Today Is A Day To Just Stay Off Twitter

Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) leans into the idea that ‘the single, most effective method to eliminate school shootings is to take away all the signs that declare all schools are gun-free zones’ 🤦 pic.twitter.com/FnxwRZ6Mi4

— NowThis (@nowthisnews) June 8, 2022

Glyde also said all teachers should be given guns. He didn't say what to do if the teachers don't want the guns.  He also failed to mention he owns several gunstores, and would probably love the contract from the local school districts.  Nor did he say who was paying for these guns for teachers notoriously underpaid, and who might not want to spend their hard-earned on required weaponry.  Other than that, it's a subject for debate, right?

Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) blamed mass shootings on "the overuse of these dang smartphones." pic.twitter.com/nFI0FsV5cT

— David Edwards (@DavidEdwards) June 8, 2022

Marjorie Taylor Greene on families of gun violence victims testifying before Congress: "We don't have a gun problem in America. We have a sin problem. And no gun control passed & signed into law and enforced will stop these things from happening, because they're already illegal." pic.twitter.com/JiqRvTyne3

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 8, 2022

Scalise says there wasn’t a conversation about banning airplanes after 9/11 pic.twitter.com/eMyHCp4kw4

— Acyn (@Acyn) June 8, 2022

Kimberly Rubio, mother of child killed during Uvalde shooting: "We seek a ban an assault rifles & high capacity magazines. We understand that for some reason, to some people, to people with money, to people who fund political campaigns, that guns are more important than children" pic.twitter.com/KfYa5xlyfg

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 8, 2022

Or just off the intertoobs altogether:

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), former chairman of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, announced he is boycotting Wednesday's House hearing on gun violence, claiming it exploits children.

The hearing, which is currently being held, is focused on the victims and survivors of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, in which 29 people in total, including 19 elementary school children, were killed.

"I will not be physically attending the first panel of the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s hearing on gun violence today," said Congressman Biggs, who sits on that committee. "I object strongly to the Democrats’ exploitation of children who have been victimized so recently in Uvalde."

In a statement, Rep. Biggs accused House Democrats of exploiting "children who have been victimized so recently in Uvalde."

USA Today reports the child who is testifying is "Miah Cerrillo, an 11-year-old who smeared herself with her slain friend's blood to play dead during the May 24 mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas."

Her father, Miguel, told USA TODAY this week that Miah is sharing her survival story to "make safer schools."

P.S.: she testified by video link.

Fourth grade Uvalde survivor testifies that she covered herself in another student’s blood to survive shooterhttps://t.co/uydVuMdhNc

— Raw Story (@RawStory) June 8, 2022

And here's the junior senator from Texas talking to a reporter from Sky News out of England:

Cruz: "It's easy to go to politics ..."

Stone: "But it's important. It's at the heart of the issue."

Cruz: "I get that that's where the media likes to go."

Stone: "It's not. It's where many of the people we've talked to here like to go."

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Cruz: "The proposals from Democrats and the media, inevitably, when some violent psychopath murders people ..."

Stone: "A violent psychopath who is able to get a weapon so easily -- 18-year-old with two AR-15s."

Cruz: "If you want to stop violent crime, the proposals the Democrats have -- none of them would have stopped this."

Stone: "But why does this only happen in your country? I really think that's what many people around the world just -- they cannot fathom, why only in America? Why is this American exceptionalism so awful?"

Cruz: "I'm sorry you think American exceptionalism is awful."

Stone: "I think this aspect of it ..."

Cruz: "You've got your political agenda. God love you."

This is not the "exceptionalism" we are all looking for. (And I thought Ted Cruz was some kind of brilliant debater?  When am I going to see evidence of that?)

I heard a clip of Matthew McConaghey's statement to the press at the White House yesterday.  He said some of the children couldn't be identified in Uvalde because they'd been effectively decapitate by gunfire.  Which puts James Rosen's question to him, and Andy Biggs statement, in context.

In that spirit:

"To the lawmakers who feel that we do not need stricter gun laws, let me paint a picture for you: My son, Zaire, has a hole in the right side of his neck, two on his back, and another on his left leg, caused by an exploding bullet from an AR-15," said Everhart, fighting back tears.

"As I clean his wounds, I can feel pieces of that bullet in his back," she continued. "Shrapnel will be left inside of his body for the rest of his life. Now I want you to picture that exact scenario for one of your children."

"As an elected official, it is your duty to draft legislation that protects Zaire and all of the children and citizens in this country," Everhart added. "Commonsense gun laws are not about your personal feelings or beliefs. You are elected because you have been chosen and are trusted to protect us. But let me say to you here today: I do not feel protected. No citizen needs an AR-15." 

Her son was shot to death in a grocery store in Buffalo, New York. I presume Rep. Biggs doesn't want to "victimize" her, either.  Or maybe she's too "emotional."

These people are somewhere beneath the pond scum.