Shooting victim’s father rips ‘rudderless idiots’ in Congress: ‘I can’t tell you how angry I am’

[doxydad]

Richard Martinez, whose son was gunned down on Friday night in Isla Vista, California, said similar rampages would continue until lawmakers took action on guns. “We’re all proud to be Americans. But what kind of message does it send to the world when we have such a rudderless bunch of idiots in government?” Martinez said on CNN.

Martinez said his son died because Congress had failed to act after a mentally ill gunman killed 26 people in December 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

“These people are getting rich sitting in Congress. And what do they do? They don’t take care of our kids,” he said.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/05/26/shooting-victims-father-rips-rudderless-idiots-in-congress-i-cant-tell-you-how-angry-i-am/

[CJCRANE]

1. The families of the victims of the last few incidents should band together.

[steve2470]

39. excellent idea

The NJ Girls, or whatever they were called, seemed to have some political clout.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. Not rudderless. Just indifferent to the victims.

[AlinPA]

5. They just don't care. Money from the NRA means too much to them.

[Hoppy]

55. They want to be lawmakers but they don't want to pass any laws.

They just want the paychecks, perks and prestige of being called, "The Honorable..."

[bvar22]

22. I agree.

They have a rudder,
and it points them directly to whom or what can give them the most money.
Most of them anyway.

There are a few oddballs who actually Serve the People,
but they inevitably get Wellstoned or Feingolded.

[City Lights]

27. You nailed it.

[Jenoch]

33. What does 'Wellstoned' mean?

[steve2470]

40. Paul Wellstone died in a small plane crash

You can get the meaning from that fact.

[Jenoch]

44. I know how he died and why.

He hired incomepetent pilots. He valued their friendship more than their skills as pilots.

The plane crashed 40 miles north east of our northern Minnesota hunting property.

What does "Feingolded" mean?

[steve2470]

48. ask the people from Wisconsin nt

[Jenoch]

49. It would easier if you would just be a decent DUer and answer my question.

[Plucketeer]

63. Yeah - they have a rudder

It's just that their constituents have ZERO influence on how it's steered - while lobbyists have their hands securely affixed to that tiller!

[Jenoch]

72. What is "Feingolded"?

[99Forever]

3. Rudderless. No, bought and paid for, yes.

Almost all within the DC bubble of corruption.

[RufusTFirefly]

24. Indeed. Quoting the great George Carlin....

The table has tilted folks. The game is rigged and nobody seems to notice. Nobody seems to care! Good honest hard-working people; white collar, blue collar it doesn’t matter what color shirt you have on. Good honest hard-working people continue, these are people of modest means, continue to elect these rich cock suckers who don’t give a fuck about you….they don’t give a fuck about you… they don’t give a FUCK about you.

They don’t care about you at all… at all… AT ALL. And nobody seems to notice. Nobody seems to care. Thats what the owners count on. The fact that Americans will probably remain willfully ignorant of the big red, white and blue dick thats being jammed up their assholes everyday, because the owners of this country know the truth.

It's called the American Dream,because you have to be asleep to believe it.

[Dustlawyer]

62. +1!!! George Carlin was absolutely right, so what do we do about it?

I propose that instead of demanding background checks and waiting periods and limiting the discussion to guns, just like the LGBTV community focuses on their right to equality, and the victims of Wall Street focuses on more regulation, the Fracking opponents... Why don't we all get together and demand Publicly Funded Elections and Complete Campaign Finance Reform to fix all of these at once? This is the only thing that could work, although it will take masses of dedicated people to accomplish since the Plutocracy will fight like hell to retain control over Congress, Executive branch, the Judiciary, and the media. If we do not break up their control we will be bitching here about these same issues 20 years from now and things will be much, much worse!

[Initech]

4. Kick some ass, Mr. Martinez!

We can't keep allowing the gun nuts to get away with this! When a shooting like this, everything is blamed but easy access to guns. Time to end this madness.

[flamingdem]

46. +1

I have hopes that he'll be a permanent fly in the ointment

[SevenSixtyTwo]

6. Right wingers

think it's because we don't teach Sunday School in Science Class and God is punishing us. The left thinks it's because we don't disarm the victims like the three defenseless college students that got stabbed. How'd that work out? The blame lies on the person who thrust the knife into three, purposely hit people with his car and pulled the trigger on three more. I wonder what other evil or disgusting acts he pulled off before going completely insane and carrying out his killing spree. At least he carried out his own death sentence.
Prayers for strength for the families and friends of all involved.

[Skittles]

8. wanna explain why it's so common in America?

[SevenSixtyTwo]

10. Our culture is

dog eat dog by it's very nature. From Wall Street to back allies, Americans are in fierce competition to take more than their share. I've lost more than I've won in my half century in America with money and women. I'm ok with that as most are. Life isn't fair. Occasionally, some spoiled loser goes off the deep end about it. Guns make it easy. Fertilizer does a lot more damage.

[Skittles]

13. uh huh

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/05/26/1302135/--I-m-used-to-massacres-Whatevs

[SevenSixtyTwo]

34. Yes it's unfortunate

that we become desensitized to it. When someone is so deranged they're posting their threats on Youtube and even after his parents called police, folks just look the other way. He should have been Baker Acted.

[AlinPA]

32. Our culture is killing - with guns being the preferred weapon. Easy to obtain, victims can be killed

from a distance and they can be killed quickly with the gun that can be made to fire bullets at a high rate.
The perfect weapon for a coward who can then turn the gun on himself to avoid society's punishment.

[SevenSixtyTwo]

41. You're absolutely right.

It's also why a firearm is the preferred tool for self defense. Disarm violent criminals, not their victims.

[WCLinolVir]

57. Spoiled loser? Wow. What a simplistic analysis.

Have you ever wondered why we scapegoat people into winners and losers? Probably not. I wonder who that characterization of a societal pathos serves? Hmm, let me think. Yeah-the people pulling the strings, the creeps behind the curtain. It all boils down to who benefits from us living in fear and divided. Dog eat dog is only "natural" in stress. Extreme stress.
"Life isn't fair" so why bother trying to make our society account for it's injustice.That was easy.

[lark]

67. Wrong

Guns kills way more folks than fertilizer. Fertilizer can kill a lot more at one time, but you have to think and plan to make a bomb with that. A gun you can use in a moment of anger with no aforethought at all. Quit trivializing the issue - please.

[maindawg]

23. I heard a supposed left leaning radio guy today

start off his show with a plea that there had been a shooting in some European country last week also. He was equating the events to point out that gun control is not the answer.
I wondered, how often they have shootings in Europe, compared to America. Well I googled that but all that came up was 'why ddoes America lead the world in shootings?'
Indeed , I thought....indeed.

[RufusTFirefly]

28. From the top down, we send out a very clear message: Got a problem? Solve it with violence.

Everywhere you look, from Afghanistan to Baltimore, there are Americans attempting to use violence to solve problems that could've have been addressed in peaceful ways. Cops and crooks, soldiers and schoolyard bullies -- They're all following the same basic game plan.

It's the American meme. Not only is greed good and callousness condoned, but violence works and is even glorified.

I'm for increased gun control and don't happen to believe that some well-armed guy sitting in his den with the TV on and a beer in his hand constitutes a "well-regulated militia." But you've got to admit that Canadians have more guns per capita and that lots of kids in Asian countries are inundated with violent video games, too. But these folks aren't blowing each other away.

[SevenSixtyTwo]

38. Excellent post!

And good point about Canada and Asian countries.

[mountain grammy]

12. No, you are wrong.

[randys1]

76. Ahh, this again, need more guns...sigh

[blkmusclmachine]

7. Washington is owned 100% by these lobbyists. We have no voice. Never will. Oceans will fill w/blood

before we ever get even the slightest crumbs from this corrupt pack of insiders.

[MisterP]

9. these people told Malala Yousafzai and Gabby Giffords to STFU they didn't know anythnig

whereas THEY once had a nightmare about hip-hop ethnic-cleansing squads storming the suburbs--come back when they had something real
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/11/15/nra-news-glamour-honoring-malala-giffords-makes/196918
it's like Coulter calling the 9/11 victims whiners, Mangalang endorsing Japanese-American internment, or Santorum saying Protestants aren't Christians: they say these things because they know they'll get away Scot-free

[AAO]

11. FuckenA!

Republicans are responsible for these and future deaths. These people are different than you and I.

[840high]

26. It's not just Repubs.

[RufusTFirefly]

31. Almost half of House members have received NRA money

Although the Republicans get the lion's share of NRA money, it's definitely a multi-party problem.

Of the 435 members of the new House, 205 – or 47 percent – received some money from the NRA during the last campaign. More than half have taken NRA money at some point in their career. Of the Senate’s 100 members, 42 received contributions this past cycle and exactly half have received contributions at some point in their career. All told, 88 percent of Republicans now in Congress have received a contribution from the NRA at some point in their career, as have 11 percent of Democrats.

The NRA’s beneficiaries include key players such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas.

NRA’s allegiances reach deep into Congress

[raindaddy]

14. Privatization

Since corporate lobbyists call the shots and write the bills anyway and we're on a privatization rampage, we should fire them all. Why should we carry their water, might as well let the lobbyists represent Wall Street and the corporations and let them pay for it.

[mountain grammy]

15. Guns kill people. We will all know someone killed by a gun.

Whether self inflicted, an accident, or murder. It's senseless..

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/16/16547690-just-the-facts-gun-violence-in-america?lite

[billh58]

16. Voices like those

of Mr. Martinez and other victims are growing, and are being heard throughout this nation. The American people are saying more loudly, and more often: Enough!

Like all public health issues, the scourge of profit-motivated gun violence must be dealt with at all levels of our government.

[Flatulo]

66. If the Sandyhook massacre couldn't motivate congress to act,

what do you think will?

And it was Senator Harry Reid, (D) Nevada who put the kibosh on any new gun restrictions.

[dickthegrouch]

17. Craven, Greedy, Lazy idiots in Congress

Tell it how we see it!

No more Mr nice guy. No more PC pussy footing.

We despise you, Congress, for your lack of courage in leadership.

[Jefferson23]

18. Lobby money, it comes down to that more often than not on any given issue.

Dead kids? No big deal.

[Ahpook]

20. Yes

And I often wonder if its not more sinister.

Keep us slaves busy shooting at each other while they steal whats left of this country.

[Jefferson23]

21. It is insidious, the consequences to society are real but there is always the next election cycle

near by..so they pass it off. It is a sick way to govern.

[WCLinolVir]

58. You betcha.

[valerief]

19. They're not rudderless. Their wallets are their rudders. nt

[840high]

25. They are idiots. D.C. is full of them.

k/r

[malaise]

29. He's 100% correct

Rec

[RKP5637]

30. Some in congress simply do not represent "we the people." They worm their way to the

top to enhance their personal fortunes, and for the glory of power and control. It's difficult to respect some members of congress. ... but, who votes them in, idiotic Americans. And some congressmen sound like damn fools when they speak let alone try to find effective solutions and a future for this country.

[Jenoch]

35. California has some of the most strict gun buying laws in the country.

The only additional law I can think of would be a background check that would include a mental health check that does not violate the 4th Amendment.

[RufusTFirefly]

37. Fourth Amendment? What? That old thing?

In case you hadn't noticed, that particular amendment is essentially null and void these days.

[democrank]

36. Mr. Martinez is speaking the truth.

With few exceptions, Congress is bought and paid for and filled with craven indifference. We MUST stop enabling them.

[VScott]

42. Mr. Martinez blames Congress and the NRA.

What legislation exactly does he believe would have prevented his sons death, or the other two shooting deaths (forgetting for a moment, the other four deaths that weren't firearms related... he's seems to be silent on that)?

California already has some of the strictest firearms laws in the country.

California pretty much has free reign to pass whatever firearms laws it wishes (within the constraints of Heller and McDonald).

It's a safe assumption that the NRA has zero influence with the CA State assembly.

If passed, none of the legislation proposed in Congress shortly after Sandy Hook, would have made a lick of difference at UCSB.

So, why is he blaming the NRA and Congress for his sons death?

Seems like misguided anger, or manipulation by the media, and/or anti-firearms organizations to me.

[tooeyeten]

43. Anyone else notice?

After the initial report and statement by Mr. Martinez, the media cut out all references to his the truth telling remarks about the NRA and Congress?

Wonder why?

[flamingdem]

47. Yup, I observed that

They got the memo..

[LeftOfWest]

52. Noticed. Yep.

wonder why...me too....

[dickthegrouch]

65. They probably threatened to sue him for defamation

He did call them idiots.

[rvt1000rr]

45. Congress is indeed rudderless, hobbled by the Republican House

This can be corrected through election results if we work hard enough. To me, however, the real problem we have is the NRA itself and their powerful lobbying of politicians of both parties. What we need is an equally powerful resistance directly aimed at the NRA. How we would accomplish this is strategically beyond my mental abilities, but until we counter this determined lobby, nothing will happen legislatively, regardless of who controls Congress.

Ideas? Anyone?

[tofuandbeer]

50. It's sick that firearm folks post in defense of their beloved hobby

so soon after a shooting in which innocent folks are killed, and the lives of their loved ones are turned upside down.
SHAME ON YOU!
Can't you wait at least a friggin' week before you make your god damned selfish remarks?!

[customerserviceguy]

56. Did the gun grabbers wait a week

before using this tragedy to promote their agenda?

Doesn't matter who says what, chances are excellent that the families of the victims (all of them, including the knife and automobile victims) already have a representative in Congress who wants to take away guns. And those representatives are less in number than the representatives of the folks who want to keep their guns on the chance that they'll be able to defend themselves against an Eliott Rodgers.

[WCLinolVir]

59. Gun grabbers?? What hyperbole.

Do tell, we have a rep in Congress who gives a shit??
No, just more hyperbole. Along with your assertion that
"those representatives are less in number than the representatives of the folks who want to keep their guns on the chance that they'll be able to defend themselves against an Eliott Rodgers." We can't talk responsible gun legislation without someone distorting the context to "gun grabbers". Is that Fox news I hear in the background?

[customerserviceguy]

61. Nice job of attacking me, newbie

If you've observed this site for awhile, sometimes we resort to a bit of hyperbole to debate each other. Would it have offended your tender sensibilities less if I used the phrase "gun control advocates"? Try re-reading my remarks with that phrase in place of the "icky" wording, and maybe you won't find it so hard to get my point. Everybody on all sides of an issue always uses a fresh tragedy story to push their own political agenda, and then tries to shame their opponents out of doing the very same thing.

Discuss gun legislation all you want, but as long as the people who trust guns outnumber the people who fear them, you're going to have the status quo. If nothing changed after Newtown, what makes you think that a murderous rampage by another loser (this time involving a knife and an automobile in his homicidal behavior) is going to make a difference this time?

We have no plan to deal with mental illness, things that can be employed by sociopaths to kill, or the media that glorifies the perpetrators by publishing their manifestos, so stuff like this is always going to happen, and there's not a damned thing that we will be able to do about it.

Oh, and the U.S. Representative for the Santa Barbara area is Lois Capps. She continually gets an F from the NRA, so I'd say she "gives a shit" for your position. Sorry, I didn't do the research on all of the victims as to who their representatives were, but if they're from the Southern California area, chances are pretty good that their representatives got an F as well. It's just that so very much of the rest of the country has reps that get an A from the NRA.

[Rhymes With Orange]

51. I thought I heard that he stabbed his first three victims with a knife. nt

[TBF]

53. I can only imagine his pain and anger -

I hope he and Rodgers' father lobby Congress together. Maybe something good can come out of his tragic event if they can prevent it from happening to others.

[alcibiades_mystery]

54. Gunners and their Bought and Paid For Reps Don't Care about Gun Violence Victims

If there were simultaneous mass shootings that killed 200,000 children across the country, they wouldn't give a good goddamn. They'd be on the internet in droves making the following arguments:

1) Ahem, don't forget about the people who were killed by knife yesterday!
2) But look at all the black people killing other black people in Chicagoooooo! (as soon as I see a gunner shithead make this case, I know I'm dealing with an out-and-out racist).
3) There already are enough laws!!!!!
4) We must eradicate mental illness if we want to stop these massacres. Oh, well, I guess that's impossible. Deal!
5) My guns are awesome, and we are the winners!!!! Hahahahahahaha.
6) Those children didn't really exist.

It's increasingly clear that pro-gun factions wherever they make their appearance are fucking trash of the first order.

[aikoaiko]

60. I don't think any of the proposed laws after Sandy Hook would have stopped the UCSB shooter.

Am I missing something?

[Iwillnevergiveup]

64. As with the Isla Vista murders

SOME people buy or help themselves to available guns to kill other people. Nothing short of emulating Australia will work in stopping the horrific carnage going on in our country. Mr. Rodriguez was right in bringing up the non-action after Sandy Hook in the midst of his own pain for the loss of his own son.

[beevul]

68. Sheer ignorance is what it is.

Yeah, ignore that CA is rated A- by the brady campaign.

Yeah, ignore that CA has the strongest gun control laws in the nation.

Yeah, ignore that CA has universal background checks, waiting periods, assault weapon ban, magazine capacity limits.

Yeah, ignore that they failed, and blame someone else that didn't pull the trigger.

[Dopers_Greed]

69. People are already accusing this guy of being a paid actor

I'm seeing the comments all over Facebook.

No friends of mine fortunately.

[tooeyeten]

71. Mr. Martinez "I'll go anywhere, talk to anyone"

And he's not going away, he succinctly stated in an interview with Ari on "The Last Word."

[HockeyMom]

73. LEO candidates take psychological tests

At least I know the NYPD requires this. One reason Zimmerman was not accepted to the Police Academy was because he did not "pass" this test. The TSA tests also. So why not require testing before a person can purchase a gun?

[doxydad]

74. Money?

Hockey, I agree with you, and brought up extra testing to a local panel of 'GUN OWNERS' locally here. Of course they were 1000% against any more regulation, but one item was brought up ...the cost of classes,., etc...which I feel should be borne by the GUN OWNER. Apparently, they don't want to be responsible for that part of GUN OWNERSHIP.

[steve2470]

75. I thought for sure after Newtown, Congress would pass a reasonable gun control law

Nope. Not even the deaths of small children did it. Pathetic.

[doxydad]

77. Agreed....what happened?

Damn lobbyists for the GUN OWNERS.....