Tennessee Shooting: When will the Right Wing Go on Trial?

I'm still stunned by the news that an armed gunman went into a Unitarian Church in Tennessee that was in the middle of a performance by kids of the play Annie and killed two people, with the intention of killing many more.

A play, on a Sunday. Kids. adults. In a church.

He hated liberal views, he hated gay people. The church had just received a grant to create a LGBT and questioning youth cafe, space to be safe to be themselves. To have the rooms to share their experiences without fear.

The irony stings.

I am a Unitarian Universalist. Yes, everyone, I am an atheist. It's the beauty of the church -- you are challenged to think, consider and if you do not believe in God, there is room for you to believe in social justice, in community, in peace.

Four people are in critical condition. Greg McKendry, an usher, wrestled the man to the ground. He died, saving countless others as the killer packed 78 rounds of ammunition in his bag.

So as we examine whether or not Lawrence King was a bully that deserved shooting, as we examine whether or not gay history is something that is "too sexual" to teach in schools, I ask this:

When will we examine the right wing groups that create such hatred in our society? When will we put them on the stand and cross examine their lives, their homes, their parents? When will their hatred be abnormal?

A church.

On Sunday.

200 people watching kids perform Annie.

If this doesn't call to mind the 16th Street Baptist Street Bombing, I would ask you why. That no children died is only a testament to Mr. McKendry.

This is about civil rights.

And this just got really personal.

Comments

[Michale32086]

@Lightning Joe

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You're never slow to attack a progressive sentiment,
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Only the one's that are ludicrous and hypocritical.. Like this one...

Fact is, with a few exceptions (4 to be exact) I am probably more liberal than you are..

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You go, girl!
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You REALLY need to get your facts straight...

Michale.....

[joejones]

this man was an atheist hostile to Christianity and Bible study,
He targeted this church because his ex-wife belonged to it.
He was in a rage because he had just lost his food stanps.
The media should stop exploiting this tragedy.

[Michale32086]

Very well said..

Many in another commentary were claiming this was a "terrorist" incident.

That is utterly ridiculous..

This was a tragedy.. Just as those who are exploiting this to further a political agenda is ALSO a tragedy..

Michale....

[WorkingClass]

They found Hannity, O'Riley and Savage on his bookshelf. Maybe he was pumped up on Republican venom. I know. Wingnuts are gonna defend this guy. But I ain't buying it.

[sharmdun]

this man killed people at this church because of its liberal social stance.
he was out of work and had his food stamps cut off. which seems to make him a liberal welfare recipient.
he told friends he was confused by the bible and got angry whenever anyone whould talk about Christanity, which also makes him sound like a liberal.
he also shot people at a church. which would also seem to indicate progressive tendencies.
should the hidline be "welfare recipient shoots people at church?"

[klmebane]

liberals aren't the only ones who use welfare. there are conservatives who end up needing the help too.

when was the last time u heard of someone progressive shooting up a church or blowing up a clinic?? u don't. in fact it seems that progressives care more about life than conservatives do. they care about life in all its stages instead of focusing on the pre-born.

i know plenty of conservatives who call themselves christian. and they seem to be confused by the bible, too. you know, like the parts that say you should love everyone as yourself, that you are your brothers keeper, how they should treat the least among them, etc. not understanding the meaning of christianity is not limited to people who have liberal social views. just as being a bigoted POS isn't limited to people who have conservative social views.

you make some pretty generalizing statements without much evidence to back them up. if this man truly was a liberal he would have shot up a conservative church. i'm sure you are very proud of yourself for taking the opportunity to make a tragic situation about "us vs. them."

[klmebane]

the bible can be confusing, mainly because it is chock full of contradictions. i know conservatives and liberals alike who have noticed those contradictions. if only more people would admit that they didn't understand it (like some of those so-called christians u see on tv running mega churches), or any other religious text for that matter, this world might be a lot less violent.

[robbie]

fantastic blog! Thanks!

[oldpotsmuggler]

The right wing nuts are rightwingnuts. Talk radio may talk for them but they created it, and not the other way around.

Get rid of the outlet and the right wing festers until it explodes. Witness Tim Vcveigh.

Get rid of the wingnuts, or, rather, create a full blown education campaign to so thoroughly let them marginalize themselves that even they disappear from shame, and that entire brand of talk radio will just completely wither on the vine.

I would love a more direct respone, but can conceptualize none that don't carry consequences that outweigh their benefits.

[Michale32086]

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I would love a more direct respone, but can conceptualize none that don't carry consequences that outweigh their benefits.
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As incredible as it may seem, I am in firm agreement with OPS...

Any attempts to muzzle the Right will surely backfire..

It's ironic in the extreme that those who so hysterically decry our loss of freedoms and liberties (real or imagined) would be the first to consider such an obvious violation of our most cherished liberty.

Michale.....

[LightningJoe]

Typical bald-face attempt to paint your "enemy" with your own brush, Michale.

You're never slow to attack a progressive sentiment, but you shouldn't assume that those of us who actually think about issues (rather than take the fascist party line as fact), would like those who disagree with us to just shut up.

Case in point: I disagree with most that you say, but I absolutely DON'T want you to shut up. What I want is for you to keep on rolling out your ill-considered notions of a simple world, so others can learn from your bad example.

You go, girl!