Just minutes after a group of Parkland, Florida students wrapped up a discussion on Fox News Sunday about marching to protest the shooting at their school. Rush Limbaugh took the opportunity to bash them for their efforts.
“Marches aren’t going to solve it,” he told Chris Wallace, host of the program, commenting on a segment that featured students who survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 people were killed.
Wallace had asked him what he thought about students mobilizing to march across the country to spur politicians to act.
Limbaugh said:
“What I found interesting about the students, they’re very articulate and you have to feel for them. It’s wrecked their lives. They are a combination [of] scared and angry. But Chris, I have to ask if anybody’s really serious about solving this, because none of this — and by the way, I couldn’t care less about the gun angle of this — none of this is going to solve it. Prayers and condolences don’t solve it, and marches aren’t going to solve it.”
But he criticized the students for calling out the NRA.
“Until we’re ready to get serious about where we are and how do we stop this from happening — and marches aren’t going to do it, saying ‘no more guns’ isn’t going to do it, bashing the NRA isn’t going to do it.”
Limbaugh is correct when he says that prayers and condolences don’t solve the problem. At best, all this really does is offer momentary solace to those who are grieving, but he’s completely wrong about the NRA, which has blood on its hands.
The National Rifle Association is implicit in this because it shovels fistfuls of money into the pockets of politicians like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), President Donald Trump, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and scores of others.
During the 2016 election cycle, the NRA — through individuals or PACs affiliated with the organization — shelled out more than $834,000 to federal candidates, most of whom are (surprise, surprise) Republicans.
The shooting occurred in Rubio’s backyard, but all he did was offer lip service and little else.
Just spoke to Broward School Superintendent. Today is that terrible day you pray never comes.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 14, 2018
His sentiments may be genuine, but that’s pretty questionable since the NRA has stuffed more than $3 million in campaign spending into his pockets.
And the NRA funneled an astounding $30 million into Trump’s 2016 campaign, which is probably why Rubio spent most of the time blaming the FBI and members of the community for the Parkland shooting.
Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2018
So many signs that the Florida shooter was mentally disturbed, even expelled from school for bad and erratic behavior. Neighbors and classmates knew he was a big problem. Must always report such instances to authorities, again and again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2018
But the NRA also has a connection to Nikolas Cruz; the alleged gunman was a member of the high school’s marksmanship team, which was part of the school’s Army Junior Reserve Training Corps (JROTC), according to The Hill.
The NRA’s fundraising arm contributed $10,827 in “non-cash assistance” in 2016 when Cruz was a member.
In fact, the NRA Foundation contributed more than $2.2 million to schools across the country in 2016.
So Limbaugh is completely wrong. The NRA deserves criticism for its role in mass shootings. Because this organization and the simpering politicians who capitulate to its whims have aided and abetted the monsters who create these atrocities.
Kudos to those students who are out there fighting the NRA and its corrupt ways. If we are ever to have effective gun control in this country, they are the future that we need.
You can watch Limbaugh defend the NRA in the video below.
Featured image by Media Watch via YouTube video.
