Our respect and sympathy goes out to Bill Gwatney and has family.
This post is not about them. This is about something that makes me spitting mad every time one of these violent incidents happen in the south. EVERY TIME, and it is ridiculous, stereotypical nonsense.
The story always goes like this;
Southern town or city- person walks into a school, office, shopping center- whatever... and shoots and kills 1 or more people.
Flash to news cycle where city officials, townspeople, friends, co-workers and neighbors are speaking before cameras on the steps of x building and people start to say stupid shit.
The particular brand/ flavor of the stupidity is ALWAYS THE SAME.
Here are some samples from today's tragedy...
State Rep. Janet Johnson started to cry when she talked about Gwatney. "This is like something you would see in New York or Pennsylvania or California, but not here," Johnson said.
I am from Pa. by the way-- and I have NO IDEA what the hell that is supposed to mean. I lived in both rural and urban Pa. and it is not like there are people on every corner brandishing weapons. Actually because of increased awareness and the proximity of neighbors and law enforcement-- I feel safer in those places than on some back road in the rural south.
then there was this one
House Majority Leader Steve Harrelson was at the state Capitol for a news conference on crime and that he didn't know of anyone who would want to harm Gwatney. "You never think of something like this happening here in Arkansas," Harrelson said.I remember Bill Maher did a thing about this years ago, after one of the school shootings. He ranted that of course you expect gun death in places where there is a big gun culture. Where kids grow up with dad, uncles, grand parents with gun racks in their trucks. Gun shops and gun shows common... That some small town local saying "You'd never expect that here." was utter and complete bull shit. And I couldn't agree more.
These kind of events are tragic where ever and whenever they happen. And to stereotype California, New York, and other Blue states as the sure areas of dangerous gun toting hate filled liberals is disingenuous, slanted propaganda and obnoxious rhetoric. NRA talking points for sure.
And it happens every time. You watch, everyone from Little Rock will somehow use this as a chance to say how this might be common up yonder, but not in their town! sheesh.
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