Martin O'Malley: "I'm Pissed"

[bigtree]

Democratic presidential candidate responds to the Charleston shooting with an email saying, "I'm pissed."

"I'm pissed that after an unthinkable tragedy like the one in South Carolina yesterday, instead of jumping to act, we sit back and wait for the appropriate moment to say what we're all thinking: that this is not the America we want to be living in," O'Malley writes.

I'm pissed that we’re actually asking ourselves the horrific question of, what will it take? How many senseless acts of violence in our streets or tragedies in our communities will it take to get our nation to stop caving to special interests like the NRA when people are dying?

I'm pissed that after working hard in the state of Maryland to pass real gun control—laws that banned high-magazine weapons, increased licensing standards, and required fingerprinting for handgun purchasers—Congress continues to drop the ball.

It's time we called this what it is: a national crisis.

I proudly hold an F rating from the NRA, and when I worked to pass gun control in Maryland, the NRA threatened me with legal action, but I never backed down.

So now, I'm doubling down, and I need your help. What we did in Maryland should be the first step of what we do as a nation. The NRA is already blaming the victims of yesterday's shooting for their own deaths, saying they too should have been armed. Let's put an end to this madness and finally stand up to them. Here are some steps we should be taking:

1. A national assault weapons ban.

2. Stricter background checks.

3. Efforts to reduce straw-buying, like fingerprint requirements.

Not one of the GOP presidential candidates comes even close to being right on this issue—and some actually believe that things like background checks are excessive, or that high-capacity magazines are a basic right. Well, I believe we all have a basic right to safe schools, safe places to worship, and safe streets.

Are you with me?

read: http://67.43.12.62/blogs/omalley-im-pissed_974461.html

act: http://t.co/Kk1IJmcbb9

[Thinkingabout]

1. O'Malley is right on this issue. He has taken a stand against the NRA. I would like to see others

Doing the same.

[bigtree]

2. standing up against the NRA

...yes, the right thing to do. That should be the minimum stance required for our nominee.

[marym625]

5. Sander shares the F rating

I agree. Any candidate should fight against the NRA.Even bush Sr was against them

[Thinkingabout]

11. Guess they overlooked his vote on the Brady Bill and assault weapons bills.

[marym625]

3. K&R

I liked this email and I signed his petition

[Aerows]

4. He's absolutely right

It is WAY past time to have a national conversation and to take some action. If we do what we've always done, we'll get what we've always gotten - more dead innocent people.

[oberliner]

6. Would any of those three steps made a difference in this case?

If so, how?

[Ed Suspicious]

9. It would change the national conversation that favors gunners rights to carry

over people's rights to live.

[oberliner]

17. I agree that would be positive

But I think even stronger steps may need to be taken.

[KittyWampus]

20. I like your approach. Changing the dynamics and conversation.

That is smart.

[morningfog]

13. Wouldn't the background check have caught his felony indictment?

[oberliner]

15. I thought a relative bought him the gun?

I'm not sure, though. I think that may be outdated info.

[morningfog]

21. Last I heard, relative gave him birthday money which he used to buy the gun.

I don't know if background checks currently include felony indictments.

[bigtree]

14. stricter enforcement of background checks

"Roof was reportedly charged with felony drug possession earlier this year, which should have prevented him from obtaining the firearm because of federal restrictions related to pending felony charges. If Roof purchased the gun himself, as some early reports have indicated, it would represent a serious failure in the background check system."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/06/19/lindsey-graham-faults-failures-of-national-criminal-background-check-system-following-charleston-shooting/

[oberliner]

16. Initial reports said that a relative bought him the gun

Even if that is not true, a relative could have easily done so.

I just want to mention that I support these steps, but I don't know that they would have prevented this particular attack.

[bigtree]

22. Roof arrested in Feb. on felony drug charges - bought gun in April w/birthday money

Roof, 21, was arrested in Lexington County on felony charges of possession of cocaine, methamphetamine and LSD on February 28, 2015.
http://radaronline.com/celebrity-news/charleston-massacre-dylann-storm-roof-arrested-felony-drug-charges-cocaine-meth/


...the weapon -- came in April, when Roof bought a .45-caliber handgun at a Charleston gun store, the two law enforcement officials told Perez and Bruer from CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/charleston-church-shooting-main/index.html

[Andy823]

7. We should all be pissed

Talk is cheap, actions speak louder than words. I know with republicans in charge of congress nothing is going to happen, but we need to start now pushing changes. Even if republicans try and stop any bill from going on the floor, it will let the people of this country know that democrats are not going to stop until something is done. O'Malley is right, it's time.

[Flatulo]

26. The time was right after Sandy Hook, yet our bungling congress did nothing.

They're all cowards, caring only about their re-election.

[etherealtruth]

8. "It's time we called this what it is: a national crisis. "

"I'm pissed that we’re actually asking ourselves the horrific question of, what will it take? How many senseless acts of violence in our streets or tragedies in our communities will it take to get our nation to stop caving to special interests like the NRA when people are dying?"

I really like this guy ... I like what he says and how he says it.

[SaranchaIsWaiting]

10. No mincing words with this guy. I like him. Straight talker like Bernie is.

Going to be very hard to choose.

[FSogol]

23. You don't have to choose, the primary process will sort it all out.

We, as a party, are lucky to have such excellent candidates.

[SaranchaIsWaiting]

25. I usually like to have a favorite to root for but

you are right, we are lucky to have such excellent candidates.

And the game is still a long ways away to play out.

[frylock]

30. Really looking forward to watching them debate issues

[SaranchaIsWaiting]

32. Me too. Everyone is going to come out smarter and better informed listening to those two.

[Kalidurga]

12. He speaks my language

I am so glad to see a candidate for President that doesn't sanitize his language and PC it up.

[KittyWampus]

19. that was how I ended up respecting Howard Dean much more. My father liked him

because of his unvarnished speaking style. I then had to reconsider.

[RufusTFirefly]

28. My hunch is it is part of a calculated schtick. Yet I applaud it nonetheless

O'Malley appears to have a strategy to gain headlines by using mild profanity. He grabbed headlines another time by calling something "bullshit." Fine by me. The system is fucked. It's not a "formidable challenge."

[Kalidurga]

29. I don't care if it's somewhat calculated either.

The willingness to make it real so to speak goes a long way with me. We are in a society that plays dirty and speaks in euphemisms and uses the language of politeness and white gloves. If we are going to be fighting people who are actually killing us we need a bare knuckle boxer to get in the ring with those forces that cause such hardship in this country.

[KittyWampus]

18. And this is why I am leaning so strongly on supporting O'Malley.

He's taken off the gloves.

[yeoman6987]

34. I think he is awsome

Baltimore still has way more killings then most places though even with strict rules. I think we have to start with manufacturing. Tax them out of existence.

[FSogol]

24. K&R. Thanks for posting. n/t

[hifiguy]

27. O'Malley impresses me more every day.

He says things that badly need to be said and stands by them.

[Initech]

31. This is the stand we need to take on guns.

[Andy823]

36. Exactly nt

[JDPriestly]

33. "armed in a church" and they claim to be Christian?Joh

John 18: (in the Garden of Gethsemane at the arrest of Jesus)

Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
[8] Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
[9] That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
[10] Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
[11] Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/john-kjv.html

A Christian who follows Jesus' teaching does not carry a weapon for offensive or defensive purposes. That's all there is to it.

[Voice for Peace]

35. Before we know it he's going to be saying fuck this fucking that

lolol .. good tactic. I've always kinda liked O'Malley.
Maybe because of Barnaby and his fairy godfather.

?1376046390





this is a favorite but it's kind of a small pic: ?7d82b7

[bigtree]

38. I've been waiting for a pol to publicly lob an f-bomb

...that would be freakin awesome.

[Voice for Peace]

40. He's already said something was bullshit, yes?

if i recall correctly (a rare occurrence)

[bigtree]

41. he did, indeed

...responding to Rubio;

O’Malley said he took issue with Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) claims that government regulations stifle upward economic mobility.

full quote contained in NPR interview:

"Our tax code's been turned into Swiss cheese," O'Malley said when asked about GOP arguments regarding how to fix things like income inequality. "And, certainly, the concentrated wealth and accumulated power and the systematic deregulation of Wall Street has led to this situation where the economy isn't working for us. All of that is true. But it is not true that regulation holds poor people down or regulation keeps middle class from advancing. That's kind of patently bullshit."

[Voice for Peace]

43. I like righteous obscenities

[bigtree]

37. »

[zappaman]

39. Huge rec!

[AtomicKitten]

42. Recommended.