“Gun-Violence” hearing turns chaotic – it's time to cut out the nonsense
- Florida congressman tries to have Parkland dad removed from hearing on gun violence | Video Skyler Swisher – Sun Sentinel
Excerpt: Emotions boiled over at a hearing Wednesday in Congress on gun violence, with a Florida congressman asking for a father who lost his son in the school shooting to be removed from the meeting.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz ,R-Pensacola,drew shouts from Parkland dad Manuel Oliver when he said expanding background checks for gun sales would do nothing to stop murders committed by people who are in the country illegally. A wall on the southern border would, Gaetz said.
“If we really cared about safer streets, we would build a wall and secure the border,” said Gaetz, an ally of President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis .
Oliver interrupted Gatez several times as he was delivering his remarks. Oliver lost his 17-year-old son, Joaquin "Guac" Oliver, in the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Bottom Line: I’d like to say that I’m surprised at what happened yesterday but it’s an example of what happens when people on opposite ends of high divisive issues aren’t constructive. It’s also extremely frustrating for me to watch all of the way around. This may surprise you, but I think Matt Gaetz was way out of line with using the hearing as an opportunity to conflate issues. Agree or disagree with Gatez, there’s no appropriate analogy between regulating the firearm industry and the southern border wall. Additionally, that type of cheap attempt is only likely to further the divide on finding consensus to move forward on the Border Patrol requested and much needed border wall. I also happen to personally disagree with his stance on background checks. I do think we should have a standard universal background check. Also, as I’ve stated previously, I’d support the Florida reforms as part of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Safety Act on the federal level. I believe it’s something President Trump would be supportive of too. He’s already taken the only executive action on reforms he was able to do by banning bump stocks via executive order. But then there’s the rest of this debate and situation.
I’m endlessly frustrated with the false narrative that’s advanced with the very title this hearing “gun violence” and the marketing scam that’s been willfully embraced by the media who report on it. A gun is an object, it lacks the capacity to be violent. It’s a false premise advanced by those with an agenda to take the focus off of the actual problem in our society, the people who’d use them for harm – which is why I’m supportive of the universal background checks for example – and onto objects in an effort to create fear to exact a legislative outcome.
And then the behavior. Suffering an awful loss that never should have happened doesn’t entitle one to break the rules or become lawless. Too much bad behavior has been tolerated in this community. From the slander, defaming and disruption of business at Publix, to parents of victims who’ve been placed on pedestals and abuse that platform.
What we need is thoughtful, intelligent discourse and reform rather than conflating issues, marketing scams and bad behavior.