Andy Parker, the father of a reporter who was murdered on live television last year, accused the National Rifle Association (NRA) of being the “real terrorists” after the pro-gun group attacked House Democrats’ attempts to pass gun safety reforms…. Parker responded on Thursday while speaking to CNN’s Carol Costello…. “The real terrorists are the folks at the NRA,” he said. “Those are the terrorists. And unfortunately, you have politicians that are complicit — they’ve pledged allegiance to the NRA versus the United States of America and the safety of its citizens.”…. “And I’ve called them treasonous and I will continue to call them treasonous.”…. Parker specifically called out House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-MA), who told him that he would never hold a hearing on gun legislation…. “Between him, Mitch McConnell, Mike McCaul and Eddie Munster — I mean, excuse me, Paul Ryan — when you have those people that are obstructionists, if it were up to me they would be wearing orange jumpsuits right now,” he quipped.
No parent should ever have to bury a child. No parent should EVER have to suffer through endlessly repeated loopings of video showing their daughter being murdered by a madman with a handgun. Welcome to Andy Parker’s reality. Determined not to allow his daughter’s death count for nothing, Parker has become a crusader for common sense gun control. Understandably for someone who’s lost a child to murder, he rarely has the time, energy, or inclination to be diplomatic. So it is in this case, and- the unfortunate “Eddie Munster” jab at Speaker Ryan aside- he’s taken the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Congressmen they own to task for their intransigence and utter lack of compassion. Of course, I suspect none of them have ever had to bury a child who was murdered by a gunman who also recorded the act on his smartphone. Parker is angry…and he has every right to that anger, given the tremendous, gut-wrenching loss he’s suffered.
The tendency might be to dismiss Parker because of his obvious raw emotions and the pain etched on his face…but he makes a very good point when he refers to the NRA as “terrorists” and the Congressmen they own as “treasonous.” If he’d referred to all them as “monsters,” he would have hit the trifecta…and he would have been spot on. Only a monster could survey the continuing carnage and determine action was unnecessary…because “gun rights,” don’tchaknow??
There’s no way I can begin to comprehend Parker’s pain and loss. Not being a parent, I can only guess at the anguish he lives with every day. His raw anger and rage should be at the very least considered his due given the very public and violent manner in which he lost his daughter. And perhaps it’s time we had people calling out the NRA and it’s wholly-owned subsidiary on Capitol Hill for their intransigence and obstruction. They stand idly and slothfully by as innocent Americans continue to become victims of gun violence. They’d blocked even discussions about contemplating ANY legislative initiative that might help save lives. They outlawed the use of federal funds to study gun violence. They’ve proven repeatedly that the 2nd Amendment- as defined by rabid Proudly Closed-minded Gun Control Foes ©- elevates “gun rights” over any and all other considerations, including the preservation of human life.
Then again, when you’re not the ones burying those taken from you by gun violence…well, where’s the fire, eh? Why would anyone associated with the NRA or the Congressional Republican Caucus give a damn about Andy Parker’s daughter when there are millions of dollars rolling in?
At this point, perhaps the gun control movement needs its own pro-life fanatic. It might just be that we need someone like Andy Parker, who has nothing to lose and is willing to call out the monsters at the NRA and those wandering the halls of Congress. Maybe it’s time someone decided that the time for diplomatic niceties has come and gone. It might just be that we need an angry, unrepentant, bereaved parent like Andy Parker to shine a light on those who care more about “gun rights” than the rights of innocent Americans to not be murdered by a madman with a gun he has no business being allowed to own.
