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KHS's avatar

Can't we just say straight out that the AR-15 wearing congresspeople support mass murders.

And school shootings.

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Mike Lew's avatar

Oddly, supporting mass murder gains them support in MAGA Land. Freedom isn't free!

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Hilbert's avatar

Obviously not going to matter to MAGA but how much of this performative BS turns off the non-base voter? If you're an average person who barely pays attention and you see that the GOP worships guns over flags that has to embed in your psyche somewhere.

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Mike Lew's avatar

I'd hope so, but who can tell. Up until now, this nonsense seems to help among the MAGA base, and MAGA calls the shots in large parts of the country. I desperately hope enough people wake up, but I'm not optimistic.

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Hilbert's avatar

My first reaction when seeing the pins was "well they're not even trying to win the youth vote anymore"

As the father of three teens who have had to hide under their desks their entire school lives. Those pins are a big red sign saying "we don't care at all about you"

Unfortunately I share your pessimism. A big chunk of this country only cares about the maga base

I however live in PA and shit like this is why they GOP lost control of the state senate for the first time in like 40 years

There are signs of hope and what these idiots don't understand is kicking the bee hive that is gen z may not end well for them

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AMI's avatar

my Gen Z kids are so utterly turned off by the republicans running the state of Texas, where we live that it gives me hope. I remain appalled that active shooter policy is what they are taught

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Hilbert's avatar

My gen z kids are just as turned off by the gop because they have the opposite values on every issue they care about (environment, guns, lgbt, etc.). Also, they are the first generation to lose rights that previous generations had.

I have been saying for a long time that the gen z generation is not going to act like previous generations. I truly believe these kids are going to vote in massive numbers.

These kids have watched the adults fuck everything up that they care about and they're scared. Plus they can mobilize like no other generation before them.

I have high hopes / respect for their generation

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rlritt's avatar

Maga definitely appeals to the older folks.

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Mike Lew's avatar

I'm an Xer and it breaks my heart with how badly we let the younger generations down. In no way, shape, or form should a school active shooter drill have to exist.

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Hilbert's avatar

I agree. I tell my kids all the time. Don't do what my generation did. Get involved and be loud.

How active shooters could exist after Columbine if a massive failure.

I have no idea how to fix it but to be rejected by an entire generation should help

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

I hope so.

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

Agree. I was thinking how often these right-wingers insist that their AR 15s are preserving their liberty. How much liberty can one have in a country where schools have active shooter drills and people worry about getting shot at the mall, movie theater, a dance club or country and western concert.

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Hilbert's avatar

Especially when you look at other countries. It's not an impossible issue to resolve. We just don't have the stomach to take on the fight.

We have traumatize and entire generation because dude bros like to play rambo at the range and can't deal with any restrictions.

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

Exactly. And how many of these Rambo-wannabes are themselves the products of messed up, abusive households. More often than not, from the ones IтАЩve seen. Basically, disturbed people taking out their anger against innocent bystandersтАжnow wrapped up in some sort of phony right wing political self-justification.

And sorry for belaboring the point, but now the 5th Circuit says taking guns from spousal abusers is unconstitutional because itтАЩs supposedly not based in historical precedent. LetтАЩs hope that twisted logic isnтАЩt extended any further.

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

When my Gen X sons say, тАЬOK, boomer, тАЬ itтАЩs not meant as a compliment. IтАЩd be the first to acknowledge that my g-g-g-generation has fucked things up.

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Shane Gericke's avatar

Boomers did not fuck things up any more or less than any other generation. Like everyone else, we did good stuff and bad stuff.

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Hilbert's avatar

Now we have to get into the not all boomers discussion. Awesome.

Yes not all boomers are bad. Point taken

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Shane Gericke's avatar

I wasn't going for Not All Boomers. My point was that no generation is better or worse than another. The Greatest Generation had war heroes and war profiteers. Boomers produced presidents and serial killers. Gen X and Millennials are no more lazy than any other cohort.

Boomers did not fuck up America.

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AMI's avatar

my kids say that, with the eye-roll too. (thank goodness I'm not a boomer, I remind them) and I agree with Hilbert, all the things my kids care about is what the GOP show contempt for. Showing contempt is the worse way to engage with this generation.

I grew up in Australia and have been working in Texas for 8 years now, it is NOT normal to teach kids active shooter policy - I believe its a form a torture (my kids do not attend a public school for mainly this reason) and you bet, they will be totally mobilized. my daughter is 16 and just cannot fathom how the government now has more rights over her body than she has, yet put individual rights to use a gun over the right of a community to be safe - and i agree with her!

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

Aside from the contempt for democracy, the right wingers have repeatedly demonstrated contempt for the rights of anyone outside their bubble, and of course, a total disregard for real, observable and solvable problems. My god, they were opposed to friggin LED lightbulbs. Today, anything they donтАЩt want to think about is either banned or labeled fake news.

Freedom, baby!

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Hilbert's avatar

If these politicians would speak with these kids they would understand how tuned in they are.

They're paying attention and not happy.

If Trump / Desantis think punching down to a minority is going to work in their favor they have no idea the furry they will release from the gen z kids

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

Picking on minorities is what autocrats and would-be autocrats do. The smaller and weaker the target, the better.

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Hilbert's avatar

Hahaha

Yeah the boomer get a lot of well deserved flak but I know a lot of Regan Dem Boomers who have had enough of the maga bullshit so there's even a silver lining there

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

Drawing from the recent passing of David Crosby, perhaps Gen Z kids will teach their parents well.

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Hilbert's avatar

I learn a lot from my kids. I wish they could teach their grandparents.

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Kim Nesvig's avatar

These pinwearers donтАЩt want any vote at all.

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Hilbert's avatar

They only have to worry about keeping their base fired up because their districts are gerrymandered to be deep red

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Kevin Robbins's avatar

I believe they only live for today and donтАЩt give a lot of thought to the future. ItтАЩs тАЬhow can I be a star and get clicks right now?тАЭ

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Hilbert's avatar

It's very profitable to think that way. Look at MTG's fundraising after every stunt

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Kevin Robbins's avatar

Musical accompaniment by The Grassroots:

Sha la la la la la live for today

Sha la la la la la live for today

And don't worry 'bout tomorrow, hey

Sha la la la la la live for today (live for today)

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MillennialExistential's avatar

What was it they said at CPAC? Something about all being domestic terrorists?

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Al Brown's avatar

They're obsessed with a different gun entirely -- just ask Matt.

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Hilbert's avatar

True they are beyond shame at this point

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Hilbert's avatar

I would ask them if they feel it disrespects the dead kids who were shot by the AR. I would ask point blank if they are intentionally giving the finger to the sandy hook families.

They're doing it to troll then give them the attention they're asking for.

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rlritt's avatar

Some of the extreme right are dismissive of the Sandy Hook parents. Some even say that the whole incidence was faked. Evil people refuse to recognize evil deeds.

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Paul Mccrary's avatar

At the very least, they need to be repeatedly ask why they refuse to wear American flag pins.

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JMFK's avatar

Everyone who encounters G. Santos wearing the AR-15 pin should ask him "What are you compensating for?"

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David Court's avatar

Who has enough time to wait for that answer?

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JF's avatar

Maybe we can keep ourselves safe if we keep Republicans focused on lapel wars.

They specialize in the inconsequential, stupidly symbolic. We should support that. Use the same strategy that we use with restless toddlers.

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rlritt's avatar

Because they have no substance.

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Al Brown's avatar

In all seriousness, you're onto something. We WILL be spared a lot of the damage they could otherwise do because they WILL be focused on so much empty performative stuff, and so that trend of theirs should be encouraged in every possible way. People are only awake and at work so many hours a day after all, and the more hours that bad people are encouraged to waste, the better.

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JF's avatar

You explained it better than I did. I wonder if that idea is what keeps Biden seeming so calm in the face of so much B.S. and why he has no need to strike back. Also, a bit of rope-a-dope. Republicans look silly and weak.

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rlritt's avatar

Biden has also been a politician for nearly 50 years. I'm sure he has seen it all. He probably has nothing but contempt for these idiots.

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David Court's avatar

They only have place in what they use as a brain for one message at a time?

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Al Brown's avatar

It's only 8-bit and can't be upgraded.

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KHS's avatar

Absolutely!

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Feb 7, 2023
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GlenD's avatar

You left out tiny testicles.

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Youngy's avatar

You have to leave them out when theyтАЩve got none!

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GlenD's avatar

Point taken.

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