Last week, President Obama gave another emotional speech asking lawmakers to pass sensible gun legislation in the wake of the Newtown shootings.
The same day, Connecticut's State Prosecutor Stephen Sedensky revealed that it took Adam Lanza less than five minutes to fire 155 bullets at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown and kill 26 children and adults that day. Less than five minutes. Some of those children had 11 bullets in their small bodies.
This was the day that Marco Rubio chose to take a stand for the "rights of of gun owners" by joining several other Republican Senators to sign a letter stating they would filibuster any gun legislation in the Senate:
We, the undersigned, intend to oppose any legislation that would infringe on the American people's constitutional right to bear arms, or on their ability to exercise this right without being subjected to government surveillance, he wrote in a statement on his website.
The Second Amendment to the Constitution protects citizens' right to self-defense. It speaks to history's lesson that government cannot be in all places at all times, and history's warning about the oppression of a government that tries.
Rubio and his co-obstructionists are now on the record saying they will do anything it takes to stand up for the rights of the Nancy Lanza's in this country to own an entire arsenal just in case they have to defend themselves from imaginary tyranny. Rubio is on the record saying even if the Adam Lanza's happen to have easy access to that arsenal, kill their own mother with her lawfully owned gun (a lot of good those weapons did her), and then head out to a school and proceed to kill 20 children and two of their teachers in less than five minutes, he will do anything to protect the shooter's rights to do so. Not the children's rights. Not the teachers and administrators rights. The gun owner's rights, and anyone who can get their hands on those weapons.
This, apparently, is Rubio's infamous idea of "American Exceptionalism." It's exceptional all right. No other civilized country on the planet have lawmakers who would stand up for the rights of an individual to take a weapon of war to a school or a mall or a movie theater and murder as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time and call it "freedom." But this is exactly whatMarco Rubio represents.
As for "who" he represents? Not the people who voted for him. The latest poll on gun control among Florida voters shows overwhelming support of universal background checks, the current legislation that has a glimmer of a chance to pass in Washington. 91% of Florida voters support it.
91%.
Nationwide, the latest poll is the same: 91% favor background checks for all gun buyers, and 88% support universal background checks. A majority of Americans rarely agree on all the issues, but 91% is an amazing number. There is no poll that says a large percentage favor a Rubio filibuster of any new laws that would protect them from the next massacre. Yet that is how Rubio has responded to the will of the voters, many of who put him in office: To support stronger gun measures would be a form of oppression for the next Adam Lanza, and for that, Rubio will not stand.
He represents the gun manufacturers and their representatives, the NRA. The NRA doesn't really represent the gun owners. That's not where the money is. It lies with the weapon profiteers, who fund the NRA, who fund puppet Representatives and Senators, who will legislate for a price. Follow that money and you'll find Rubio holding a pot of gold at the end of his rhetorical rainbow of freedom. It wouldn't be worth the lives of the next 20 babies to change anything, even if the next poll were 100%. Boom. Rubio couldn't care less.
For all his speeches about freedom, the bottom line is what it's all about. Money. All that money from the gun lobby, the Koch brothers, Wall Street, and the list goes on. All that money gives Marco Rubio the "freedom" to tell the American people to put their beliefs in Democracy where the sun don't shine. He's got his, stinks to be you. He's just another sellout with no principles whatsoever. He's taken a stand against everything that a civilized society would want. Violence against women? He stands with the abuser. Health care? He's with the insurance companies. You lost everything to a natural disaster? Sorry, any disaster aid would be a "handout." Social Security, Medicare, student loans, legal status for immigrants? Rubio and his family are entitled to those things, but you? Prepare yourself for the new definition of an "entitlement" according to Marco. Sorry, to expect those things would be to trample on freedom. And let's not forget the big one: Abortion. Rubio will protect a fetus, no exceptions. However, once that child is born, if he or she falls victim to the Sandy Hook massacre, so be it. Freedom!
It's one thing to be a shameless hypocrite like Rubio, but it's another to say your "heart goes out to the victims and their families" yet do nothing to actually prove it. He's a father too, which makes it all the more shameless and disgusting. Imagine one day being asked by one of his children why he made sure that no protections from gun violence could pass. Anyone who has a child knows that if you tried to explain that all those children's lives were the price of freedom, they would see that twisted logic for what it is. Nonsense. Then imagine explaining his filibuster to them when the next shooting happenes. And the next. And the next.
Also released on the day that Obama made that plea for gun legislation and Rubio vowed to block it no matter what the cost, was information from search warrants along with an inventory of what police found in Lanza's car and home after the shootings. It's quite a list. It's an arsenal. And yet, it's still not enough. Rubio stands by those who will never be able to sell enough weapons, who will never have enough profits to make it worth Rubio's while to finally take a stand for the rights of school children to feel safe in their classroom without the fear that a madman will show up and start shooting. Or the fear that they'll be hit by crossfire or by accident because Rubio stood for the right to bear arms for profit, and now armed guards are "mandated" by the NRA. That may be Rubio's idea of freedom, but 91% of the American people don't agree, and they, we, are the ones at risk.
So let Marco Rubio pretend to have principles, and boast of his "love of freedom" all he wants. No sane person would believe it in the face of all the evidence. No child would buy that argument either. As a father, let him explain how someone else's children's right to live doesn't trump the rights of a gun owner and those who stand to profit when Rubio filibusters any gun law changes.
20 children and two adults died in under five minutes one morning in December, at the hands of someone who should never have had access to a weapon of war. But he did.
Let Rubio explain to his own children how preventing someone from gaining access to, and owning even a small percentage of the items below is oppression, and an infringement on their rights to use them.
Tell them that this is what freedom and "American Exceptionalism" represents to him. Any decent human being would be ashamed. Not Marco Rubio. He proudly put it in writing.
Found in the home of Nancy and Adam Lanza:
Item #6 - One small caliber bullet (live round) labeled "C".
Item #9 -(5) Winchester 12ga. shotgun shells, cut open, with buckshot.
Item #13 - Contents of brown gun safe to include the following:
-One white plastic bag containing (30) Winchester 12ga. shotgun shells.
-Black leather handgun holster.
-"Planters" can with numerous .22cal. and .45 cal. bullets.
-Box containing (8) boxes of Winchester Windcat .22cal. bullets with 50 rounds per box.
-Box with 20 "Estate" 12ga. shotgun shells.
-(4) boxes of "SB" buckshot 12ga., 10 rounds per box.
-Box of "Lightfield" 12ga. slugs.
-Box of 20 "Prvi Partizan" 303 British rifle cartridges.
-Box of 20 -"Federal" 303 British rifle cartridges.
-2 boxes of 22 long rifle "Blazer", 50 rounds each.
-Small plastic bag of screws and allen.
-Small blue folding knife.
-Wooden box with numerous rounds of ''Winchester'' .45cal bullets.
-(2) boxes of 50 rounds -"PPU .45cal. auto.
-Box of 20 rounds "Remington" .223cal.
-(3) boxes of "Blazer" 40 S&W, 50 rounds each.
-(2) boxes of "Winchester" 5.56mm, 20 rounds each.
-Box of "Magtech" 45ACP with 30 rounds.
-Empty box of "SSA" 5.56mm.
-Box of "Fiocchi" .45auto with 48 rounds.
-Box for "Battle Tested" vest accessories.
-Leather Dual magazine holder.
-80 rounds of "CCI" .22 long rifle.
-(6) boxes of "PMC" .223 rem, 20 rounds each.
-"Safariland" holster paperwork.
-(6) "Winchester" 9 pellet buckshot shells (12ga.)
-(2) "Remington" 12ga. Slugs
-3 "Winchester" .223 rifle rounds.
-(31) .22cal. rounds.
Item #14 -One Enfield Albian bolt action rifle, .323 caliber, model no. 44MKI, SN HC22273A
Item #15 -Contents from second shelf in bedroom closet to include:
-(2) boxes of "Underwood"10mm auto each with 50 rounds.
-(130) rounds of "Lawman" 9mm luger in 3 boxes.
-Handwritten note card regarding ammunition and magazines
-"Glock" handgun manual
-MD-20, 20 round shotgun magazine manual
-MD Arms V-Plug guide
-Plastic bag of misc. parts.
-"Peltor" ear plugs.
Item #17 -Contents from third shelf in bedroom closet to include:
-(2) spent shell casings from factory for Glock 10mm, SN -SMA461.
-"Bushmaster" XM15 and C15 instruction manual.
-"Savage Arms" bolt action rifle manual.
-"Glock" paperwork.
-(1) "Promag" 20 round, 12ga. drum magazine.
-(1) "MDArms" 20 round 12ga. drum magazine.
-(1) "Uncle Mikes" Sidekick nylon holster.
-(1) Metal Bayonet
-Small box of misc. rounds.
Item #20 -Contents of top drawer of filing cabinet to include:
-Empty box of "Gold Dot" 9mm luger.
-(2) empty boxes of "Winchester" 9mm luger.
-Box of "Underwood" 10mm auto with 34 of 50 rounds.
-Magazine with 10 rounds of .223cal bullets.
-Box of misc. 9mm rounds (29 total).
-(3) "AGP Arms Inc"12ga. shotgun magazines (empty).
-(1) "Surefire GunMag" magazine with 8 rounds of Winchester 12ga. 9pellet buck.
-(2) "AGP Arms Inc"12ga. shotgun magazines, taped together, each with 10 rounds
Winchester 12ga. 9 pellet buck.
-(1) "High Sierra" fanny pack.
Item #21 -One "Savage Mark II" .22cal rifle, SN 1605038, with magazine, 3 live rounds, and 1 spent cartridge.
Item #22 -(1) spent .22cal shell casing.
Item #26 -One cotton swab of BlS (Blood Like Substance).
Item #30 -(1) tan sheet with BlS.
Item #36 -(1) tan fitted sheet with BlS.
Item #37 -(1) orange towel with green and white stripes, and BlS.
Item #42 -(5) paper targets.
Item #45 -One cardboard target.
Item #47 -Contents of "Nike" shoe box to include:
-One small plastic bag containing numerous .22cal. bullets.
-(2) empty "Ram Line" magazines for Ruger 10-22.
Item #48 -Tan bag containing personal hygiene items, ear protection, and plastic bag with numerous "Blazer" .45cal. bullets.
Item #54 -One "AGP Arms Inc" Gen 212ga. shotgun magazine with 10 rounds of Winchester 12ga. 9 pel. buck.
Item #57 -One blue and white duffel bag containing the following:
-Full box of "Blazer" .22callong rifle (50 rounds).
-lightening l3 ear protection.
-(2) sets of eye protection.
-"Simmons" binoculars.
-Box of "PPU" 303 British cartridges with 9 rounds.
-(2) 'Win 9mm" rounds.
-Numerous paper targets.
-Adam Lanza National Rifle Association certificate.
Item #65 -One brass colored shell casing.
Item #66 -One brass colored shell casing.
Item #91 â One digital image print of a child and various firearms.
Exhibit #613 -One (1) knife with a 12 inch blade and a sheath.
Exhibit #614 -One (1) wooden handle knife with a 7.5 inch blade and a sheath.
Exhibit #615 -One (1) wooden handle knife with a 10 inch blade.
Exhibit #616 -One (1) black marksman BB gun, serial #32814.
Exhibit #617 -One (1) knife with a 5.5 inch blade and a sheath.
Exhibit #618 -One (1) black handled knife with a 7 inch blade and a sheath.
Exhibit #619 -One (1) Busnnell sport view rifle scope, 4x32mm.
Exhibit #620 -One (1) black rubber handled knife with a 9.5 inch blade and a sheath.
Exhibit #621 -One (1) white and brown handled knife with a 5 inch blade and sheath.
Exhibit #622 -One (1) brown wood handled knife with a 1Q.25 inch blade.
Exhibit #623 -One (1) clear plastic Ramline magazine for an AR15.
Exhibit #624 -One (1) Panther brand brown handled folding knife with a 3.75 inch blade.
Exhibit #625 -One (1) Volcanic.22 revolver sterter pistol with 5 live rounds and 1 expended round.
Exhibit #626 -One (1) six foot ten inch wood handled two sided pole with a blade on one side and a spear on the opposite side
Exhibit #627 -One (1) Samurai sword with a canvas wrapped handle and a 28 inch blade with a sheath.
Exhibit #628 -One (1) Samurai sword with a canvas wrapped handle and a 21 inch blade with a sheath.
Exhibit #629 -One (1) Samurai sword with a canvas wrapped handle and a 13 inch blade with a sheath.
Cross Posted at Beach Peanuts
