LGBTQ news and entertainment
From Hillary Clinton on Facebook:
This should be common sense—and yet just last night, Republicans in the senate blocked a measure that would keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists.
Today’s cover of the New York Daily News features not only the “mass shooter of the week,” Syed Farook, but goes further and pictures several of the mad men who’ve waged war on Americans via gun violence, including (according to NYDN) NRA head Wayne LaPierre.
“Syed Farook joins long list of murderous psychos enabled by NRA’s sick gun jihad against America in the name of profit.”
Although over 90% of Americans approve of common sense background checks when purchasing a gun – including a majority of NRA members, the NRA has politicians so afraid no one in Congress is able to pass anything when it comes to gun legislation.
In light of the vast increase in mass gun shootings in the US, President Obama called for tightening gun control for those on “no-fly” terror lists.
House Republicans disagreed, saying terrorists aren’t the problem – mental illness is.
Via USA Today:
“People with mental illness are getting guns and committing these mass shootings,” Ryan said on CBS This Morning. Ryan made the same point earlier this week in reaction to the post-Thanksgiving shooting at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic.
The Wisconsin Republican said part of the discussion surrounding mental health legislation is who should and shouldn’t have access to guns, but he signaled that barring gun purchases by people on no-fly terror lists — as President Obama urged Wednesday — is not an option.
Ryan said government officials put people on such lists without any due legal process and so denying those listed the right to bear arms would violate their rights. “People have due process rights in this country,” he said. He said that if someone is suspected of plotting an attack, law enforcement officials should arrest them.
People we don’t allow to fly on a place are allowed to walk into a gun store and buy a firearm.
And yet – Congressional Republicans REFUSE to pass even common sense background checks for gun buyers.
Explain that to me. Please.
An early look at tomorrow’s front page… GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS: https://t.co/eKUg5f03ec pic.twitter.com/j4gEFg9YtJ
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 3, 2015
#SanBernadino: Does the USA need to take “action” or just say keep saying prayers? Choose wisely, American voters. pic.twitter.com/bSYRuZiL05
— Memeographs (@memeographs) December 2, 2015
Think and pray about passing sensible gun reforms, Dr. Paul https://t.co/16czqfbH8n
— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) December 2, 2015
The victims of these now daily mass shootings need more than thoughts & prayers. They need action. We must REFUSE to accept this as normal.
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) December 2, 2015
USA has tried “praying the massacres away.” Maybe time to try something new? #SanBernadino @RealBenCarson https://t.co/Mla58tHU6Z
— Scott Wooledge (@Clarknt67) December 2, 2015
Advice for our politicians, let’s have less thoughts, prayers & condolences, and more anger, outrage & actionable solutions. #SanBernadino
— jasonrothlv (@jasonrothlv) December 2, 2015
“I don’t know any pro-life leader, any – if you can tell me one, please correct me – but I don’t know of anybody who has suggested violence toward Planned Parenthood personnel.”
I think The Huckster is walking a fine line there. He may not want to name a “pro-life leader” but he knows there are those in that tribe that call for violence to close down Planned Parenthood. That’s not news to anyone.
The day after a gunman killed three people and shot nine others at a Colorado Planned Parenthood office, officials tell NBC News a motive remains unclear, but say the suspect talked about politics and abortion.
Robert Lewis Dear, a North Carolina native who was living in a trailer in Colorado, made statements to police Friday at the scene of the Colorado Springs clinic and in interviews that law enforcement sources described as rantings.
In one statement, made after the suspect was taken in for questioning, Dear said “no more baby parts” in reference to Planned Parenthood, according to two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the case.
In the aftermath of the Planned Parenthood shooting by gunman Robert Dear Lewis, President Obama issued this statement:
The last thing Americans should have to do, over the holidays or any day, is comfort the families of people killed by gun violence — people who woke up in the morning and bid their loved ones goodbye with no idea it would be for the last time.
And yet, two days after Thanksgiving, that’s what we are forced to do again.
We don’t yet know what this particular gunman’s so-called motive was for shooting twelve people, or for terrorizing an entire community, when he opened fire with an assault weapon and took hostages at a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado. What we do know is that he killed a cop in the line of duty, along with two of the citizens that police officer was trying to protect. We know that law enforcement saved lives, as so many of them do every day, all across America. And we know that more Americans and their families had fear forced upon them.
This is not normal. We can’t let it become normal. If we truly care about this — if we’re going to offer up our thoughts and prayers again, for God knows how many times, with a truly clean conscience — then we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them. Period. Enough is enough.
May God bless Officer Garrett Swasey and the Americans he tried to save — and may He grant the rest of us the courage to do the same thing.
UPDATE:
BREAKING: Colorado Planned Parenthood shooting suspect now in custody, mayor says – @Clayton_Sandell— ABC News (@ABC) November 28, 2015
Police officers injured in a shooting in Colorado Springs, local media report https://t.co/QsPCtPrGUj pic.twitter.com/A3i4tmnFkC
— CNN (@CNN) November 27, 2015
Man says sister inside Planned Parenthood clinic was hiding under table, could talk only briefly: https://t.co/57H9v2T3uq— The Denver Post (@denverpost) November 27, 2015
The Latest: Witness says up to 20 shots fired near Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic: https://t.co/kx3Y7Ag1Nr— The Associated Press (@AP) November 27, 2015
UPDATING: 3 police injured in shooting near Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood; situation is still active https://t.co/xHx49oh9PJ— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) November 27, 2015
Focusing on some good news – according to reports, the student and Army veteran who witnesses say charged the shooter during the gunman’s rampage at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, is alert and awake at the hospital as he recovers.
Chris Mintz, 30, was shot seven times during the Thursday rampage, but he says his main concern is about the others who were injured.
Mintz left a short message on his Facebook page last night saying, “Hope the others injured and their families are doing well, goodnight for me.”
A GoFundMe page was set up to help Mintz with his medical bills and it’s soared past the original goal of $10,000 to over $612,000. Mintz will need extensive medical support as both legs were broken during his confrontation with the shooter.
If you’d like to make a donation, click here for the GoFundMe page for Chris.
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| In recovery after surgery |
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| Chris’ Instagram account is also getting some attention for good reason… |
Democratic White House hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders issued this statement regarding today’s mass gun violence in Oregon:
“The American people are horrified by these never-ending mass shootings. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the innocent victims.
“As a nation, we must do everything we can to put an end to this awful epidemic of senseless slaughter.
“We need a comprehensive approach. We need sensible gun-control legislation which prevents guns from being used by people who should not have them. We must greatly expand and improve our mental health capabilities so individuals and families can get the psychological help they need when they need it.
“We also have to tone down the incredibly high level of gratuitous violence which permeates our media. The shouting at each other must end. The hard work of developing good policy must begin.”