Well said. As usual. Your anguish and outrage are eloquent. And shared.
I was thinking today about a past letter you wrote (pre this horrific event) about how the Democrats must be smarter about messaging. It’s always been obvious that the right wing has had us beat in PR though I hope that is changing -I note that pro-choice people are now finally referring to those who would ban abortion as ‘anti-choice’ instead of enabling them with the oxymoronic ’pro-choice’ label. That took years!
Which brings me to my point: The right has perpetuated a myth that only conservatives are ‘patriotic’ and love our country and our flag. And we let them do it. We need to change that message. I wish, hope, that this upcoming March For Our Lives and future marches/demonstrations, would show a sea of our flags. I want cars to have American flag decals next to their progressive bumper stickers. I want to not see a car or a group of people with the American flag and assume they’re MAGA people. To change hearts and minds, we need to take back our flag.
Ok rant over. May you enjoy your holiday weekend. A break is needed 🤷🏻♀️
I have vowed to never vote for a Republican for any elected office, local, state or federal. I've made this vow now for two reasons: 1) Women's Rights that are being taken away 2) Guns that aren't being taken away. The No Choice, Pro Death party has got to be aborted and put out of its misery. My Texas state representative who wrote the "constitutional carry" permitless gun bill will not get my vote. Governor Abbott has made a ass of himself promising to eliminate rape in Texas in response to flack about the Heartless Anti-abortion law and again now with Brainless solutions to controlling guns with more guns. 1. Remove the ban on holding gun manufacturer's liable 2. Require liability insurance for all gun owners 3. Ban military weapons 4. Ban high capacity magazines 5. Raise the age to buy a gun to 21 with background checks 6. Require ID/fingerprint locks on guns so they can only be fired by the owner 7. Require gun permits with written tests on gun laws and safety and tests to show competency in handling the gun. 8. Provide free inflatable penises to give insecure men the feeling of being a big man. 9. Make the penalty for rape a penectomy. 10. Show all the Republicans to the exit door VOTE them OUT!
I will march I will continue to protect our children I will work to replace senators to hopefully enlarge the derelict Supreme Court i will continue to voice my outrage to the Republican cult and pledge myself to random acts of kindness daily.
May 28, 2022·edited May 28, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
I watched Abbott's press conference this afternoon. (He wasn't wearing his usual navy blue pullover with the star on the breast that seems meant to make him look like a cop rather than a civilian--presumably because the cops in Ulvade don't look like such macho men right now.) His presentation was all about the free benefits the state plans to provide to the families of the victims and the entire community of Uvalde. I found this ironic to say the least. I thought this was what, in Texas, they call socialism. Will the Texas Republicans approve any funds for the expansion of mental health care and other services that, as Abbott himself said this afternoon, some people are going to need for a long time after this horrible crime? Texas is one of twelve states in the country that has steadfastly refused to expand Medicaid with federal funds from the Affordable Care Act. And just last month, Abbott took $211 million from the Texas agency that oversees mental health care to fund his stunt on the border. So much for his claim that the answer to the several recent massacres in Texas is more mental health care.
All this is so transparently craven and hypocritical that, if we lived in any kind of normal country, his political career would be effectively over already. But he is leading in the polls over Beto O'Rourke, and several Texans commenting on a Washington Post article about him today expect him to be reelected. I've sent Beto a contribution anyway. And earlier this afternoon, I helped work the phones in Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman stands a good chance of picking up a Senate seat for the Democrats and the Trumpian troglodyte Doug Mastriano needs to be defeated in the governor's race. So there are many things we can do to fight back. Thanks as always, Robert, for your encouragement.
I find the inaction of the armed responders to be unforgivable. It makes me physically ill to read about them waiting around when they should have responded immediately. I never again want to hear about “a good guy with a gun” as an excuse for unlimited gun ownership. If Congress won’t take action, then it’s time for the voters to vote every senator and representative who resist reasonable gun reform out of office.
The Republicans have become the party of death. I say this not only after the deaths of children in Uvalde, deaths that resemble a horror movie. The Republican's Supreme Court's commitment to deaths via gun and the deaths of women from botched abortions is matched only by its commitment to the death of democracy through its refusal to involve itself in gerrymandering cases.
We have sadly learned that "19 good guys with guns cannot--or perhaps will not--stop one bad guy with a gun." I share Robert's exhaustion and fury with the impious cant of Republican NRA apologists and his horror with its consequences. I believe this tragedy will have serious reverberations come November, as soundly defeating these bunko artists at the polls is the only way we will get real change.
Mr. Hubbell...I own firearms, and I'm every bit as disgusted by this horror as anyone, and perhaps more than some. And if the scenario of law enforcement's failures in Uvalde was even half as egregious as you described here and what I'm seeing elsewhere, I'd say these words you wrote are going far too easy on them. As to the rest of the cabal of cynical self-interested aiders and abettors, I've often registered my disgust and opprobrium regarding the likes of them in numerous places, and only refrain from doing so now as the anger about these latest revelations prevents me from writing in a way that would likely be fit to print in your space. Just imagine the ugliest thought you've had about these people up until now, multiply it by several factors of ten, and that ought to just about cover it.
Paraphrasing my Rabbi last night, buying a beer at 18 is illegal; buying an assault weapon, not a problem. No question about a background check before adopting a puppy, but out of the question when purchasing an assault weapon. Everyone on the road is required to pass a driver's test and have a license. What steps does an 18-year old have to take before buying an assault weapon? None.
Rage channeled into persistent grassroots protest and strategic advocacy with elected officials is essential. Make gun safety a ubiquitous litmus test!
In addition to marching, we must vote, "all of us this time," to borrow Cathy Learoyd's famous phrase; the more than 100 million of us that typically haven't voted in past elections need to act and remove the politicians, judges, and other public officials who made this tragedy inevitable. We need to become citizens again or else American democracy is lost. If Texans elect Abbott, Cruz and the rest of the "cowards and liars" that presided over this crime against humanity back into office, then America is finished. Republican urgings to "tone down" the rhetoric of outrage is a fascist act; we must now do just the opposite and commit loud, boisterous, passionate acts of democracy and like O'Rourke in Texas, get in Republican faces and denounce them. Our liberty is at stake; our Constitution requires that we arise and defend it against all enemies foreign, and in this case, domestic. Let the Republicans and all those Democrats complicit in their schemes experience the indignation of the People, our impertinence and our refusal to allow their lies to obfuscate the truth. We must also let Biden and rest of the conciliatory Democrats know that there is no "high road" here. Our failure to act and denounce the gun lobbies and their shills in congress will only lead us down the low road to Hell, which is clearly the destination of the Republican Party as now organized around the being of Donald J. Trump and all the fascist miscreants that support his cause. This is our moment of truth as a democratic nation. It is an emergency and we can't afford to wait around outside the Swamp while our liberties are being murdered like the police did at the school in Texas while innocent children were being slaughtered within. We must ensure that men and women like the ones surrounding the liars in Texas never hold public office again! The future of our Republic is at stake and we must act boldly. As Abraham Lincoln said: " The best way to predict your future is to create it." Viva La Revolution!
Furthermore, it was nauseating to watch Abbott in a news conference, all worked up and full of false outrage, declaring that he was not given the facts, and promising that he would get to the bottom of it and reveal the truth, as though that were the most important thing to the parents and families that lost children.
Now we know: "good guy with a gun" is a fiction. A damn lie made up to protect gun sales. Let's move the conversation on to reasonable guar rails for the sale of guns: limited magazines, minimum age to purchase, required licensing and registry, no more these obscene "private guns sales at gun shows", national red-flag registry.
I feel the emotions and anger you are feeling through your words Robert, I share those emotions. I am a moderate 60 yo democrat and what has changed for me over these horrible days - that only added on to the horrible feelings after Buffalo - is that we need new leaders like Beto and like Malory. And we need more media like Sky news that ask the questions that us in the public ask of GOP politicians. I am angry that Diane Feinstein is still my Senator. My mother was an elected official and her husband convinced her to run for reelection (over the objections of me and my sister) when she had dementia. It was horrible for her and horrible for her community. We need change and with that comes change in our leadership. Schumer's immediate comment that he will not bring gun legislation to the floor was another example of my view that we need more fighters.
Thank you once again, Robert. And yes, NO TONING DOWN. Once again words fail to describe the shear shameless banality of these Republicans. A friend said to me, these are NOT 'school shootings', these are CHILDREN EXECUTIONS! --- Stop the execution of children
I will march. . I will continue to write postcards to voters. I will vote. I will surface solutions as I read about them. And for every headline (NYTIMES included ) that leads with ‘there is no solution “, I will ask them to report on known data, because the data exists.
Well said. As usual. Your anguish and outrage are eloquent. And shared.
I was thinking today about a past letter you wrote (pre this horrific event) about how the Democrats must be smarter about messaging. It’s always been obvious that the right wing has had us beat in PR though I hope that is changing -I note that pro-choice people are now finally referring to those who would ban abortion as ‘anti-choice’ instead of enabling them with the oxymoronic ’pro-choice’ label. That took years!
Which brings me to my point: The right has perpetuated a myth that only conservatives are ‘patriotic’ and love our country and our flag. And we let them do it. We need to change that message. I wish, hope, that this upcoming March For Our Lives and future marches/demonstrations, would show a sea of our flags. I want cars to have American flag decals next to their progressive bumper stickers. I want to not see a car or a group of people with the American flag and assume they’re MAGA people. To change hearts and minds, we need to take back our flag.
Ok rant over. May you enjoy your holiday weekend. A break is needed 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you always. Ellen
I have vowed to never vote for a Republican for any elected office, local, state or federal. I've made this vow now for two reasons: 1) Women's Rights that are being taken away 2) Guns that aren't being taken away. The No Choice, Pro Death party has got to be aborted and put out of its misery. My Texas state representative who wrote the "constitutional carry" permitless gun bill will not get my vote. Governor Abbott has made a ass of himself promising to eliminate rape in Texas in response to flack about the Heartless Anti-abortion law and again now with Brainless solutions to controlling guns with more guns. 1. Remove the ban on holding gun manufacturer's liable 2. Require liability insurance for all gun owners 3. Ban military weapons 4. Ban high capacity magazines 5. Raise the age to buy a gun to 21 with background checks 6. Require ID/fingerprint locks on guns so they can only be fired by the owner 7. Require gun permits with written tests on gun laws and safety and tests to show competency in handling the gun. 8. Provide free inflatable penises to give insecure men the feeling of being a big man. 9. Make the penalty for rape a penectomy. 10. Show all the Republicans to the exit door VOTE them OUT!
I will march I will continue to protect our children I will work to replace senators to hopefully enlarge the derelict Supreme Court i will continue to voice my outrage to the Republican cult and pledge myself to random acts of kindness daily.
I watched Abbott's press conference this afternoon. (He wasn't wearing his usual navy blue pullover with the star on the breast that seems meant to make him look like a cop rather than a civilian--presumably because the cops in Ulvade don't look like such macho men right now.) His presentation was all about the free benefits the state plans to provide to the families of the victims and the entire community of Uvalde. I found this ironic to say the least. I thought this was what, in Texas, they call socialism. Will the Texas Republicans approve any funds for the expansion of mental health care and other services that, as Abbott himself said this afternoon, some people are going to need for a long time after this horrible crime? Texas is one of twelve states in the country that has steadfastly refused to expand Medicaid with federal funds from the Affordable Care Act. And just last month, Abbott took $211 million from the Texas agency that oversees mental health care to fund his stunt on the border. So much for his claim that the answer to the several recent massacres in Texas is more mental health care.
All this is so transparently craven and hypocritical that, if we lived in any kind of normal country, his political career would be effectively over already. But he is leading in the polls over Beto O'Rourke, and several Texans commenting on a Washington Post article about him today expect him to be reelected. I've sent Beto a contribution anyway. And earlier this afternoon, I helped work the phones in Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman stands a good chance of picking up a Senate seat for the Democrats and the Trumpian troglodyte Doug Mastriano needs to be defeated in the governor's race. So there are many things we can do to fight back. Thanks as always, Robert, for your encouragement.
I find the inaction of the armed responders to be unforgivable. It makes me physically ill to read about them waiting around when they should have responded immediately. I never again want to hear about “a good guy with a gun” as an excuse for unlimited gun ownership. If Congress won’t take action, then it’s time for the voters to vote every senator and representative who resist reasonable gun reform out of office.
The Republicans have become the party of death. I say this not only after the deaths of children in Uvalde, deaths that resemble a horror movie. The Republican's Supreme Court's commitment to deaths via gun and the deaths of women from botched abortions is matched only by its commitment to the death of democracy through its refusal to involve itself in gerrymandering cases.
We have sadly learned that "19 good guys with guns cannot--or perhaps will not--stop one bad guy with a gun." I share Robert's exhaustion and fury with the impious cant of Republican NRA apologists and his horror with its consequences. I believe this tragedy will have serious reverberations come November, as soundly defeating these bunko artists at the polls is the only way we will get real change.
Mr. Hubbell...I own firearms, and I'm every bit as disgusted by this horror as anyone, and perhaps more than some. And if the scenario of law enforcement's failures in Uvalde was even half as egregious as you described here and what I'm seeing elsewhere, I'd say these words you wrote are going far too easy on them. As to the rest of the cabal of cynical self-interested aiders and abettors, I've often registered my disgust and opprobrium regarding the likes of them in numerous places, and only refrain from doing so now as the anger about these latest revelations prevents me from writing in a way that would likely be fit to print in your space. Just imagine the ugliest thought you've had about these people up until now, multiply it by several factors of ten, and that ought to just about cover it.
Paraphrasing my Rabbi last night, buying a beer at 18 is illegal; buying an assault weapon, not a problem. No question about a background check before adopting a puppy, but out of the question when purchasing an assault weapon. Everyone on the road is required to pass a driver's test and have a license. What steps does an 18-year old have to take before buying an assault weapon? None.
Rage channeled into persistent grassroots protest and strategic advocacy with elected officials is essential. Make gun safety a ubiquitous litmus test!
In addition to marching, we must vote, "all of us this time," to borrow Cathy Learoyd's famous phrase; the more than 100 million of us that typically haven't voted in past elections need to act and remove the politicians, judges, and other public officials who made this tragedy inevitable. We need to become citizens again or else American democracy is lost. If Texans elect Abbott, Cruz and the rest of the "cowards and liars" that presided over this crime against humanity back into office, then America is finished. Republican urgings to "tone down" the rhetoric of outrage is a fascist act; we must now do just the opposite and commit loud, boisterous, passionate acts of democracy and like O'Rourke in Texas, get in Republican faces and denounce them. Our liberty is at stake; our Constitution requires that we arise and defend it against all enemies foreign, and in this case, domestic. Let the Republicans and all those Democrats complicit in their schemes experience the indignation of the People, our impertinence and our refusal to allow their lies to obfuscate the truth. We must also let Biden and rest of the conciliatory Democrats know that there is no "high road" here. Our failure to act and denounce the gun lobbies and their shills in congress will only lead us down the low road to Hell, which is clearly the destination of the Republican Party as now organized around the being of Donald J. Trump and all the fascist miscreants that support his cause. This is our moment of truth as a democratic nation. It is an emergency and we can't afford to wait around outside the Swamp while our liberties are being murdered like the police did at the school in Texas while innocent children were being slaughtered within. We must ensure that men and women like the ones surrounding the liars in Texas never hold public office again! The future of our Republic is at stake and we must act boldly. As Abraham Lincoln said: " The best way to predict your future is to create it." Viva La Revolution!
Furthermore, it was nauseating to watch Abbott in a news conference, all worked up and full of false outrage, declaring that he was not given the facts, and promising that he would get to the bottom of it and reveal the truth, as though that were the most important thing to the parents and families that lost children.
Now we know: "good guy with a gun" is a fiction. A damn lie made up to protect gun sales. Let's move the conversation on to reasonable guar rails for the sale of guns: limited magazines, minimum age to purchase, required licensing and registry, no more these obscene "private guns sales at gun shows", national red-flag registry.
I feel the emotions and anger you are feeling through your words Robert, I share those emotions. I am a moderate 60 yo democrat and what has changed for me over these horrible days - that only added on to the horrible feelings after Buffalo - is that we need new leaders like Beto and like Malory. And we need more media like Sky news that ask the questions that us in the public ask of GOP politicians. I am angry that Diane Feinstein is still my Senator. My mother was an elected official and her husband convinced her to run for reelection (over the objections of me and my sister) when she had dementia. It was horrible for her and horrible for her community. We need change and with that comes change in our leadership. Schumer's immediate comment that he will not bring gun legislation to the floor was another example of my view that we need more fighters.
Thank you once again, Robert. And yes, NO TONING DOWN. Once again words fail to describe the shear shameless banality of these Republicans. A friend said to me, these are NOT 'school shootings', these are CHILDREN EXECUTIONS! --- Stop the execution of children
I will march. . I will continue to write postcards to voters. I will vote. I will surface solutions as I read about them. And for every headline (NYTIMES included ) that leads with ‘there is no solution “, I will ask them to report on known data, because the data exists.
https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/we-can-reduce-gun-violence-in-the?r=2y0f0&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email