First, let me extend condolences to the friends & family of the victims of the shooting at Smith Mountain Lake yesterday. I can’t pretend to understand the scale of what they must be feeling, or the shock of seeing it happen as the victims were filming an interview.
Now, to the main thrust of this post. As everyone heard, our revolting “Governor” used the tragedy, before the bodies had even cooled, to call for more gun control, babbling on about ‘too many guns’ and ‘gun violence’. Given Terry McAuliffe’s character, or lack thereof, this is not surprising. VCDL’s Philip Van Cleave has more on him in a guest post today, and covers McAuliffe effectively.
My concern here is with my Delegate, Patrick Hope (D-47th), who, being from Arlington, is unsurprisingly a fairly far left Democrat. However, unlike McAuliffe, Del. Hope has a reputation of being a pretty good guy on a personal level, which has been borne out by my contact with him. I’ve spoken with him on a number of occasions in Richmond at his office, and at a community forum here in Arlington, and he was polite, attentive, and not afraid to hear contrary opinions. He is also one of the most anti-gun members of the House of Delegates.
Unfortunately, Delegate Hope started a petition on Change.org yesterday, before any facts had come out about the shooter or the circumstances, calling for a ‘comprehensive background check for all gun purchases in Virginia’. Newsflash, Patrick. The shooter ALREADY PASSED AN ATF BACKGROUND CHECK TO BUY THE GUN HE USED IN THE MURDERS! He even put a deposit down on the pistol, and returned to the store over a week later to pick it up after passing the background check. This is absolutely sickening political opportunism, and a blatant attempt to use a tragedy to further his authoritarian political ends. Whether or not Del. Hope knew about the background check, it is dishonesty to suggest that any legislation he is proposing would have prevented these murders. As a Virginian and a constituent, I demand that Delegate Hope take down his petition, as well as the social media posts he has promoting it, and apologize for this low behavior. It is unworthy of his reputation, and beneath any elected official.
12 comments
[…] so. I’m also going to say that some of them are downright despicable. I’ve previously taken Patrick Hope and others to task for their dishonesty on guns, but what Foust and Favola and their friends did to pressure […]
[…] knows that the Smith Mountain Lake murderer, a disgruntled former co-worker of the two victims, passed a background check to purchase the gun he used. The fact that he and his cohorts got 30,000 signatures for their […]
[…] knows that the Smith Mountain Lake murderer, a disgruntled former co-worker of the two victims, passed a background check to purchase the gun he used. The fact that he and his cohorts got 30,000 signatures for their […]
McAuliffe is bought and paid for by Bloomberg anti-gun money.
All that you said, and more. Your delegate needs to booted out of office. Pronto! Pretty good guys don’t seek to infringe our 2nd Amendment Rights, period. Tragedy or no tragedy.
Another lawmaker that doesn’t seem to understand that gun violence is about violence, not about guns!
Steve,
On BVBL, Feb 12,2011 titled “Open Borders Smackdown” you can listen to the exchange between Jackson Miller and Patrick Hope.
There was a YouTube video of the exchange you might be able to find. I would imagine that Jackson Miller might be able to help since the exchange occurred on the floor of the GA when all the illegal immigrant enforcment measures were introduce. I would say it is around 2008-2009 period of time.
Republicans should want Democrats to call for more gun control. It’s a loser issue for Democrats, and the more they push it the worse position they put themselves in. Republicans have taken just about every moderate Democrat’s seat across America leaving only the most devoted gun control advocates left in elected positions – looking at past results, Republicans should hand Democrats a microphone anytime they want to talk about gun control.
No surprise about Del Hope. When there was various illegal immigration measures introduced in the Va Ga, one was a bill by Del Jackson Miller that would require violent criminal illegal aliens to be deported. Del Hope objected in open session that Del Jackson’s bill was “irresponsible” and when Del Miller challenged him about what he thought was irresponsible about his bill, Del Hope responded,” It would put too many felons in our jails”. Folks you can’t make this stuff up. Liberals are operating on a parallel universe.
Wow…any chance you know where we can find video of that?
Steve,
On BVBL Feb 12,2011, the video is up under the thread “Open Borders Smackdown