Ultimate act of cowardice.

May 27, 2022

          Democrats tried to force the Senate to debate a domestic terrorism bill. Republicans voted against the motion because Democrats intended to use the debate to discuss the national tragedy at Uvalde. The Republican refusal to allow the Senate to even discuss the issue of gun control is their ultimate act of cowardice. Like Governor Abbott quaking in the face of Beto O’Rourke’s accusations, Senate Republicans cannot bear the thought of the world hearing and seeing their complicity in the deaths of innocent school children.

          In shutting off debate, Republicans are declaring that the First Amendment does not apply on the floor of the “world’s most deliberative body.” The refusal to allow any discussion of Uvalde on the Senate floor shows the hypocrisy of the Texas law that forces social media companies to publish all speech without censorship, no matter how vile or hateful.

          Republicans are playing for time. They are hoping that we will forget, that our anger will subside, and that our resolve will ebb into exhaustion. Mitch McConnell made that plan clear when he appointed Texas Senator John Cornyn to engage in “bipartisan talks” with Democrats. Cornyn released a hopeful statement that he was looking forward to finding a way to reduce violence—but he added the following qualification:

There's a whole list of things that we can consider, but I think particularly mental health, access to mental health treatment is high on that list. I think we need to be open to whatever, wherever the evidence leads us. I would say that this is not an excuse to infringe the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens that will do nothing to fix tragedies like this.

          In other words, Cornyn is willing discuss anything except “Second Amendment rights!” In a bipartisan debate about gun control, taking Second Amendment rights off the table at the outset is a non-starter. The talks are not only doomed from the start, their very purpose is to buy time until a new crisis intervenes and distracts the attention of the fickle American public.

We have seen this playbook before. The Republicans used it successfully after Columbine. After Sandy Hook. After El Paso. After Orlando. After Virginia Tech. After Las Vegas. After Buffalo. Do not let Republicans add Uvalde to their ghoulish list of victories for the gun manufacturers.

          Am I saying that the we should give up hope of a legislative solution? No! See The Bulwark, Is the gun debate hopeless? I am saying that we should not allow Republicans to set the agenda or the timetable. Democrats must take control and stop asking for permission to do what the majority of Americans want: regulation of guns in a way that will save the lives innocent schoolchildren, shoppers, theater and concert patrons, and congregants attending services.

          Is this time different?

          Will we give in to exhaustion and despair?

          Will we allow the next crisis to distract us?

          In order for this time to be different, we must change ourselves. Start by joining the March for Our Lives The March For Our Lives 2022

Concluding Thoughts.

          I have very limited access to the internet and so must stop here. Reader comments and emails have been overwhelming. I will work my way through them over the weekend. Please be patient; I appreciate everyone’s input.

          There are many ways in which we need to push back against politicians who hide behind “thoughts and prayers” after each mass shooting. I don’t think we should appeal to religion or God as an answer to the issue of gun violence. But a reader suggested that we forward this quote from the Book of Isaiah 1:15 to every politician who offers “thoughts and prayers” but no action:

When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of the blood of innocents.

          I will be in touch tomorrow, internet permitting.