CT Blue

It’s been said that it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good. We’ve been subjected to a lot of ill winds lately, particularly in the last couple of days during which there have been two massacres, at least one of which appears to have been inspired by the monster currently desecrating 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

But perhaps this wind will blow some good, in that these events may be a turning point, not only in the fight against the NRA, but in the continuing and seemingly permanent inability of the Democratic Party to take control of the narrative, not just on guns, but on everything.

It has been obvious for some time that many of these killers were inspired by Trump and those he condones. Previously, the Democrats, if they have made that connection, have done so only tepidly. It would be impolite, after all, to do otherwise, and they wouldn’t want to be criticized by the folks on Fox or the both siderist pundits. Attacks of that sort are the sole preserve of Republicans, from whom it is expected, and therefore tolerated, despite the fact that their attacks are usually—-sorry, always—- mendacious.

Perhaps the El Paso killer (we don’t know about the Dayton guy yet, except I believe we know he’s white-of course) pushed the Democrats over the edge. We can only hope they’ll stay there. Beto O’Rourke has been putting responsibility for these terrorist acts just where it belongs, (see here, hereand here) as has Julian Castroand even the DINO Tim Ryan. My impression is that they’re not the only presidential candidates doing so. This is a refrain in which all the candidates should join, along with the entire congressional delegation. It’s time we sang in unison about something, and nothing is truer than the claim that Trump has been encouraging and validating this type of behavior.

It needs hardly be said that the dedicated gun nuts do not vote for Democrats. It therefore stands to reason that we should not try to appease them. It will do no good. Better to appeal to the far more numerous segment of the population that would rather not be shot if they venture out in public. Yes, they are not single issue voters like the gun nuts, but an appeal to sanity on multiple fronts cannot help but have a cumulative effect.