“Bait-and-switch,” or “gotcha” journalism still occurs in large numbers from the Marginalized Media, but also in conservative and New Media sources from time to time. This blog-blasting occurred last year, when Mitt Romney discussed "taking care of those here illegally" as though he favored amnesty. He didn’t say that.
This "Blog First, Ask Questions Later" also occurred Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker regarding amnesty. He opposes it.
The latest blog attack claims that Bush 43 advisor Karl Rove suggested that "Violence will continue until the Second Amendment is repealed."
Before any extended criticism, I recognize the deep fault lines between Rove and Tea Party activists around the country. This analysis is not about boosting Karl Rove. Furthermore, Breitbart’s Awr Hawkins is a respectful journalist. He reports how concealed-carry saves lives and prevents crimes, stories buried by the Marginalized Media.
Yet, Hawkin's anti-Rove article on Breitbart went too far. Here are his preliminary comments:
Rove said “acts of violence” will continue, until someone can force America to “repeal the Second Amendment.”
He quickly added his belief that such a repeal is an impossibility, and therefore not a viable idea — yet.
That word "yet" is quite a teasing element, as though Rove is quietly plotting to strip away the right of gun ownership. Now, the full transcript of Karl Rove's comments suggest a more nuanced response to dealing with gun violence. Here is Rove's answer to "Wallace's exact question":
I don't think there's any easy answer. We saw an act of evil, racist, bigoted evil. And to me, the amazing thing about this is it was met with grief and love.
Recommended
Rove was the first and only person to mention the issue of "evil." Conservative LA Radio Host Larry Elder also talked about the lack of fathers and Executive Director of Gun Owners in America Larry Pratt discussed "the evil in the human heart," which gun control legislation will never eradicate. This matter of human failings is essential to any serious policy debate, particularly gun control. Rove mentioned the matter of evil, and that matters a great deal.
Rove also mentioned the amazing grace of victims' families, who confront the assailant and said: "I forgive you."
Rove continued:
And think about how far we've come. 1963, the whole weight of the government throughout the South was to impede finding and holding and bringing to justice the men who perpetrated the [Baptist Church] bombing and here we saw an entire state, an entire community, an entire nation come together grieving as one, united in the belief that this was an evil act.
Conservative sites must highlight the well-founded argument about how far this county has come in fighting violent racism.
About ending gun violence, Rove commented:
Now, maybe there's some magic law that will keep us from having more of these. I mean, basically, the only way to guarantee that we would dramatically reduce acts of violence involving guns is to basically remove guns from society, and until somebody gets enough oomph to repeal the Second Amendment, that's not going to happen.
Boom. Rove presented a fantastic scenario, as do a number of pro-gun supporters. Gun-control proponents want to diminish violence and gun deaths. Their best proposal would be to eliminate all firearms. Not going to happen. The legislative apotheosis for this utopian ideal would include repealing the Second Amendment. Never going to happen.
Of course, even Rove said that:
I don't think it's an answer.
Awr Hawkins did not quote this statement. Rove does not favor repealing the Second Amendment. Not now, "yet," or ever.
I think there were so many warning signs here. A friend who knew of what was in Dylann Roof's heart, parents who didn't pay attention, a community that had given up on him. . .
Conservatives who care about ending gun violence and firearms massacres usually point to the need for great community investment, and better interventionist methods against men and women who pose a threat to themselves and to others. US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire) relied on similar arguments to (rightly) justify voting against the Toomey-Manchin compromise bill in 2013. These measures will not stop the dangerously insane individuals in our cities from committing these snap atrocities.
. . .I wish that some of those people had spoken up and said, here's somebody who is in trouble and a danger to himself and others.
Rove never suggested "Let's repeal the Second Amendment" nor suggested that getting rid of that enumerated right would assure an end to gun violence.
Rove may belong to that Insider Beltway club. However, criticism must depend on quotations and reference within context. In Hawkins' piece against Rove, that did not happen sufficiently. Once again, Rove does NOT support repealing the Second Amendment, nor did he claim that its repeal would end gun violence.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member