event
without having the facts at his disposal. His contention that this only
happens in America is totally false. The worst mass killing in history
occurred in Norway, a country with very tight gun laws.
Despite much tougher gun regulations, Europe has roughly the same
rate of multiple victim shootings as the USA. The worst school shootings
have occurred in Germany, despite harsh gun regs.
Obviously, the President should have his facts straight before addressing
the American people and that's bad enough. On a personal note, I get
sick of him trashing my country.
Fair warning to alloak, this is an opinion piece from a source that could have a bias so don't read it if you think it could possibly offend you.
Trying to be a clever wise guy? Nice try, but it's not about being offended. YOU said an opinion piece with bias "does not provide a basis for objective analysis or discussion." Exact words. Yours, not mine.
