The NRA doesn’t have much to say about yesterday’s mass shooting

You know how the NRA and other gundamentalists love to trot out their reality challenged assertion “only a good guy with a gun can stop a bad guy with a gun”? NRA president Wayne LaPierre or NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch are almost guaranteed to be right out there in front of cameras on those blue moon occasions when a gunman stops another gunman. They even love to get out there when an incident of gun violence happens so that– like vultures–they can take advantage of a tragedy to push people to buy more guns. I have an extraordinarily difficult time believing that LaPierre and Loesch are ignorant of the fact that more guns equals more (not less) crime. That evidence has been out there for some time, but of course, to make that knowledge widespread would likely impact the sales of firearms. And the NRA doesn’t want that. Another thing the NRA doesn’t want is for the little bubble they live in to burst when reality strikes. Like it did today, when a gunman shot and killed multiple people at a Waffle House in Nashville, TN, only to be disarmed by an UNarmed man. They were likely just as unhappy to hear that as they were to hear that the good guy–James Shaw, Jr–is Black (among the many boogeymen the NRA use as part of their fear mongering tactics are African-Americans).

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The NRA doesn’t have much to say about yesterday’s mass shooting
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Because he was bullied

Trigger Warning: Suicide

Photo: Folsom Cordova Unified School District

Ronin Shimizu was a 12-year old cheerleader…the only boy on the cheer squad at Folsom Middle School in Folsom, CA.

Ronin Shimizu was passionate about cheerleading.

Ronin Shimizu was bullied and called gay because he was a cheerleader.

Was being the operative term, unfortunately, because earlier this week, the 12-year-old killed himself.

Shimizu’s parents had reported the bullying to school officials on multiple occasions and the pre-teen was being home schooled this year because of the abuse, according to Sacramento station KXTV.

‘So sad to know that people can hurt you that way,’ student Allie Flahive told the station.

Another student said: ‘I heard that people called him gay because he was a cheerleader.’

The school principal informed parents of the suicide via email which read in part: ‘ … While do not know all of the circumstances surrounding Ronin’s passing, we will continue our work to maintain a safe, caring and positive school environment free from bullying and harassment.’

My heart goes out to his grieving family and friends.

I’m not a poet, but I felt the need to write something in response to this tragic death:

Because he was bullied

No more smiling face, nor joyful laughter.

Because he was bullied.

No more hearing his voice, nor watching him sleep.

Because he was bullied.

No more cheering, no more chanting.

Because he was bullied.

No more practice, no more games.

Because he was bullied.

No more rending of gender roles.

Because he was bullied.

No more breath. No more life. No more happiness. No more love.

Because he was bullied.

Because he was bullied