Rantz: Vile criticism of NRA, Republicans does a disservice

Morally bankrupt ideologues took to Twitter over the three-day weekend to not just criticize the National Rifle Association and Republicans, but to accuse them of being directly responsible for the mass murder in Parkland, Florida. These vile criticisms do a disservice to an important national conversation and exploit the dead for cheap political points.

Progressive propaganda blog ThinkProgress claimed the “NRA donated $10,000 to help train the Parkland shooting suspect to use a rifle.” The actual story is that the Junior ROTC program, of which killer Nikolas Cruz was a member, received just over $10,000 in a non-cash grant from the NRA for, among other things, youth safety training. There’s no evidence to suggest the NRA helped train anyone at the school. But, by the illogic of Progressive activists, because the NRA gave funding to the ROTC, Cruz was a member of the ROTC, and thus, that’s the only connection you need. Clearly, the NRA is to blame. By this silly logic, the federal government is to blame, since the US military provides funding for ROTC programs as well.

But let’s also set the record straight: the training of the ROTC members kicked into high gear when it’s members used kevlar jackets to shield fellow students from bullets. Those student leaders, like Colton Haab, with access to the same NRA grant, sprung to action and helped save lives. (Ideologues, like reporter John Latimer, would imply Haab is undeserving of our praise because the student said he believed if Coach Aaron Feis had a gun, the shooter would have been taken down; CNN’s Jake Tapper called out Latimer, asking him “Where’s your humanity?”)

Now, I know you’re not supposed to criticize victims – ever. It’s not a good look, I admit, but when they become part of the unnecessarily mean-spirited, inaccurate statements, it’s our obligation to point it out.

Speaking to CNN, prodded on by CNN anchors who are interviewing these kids to take positions that the anchors support themselves, many students have claimed that the NRA has blood on its hands. Beyond that, any politician who takes money from the NRA is equally guilty.

“If you can’t get elected without taking money from child murderers, why are you running?” asked David Hogg.

Emma Gonzalez struck a similar tone: “If they accept this blood money, they are against the children… you’re either funding the killers, or you’re standing with the children…”

I know that they’re emotional — and they should be — but these statements are irresponsible. And the adults — the anchors and reporters who only talk to them because they support the anti-gun messages — should feel ashamed to use them.

These kids have every right to say what they want, grieve how they want, and place the blame wherever they want. I can’t imagine what they’re going through. But let’s be clear: Cruz has the actual blood on his hands, not the NRA; Cruz is the killer. The FBI knew well in advance of the massacre of what Cruz wanted to do. Mental health officials gave him a pass when they could have given him treatment.

But the NRA is to blame? Why? Because they donate money to politicians to uphold a constitutional right? How is that any different from what Planned Parenthood does to keep abortion legal? Oh. That’s right. You support their cause, so it’s okay. Constitutional rights are important… so long as you personally agree with them.

This type of rhetoric, no matter who it comes from, does a tremendous disservice to the national conversation we ought to be having. When you demonize the opposition – call them the killers when the actual killer seems to be weirdly escaping taking the brunt of the blame – you stop conversations in their tracks. Want to win people over to your side? It’s probably best you not call them killers.

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