Another school shooting, another callous display of hypocrisy by politicians.
On Friday, a gunman killed 10 people, mostly students, at Santa Fe High School near Houston. Another 10 people were wounded. Law enforcement identified the suspect as Dimitrios Pagourtzis, 17.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott headed to the school for a press conference right away. But what can he say to comfort the victims' families when he has openly bragged about scoring an A rating from the National Rifle Association, which continuously works to dismantle gun regulations in this country? In 2014, the NRA endorsed him for governor and has given him an 100% approval rating.
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I supported #gun rights BEFORE the campaign began & have an A rating by @NRA as opposed to Wendy Davis' F rating. I'll keep Texas free.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 7, 2014
How can victims' families take him seriously when he has actually lamented the fact that Texas is only #2 in the nation for gun purchases?
I'm EMBARRASSED: Texas #2 in nation for new gun purchases, behind CALIFORNIA. Let's pick up the pace Texans. @NRA https://t.co/Ry2GInbS1g
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 28, 2015
Other Texas politicians don't fare any better. Republican Rep. Randy Weber, who represents Texas' 14th District, which includes the school, tweeted that he's "Praying for Santa Fe." His NRA rating is 93%.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz wrote that he and his wife Heidi are "keeping all the students and faculty at Santa Fe High School in our prayers this morning." His NRA rating? 100%. He has received over $75,000 from the NRA in direct contributions and campaign support. Sen. John Cornyn also has a 100% rating, and has received $72,000. (In typical Republican fashion, he offered his "thoughts and prayers" after the tragedy.) It's no wonder that Texas got an F on the Giffords Law Center gun-law scorecard.
This is the same NRA that verbally abuses teenagers, with its president Oliver North having called the Parkland student activists terrorists.
"Lawmakers who receive thousands of dollars from the NRA and then turn around and oppose measures that would make guns scarce and harder to get are actively putting their political careers ahead of the lives of their constituents," Igor Volsky, director of advocacy organization Guns Down America, told Refinery29, adding that there is a clear and substantiated link between lax gun laws and more gun deaths. "These members have blood on their hands, they're complicit in these murders, and we as voters have a responsibility to vote them out of office."
At least 8 students have been shot and killed at Santa Fe High School.
— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) May 18, 2018
Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations.
Prepare to see students rise up and be called ‘civil terrorists’ and crisis actors.
Prepare for the right-wing media to attack the survivors.