Will right-wing media call out Georgia GOP leader for politicizing Scalises shooting?
Right-wing media have been quick to criticize politicians and activists for “politicizing” mass shootings by talking about gun violence prevention in their wake. But after a GOP official in Georgia suggested that the June 14 shooting in Alexandria, VA, which critically injured House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La. and four others, “is going to win this election for us,” will conservatives care enough to call out the clear exploitation and politicization of the shooting?
The Washington Post reported that ahead of the June 20 special election for a congressional seat in Georgia’s sixth district, Brad Carver, the chairman of the Republican party in a neighboring district, said, “I’ll tell you what: I think the shooting is going to win this election for us,” adding, “moderates and independents in this district are tired of left-wing extremism.”
In the past, Fox News and others in conservative media have derided officials for “politicizing” tragedies because they spoke out about gun violence prevention in the wake of shootings. After the June 12, 2016, shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, FL, then-Fox News contributor Stacey Dash lambasted former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for “politicizing” the shooting in order to “advance an anti-gun agenda.” After an August 2015, shooting in Virginia, Sean Hannity called out Obama, saying he “tried to politicize” the shooting by talking about gun violence. And after an October 2015 mass shooting in Oregon, Fox’s Kevin Corke criticized Obama for “politicizing” gun violence, saying, “Politicizing gun violence usually is a terrible decision.”
Carver isn’t advocating for a solution to gun violence, but rather he is celebrating the potential political advantage the shooting could bring. Despite Carver’s blunt politicization of the shooting, it seems unlikely that right-wing media will break from their campaign against Democrat Jon Ossoff to speak out against it.
http://www.salon.com/2017/06/25/will-right-wing-media-call-out-georgia-gop-leader-for-politicizing-scalises-shooting_partner-2/
Accusations of "politicizing" gun tragedies are nothing new to DU, and are often directed toward this Group in particular. The answer is, of course, that the "right time" to discuss and highlight the gun violence epidemic in this country is 365/24/7. The June 14 shooting was just one of many that day, but attracted media attention because of who was involved.
According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 132 other shootings on June 14, 2017 (search required):
http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
Now is not the right time to talk about the carnage in this country caused by lax gun ownership laws which allow this kind of violence to occur on a daily basis? Wrong. The right time is every day, and as many times per day as possible.
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