To add to the absolute horrorstorm of Trump’s inadequate expression of sympathy, the collective pushback of white supremacists around the globe, and the sad inevitability that the New Zealand terror attack will almost certainly be forgotten by Americans in less than a week, now at least one US Republican is actually blaming the Muslim worshipers who were killed in the massacre last night for their own deaths.
I was actually surprised that Iowa Rep. Steve King wasn’t the first to comment some horrifying anti-Muslim rhetoric after the attack, but instead, it was contender for Worst Republican In Congress™ Louie Gohmert of Texas who swooped in and took the first place ribbon for most heartless garbage to spew after a white supremacist terrorist blitz.
There are courts, dispute resolutions, and legislatures to resolve controversies – there is no place for cold blooded murders. Though New Zealand does not have the death penalty, hopefully its people, through their justice system, will send the message loudly and clearly that such barbarity from anyone will not be tolerated.”
If that sounds sympathetic to you, ask yourself what “controversies” Rep. Gohmert might be talking about that could reasonably result in someone being flummoxed enough by them to murder almost 50 people. The Congressman does not say exactly what he’s talking about.
Perhaps looking back at some of the horrific things he’s said in the past could be an indicator, though. It wasn’t quite a decade ago when the Republican cited some unnamed “retired FBI agent” as his source for a claim that terror cells were “breeding future terrorists” by having babies in the United States:
It appeared they would have young women who became pregnant [and] would get them into the United States to have a baby. They wouldn’t even have to pay anything for the baby. And then they would return back where they could be raised and coddled as future terrorists. And then one day, 20, 30 years down the road, they can be sent in to help destroy our way of life.”
Just a few years later, Gohmert urged an “investigation” into what he said were extensive ties between the Obama administration and the Muslim Brotherhood, playing on both the fact that a Muslim woman, Huma Abedin, worked in the State Department and the whole Obama/birther/secret Muslim nonsense.
His backhanded comments today serve to underscore the fact that he believes all Muslims are violent and evil — and it means he has no place holding public office.
Featured image via screen capture
