Wake Up, Dems: Virginia Killer Passed Background Check

Americans barely had time to register the full horror of what happened to Virginia television news reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward before Democrats jumped on the gun control message. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said that he would continue to push for stricter gun control policies in the wake of the tragedy, even though he was up against strong opposition in the General Assembly. “I will continue to push gun control, as I have in two legislative sessions so far. I put it up again last year. It never sees the light of day.”

McAuliffe wasn’t alone. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton issued a tweet reading: “Heartbroken and angry. We must act to stop gun violence, and we cannot wait any longer. Praying for the victims’ families in Virginia.”

And White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, “This is another example of gun violence that is becoming all too common in communities large and small all across the United States. And while there is no piece of legislation that will end all violence in this country, there are some commonsense things that only Congress can do that we know would have a tangible impact in reducing gun violence in this country.”

In other words…drum roll please…if we had more background checks, this wouldn’t have happened.

Insert loud buzzer sound here, because – wait for it – murderer Vester Lee Flanagan actually did pass a background check. The ATF confirms that Flanagan purchased his Glock legally on June 19, proving once again that gun control is an ineffective tool against gun violence. That puts Flanagan in good company: The terrorists who shot up a Garland, Texas event, the Islamic extremist who killed military recruiters in Chattanooga, James Holmes, and Dylann Roof all purchased their guns after passing background checks. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

But what if Flanagan hadn’t passed a background check? What if he stole the gun or got it from a family member? That would make the call for background checks even sillier. There’s no way of looking at this heinous murder that can possibly lead you to think that gun control would have stopped it.

So what would have? Well, maybe if Democrats and their cohorts in the media weren’t steadily building a multi-billion dollar grievance industry that encouraged black men to see themselves as victims of white oppression, that would be a start. Flanagan was both black and gay, giving him two reasons to embrace this victim mentality. And if his rambling letter is anything to go by, he did so wholeheartedly.

“What sent me over the top was the church shooting,” Flanagan wrote. He purchased his gun only two days after the massacre in Charleston. “But my anger has been building steadily. I’ve been a human powder keg for a while…just waiting to go BOOM!!!!”

When you hammer the point over and over again – you’re oppressed, you’re a victim, the system is rigged, white people hate you, straight people hate you – this is exactly what you get. People who feel they have no other option but to lash out violently. And they can do so with a vehicle, a knife, an ax, or any of a thousand different weapons. Take away their guns, and they will do just that.

Change the message, and maybe…just maybe…people like Flanagan will see that violence is not the answer.