Right-wing politicians hate facts. They are desperate in their efforts to convince the American people that their lies are “alternative facts.” Two simple and irrefutable facts dispel their lies. First, no other nation in the world has a gun problem even slightly similar to America’s. The reason? No other nation has such extremely liberal laws. Second, if military weapons; weapons designed to kill as many people as possible in the shortest period of time; were not available to anyone who wants one, dozens or even hundreds of innocents would not suffer harm or death from the use of a weapon of mass destruction at the hand of a single shooter.

Two right-wing extremists who are owned by the NRA gun lobby recently engaged in a ‘twitter battle’ with actress Alyssa Milano.

On Sunday, Milano responded to Republican Texas state Rep. Matt Schaefer’s tweet that he was “NOT going to use the evil acts of a handful of people to diminish the God-given rights of my fellow Texans. Period. None of these so-called gun-control solutions will work to stop a person with evil intent” following a shooting rampage in Odessa that killed seven and injured at least 22.

Before I offer Ms. Milano’s response, let me destroy a few of Schaefer’s blatant lies.

A mass shooting is defined as four or more individuals injured or killed by a single shooter during a single incident. As of this day there have been nearly 260 mass shootings in America. To secure advertising dollars, the television media only reports mass shootings which are “sensational.” This is not what I would call ‘a handful of people.’ Second, to call owning a gun a ‘God-given right’ is not only a lie, it is blasphemy.

“Can someone cite which passage of the Bible God states it is a god-given right to own a gun?” Milano asked in a tweet, accusing the Texas politician of being “unbelievable and clearly owned by the gun lobby.”

Cruz, better known as the worst senator in Washington, and a man who receives more money than most from the NRA gun lobby, joined in the argument.

“It is of course not the right to a modern-day firearm that is God-give [sic] but rather the right to Life & the right to Liberty. Essential to that right to life is the right to DEFEND your life & your family,” the Texas conservative began.

The truth is that every man, woman, and child in America has the right to expect safety when shopping at a mall, driving on the streets and roads of their city, attend a movie, go to a concert, be a patron at a bar or restaurant, attend the church, mosque, or synagogue of their choice, or simply go to school.

Republicans are hypocrites. They are not Christians, they are not conservatives, and they do not serve the people of their state or our country. Their only god is money. Right-wing politicians are allowing Trump to waste millions of taxpayer dollars. Real conservatives would openly criticize any president who acted in this way, regardless of party affiliation. The safety of all Americans should take precedence over the profits of gun manufacturers and gun sellers.

Cruz also proved that he does not know history when he made up this fallacious tweet about the second amendment.

He says it wasn’t put in place to protect hunting or target practice but “to defend their lives, their homes & their families,” citing Stephen Willeford who helped stop the shooter in the 2017 Sutherland Springs church massacre.

Let’s rip these lies apart. The second amendment was the most debated amendment in the bill of rights. It had more to do with controlling slaves in the south than any other issue. It is also the most poorly written, vague, and confusing amendment. You’ll notice that Cruz omitted the fact that 26 men, women, and children lost their lives in Sutherland Springs before the killer escaped. Police found him dead from a self-inflicted wound.

Time for common sense and protecting the 90 percent of Americans who are not gun nuts.

Tell everyone, “the truth lives here.”

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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