Bill Lee Offers “Thoughts and Prayers”

Thank God for “thoughts and prayers” from Republicans. It makes mass shootings at our nation’s schools all go away. I don’t know what we would do without such a sincere and problem solving gesture.

Republicans Are the Party of “Do Nothing, Just Take the Money”

The above is what happens after every school shooting from Sandy Hook in 2012 until today. There has been no other effort to end the growing number of mass shootings in America.

Since Sandy Hook, there have been 189 shooting incidents in our schools when at least one person died.

The current Governor of Tennessee, Bill Lee, signed a “permitless open carry bill” in 2021 at a gun show. On Monday, at a private Christian school in Nashville, three students and three teachers were shot and killed by a 28-year-old woman. Audrey Hale, who had armed herself with at least two semi-automatic military assault rifles and a handgun when she arrived on the campus of Covenant School. The children were nine-years-old. It is believed that Hale was a former student who identified as transgender. She was killed by law enforcement officers 15 minutes after the first call was received.

I Thought Sandy Hook Would Force Change: I was Naive

I wrote about the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, as it happened on December 14, 2012. To this day I find it unbelievable that 20 small children, ages five and six, and six educators were slaughtered by a single gunman. After I wrote the story for the Las Vegas Guardian Express, I was sure that our government would take minimal action and ban assault rifles and possibly handguns. However, I was mistaken. Only “thoughts and prayers” were offered as Republicans continued to accept millions of dollars from the NRA gun lobby.

Why Did This Female Gunman Decide to Kill?

I know there will be a huge amount of speculation about this tragic incident. If Ms. Hale was a transgender American, as suggested, who attended a Christian school in the Deep South, questions will arise about how her experience was at the school. Christian leaders are demanding that all Republicans vote in favor of laws preventing transgender Americans from receiving medical aid to complete the process of gender change, while all men and women claiming to be devout Christians are forcing these young men and women to use restrooms and locker rooms dedicated to the gender listed on their birth certificates.

We Must Focus on Our Nation’s Antiquated Gun Laws

However, we must remain focused. Gun violence in America, committed by domestic terrorists, has become our country’s biggest problem in the 21st century. The number of hate crimes continue to grow across the nation, and our federal government simply ignores the problem. Like Trump, they apparently believe “it will just go away” while they line their pockets with NRA money.

I have always maintained one belief in my 76 years: in nearly every situation involving crime, the rule is “follow the money.” The number of mass shootings would decrease significantly if Republicans would simply do the right thing. However, profit before people remains their motto.

Thoughts and Prayers Are Nothing But Hot Air

No one with minimum intelligence believes that their “thoughts and prayers” are sincere. The “party of no” continues to do nothing but take money from the NRA who represents gun manufacturers and gun sellers.

2023 is on pace to set a record for the number of mass shootings in America. It is no longer safe to leave our homes. Not a single venue has been spared from the horrific violence resulting from the use of guns. Anyone who wants to purchase handguns or military assault rifles can find a way. All they need is money.

Is this the America you want to live in for the remainder of your life?

Written by James Turnage

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Sources:

BBC News: Nashville school shooting: Six killed by 28-year-old ex-student in Tennessee

BBC News: Sandy Hook 10 years on: How many have died in school shootings?

Daily Kos: Tennessee governor who signed permitless carry law offers prayers after school shooting

Top and featured image courtesy of Heather Mount‘s Unsplash page – Creative Commons License