Sometimes one has to wonder if the political left has completely lost its sense of humor, if it ever had one that is. There always seems to be something for leftists to be enraged over. This time they're directing their disgust at a Republican candidate's new campaign ad.
Brian Kemp, Georgia's current Secretary of State, is running in Georgia's gubernatorial race, and is now facing backlash over his latest campaign ad that features him and a young man named Jake, who just so happens to have an interest in dating one of Kemp's daughters.
Why the meltdown? Throughout the ad, Kemp holds a double-barrelled shotgun, as if to send an "intimidating message" to Jake and any other guy who would like to take his daughter on a date.
The 30-second video starts with Kemp and Jake sitting in front of the camera where Kemp introduces them both. After stating that Jake asked him why he was running for governor, Kemp prompts the young man to list off each reason why.
After, Kemp looks directly into the camera and asks Jake one more question: "And two things if you're going to date one of my daughters?"
"Respect... and a healthy appreciation for the Second Amendment sir," Jake replies.
Kemp then snaps the barrel of the shotgun into place, looks back at the camera and says, "We're going to get along just fine."
Cue the outrage machine.
Here are just a few YouTube comments to give you an idea of how people felt about Kemp's ad.
Ninja Panda Too: Is he going to make Georgia the #1 state for small businesses by pointing a gun at people and threatening them to come to Georgia or else?
Laura Gardner: The only thing I took away from this is that I hope parents advise their sons to stay away from your crazy a**.
Shannanigan O'Crabby: Wow... you are a tool.
LouieLudwig: Pointing a weapon at anything or anyone you don't intend to shoot is dumber than dirt, Brian Kemp. You know who's going to be voting against you? Every responsible gun owner in Georgia.
Eliza Abbey: Soooooo. 1) point gun at a kid. 2) threaten, with subtle, subtle innuendo that you'll shoot this kid (and maybe anyone) if they don't agree with you. Perfect. It's all a big fat funny joke until kids get shot in school because the shooter learned from you that threats and violence are cool- and a great way to get heard.
A few things here.
1. It's a JOKE.
Dad's "threatening" guys who want to date their daughters is a joke that has been around for what feels like forever. It's harmless. Anyone who thinks Kemp was legitimately threatening Jake is, as nicely as I can say it, out of their minds. What political candidate would issue a genuine threat and put it out on the Internet for everyone to see?
More importantly, Jake clearly was in on the joke. He was a willing participant and thought it was fine to engage in some political satire. While people say he looked uncomfortable, it's called acting, folks. People really need to lighten up.
Furthermore, forgetting that this ad is satire for a minute, what's wrong with being a protective father? Are Kemp's critics suggesting they'd be unwilling to defend their daughter from an abusive relationship or tell her their honest opinion about the person she's dating? We're not talking about simple heartbreak here. We're talking about physical and emotional abuse. A dad should be praised for looking out for his daughter(s), no questions asked.
2. The gun WAS NOT pointed at Jake.
While people are claiming that the double-barrelled shotgun was pointed at Jake, it wasn't. Watching the video, you can clearly see that it's angled off to the left, away from Jake's body. It's also incredibly unlikely the gun was loaded for the video. The firearm is being used as a prop, here, nothing more. Suggesting that this was a safety risk is equally absurd as suggesting what YouTube commenter Eliza Abbey did, that a school shooter is going to see this as the go-ahead to commit acts of violence.
Not to mention, where's the insinuation that Kemp would shoot people who disagree with him politically?
3. Most importantly, Kemp's NOT backing down.
All this media attention is actually a plus for Brian Kemp. His campaign has now received national media attention. This will likely energize his supporters, meaning more money will be going to his campaign and more voters will be turning up to the polls on election day.
In response to all the madness, Kemp tweeted, "Liberals in the media are losing their minds off a fake controversy. The real problem they have is that I’m an unapologetic conservative & proud defender of the 2nd Amendment. I won't back down, cave in, or compromise my values."
Kemp also stated, "I'm conservative, folks. Get over it!"
Good for him.
You can watch the full (and frankly, hilarious) ad below.
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