Letter: Column unfairly politicizes Orlando shooting

To The Editor,

Letters1I recently read Mike McGann’s piece about why politicians should not offer their thoughts and prayers in the wake of a tragedy and that the Republican majority in Chester County “chose” the horrific acts that took place in Orlando, Charlestown, Sandy Hook and other places.

I can’t express how disappointed I am in your politicizing this tragic event.  I am deeply troubled by your comments about how Chester County Republicans “wanted” this to happen. For you to suggest that is an extreme disservice to your readers.

As someone who regularly reports on the news, I would hope that you would display some semblance of non-partisanship.  Up until now, I think you have, for the most part.

And now, while the bodies of the fallen victims have only just been identified and the families are experiencing unfathomable anguish, you choose to set aside your journalistic fairness and attack Chester County Republicans for this tragedy. Shameful.

The act of terrorism that occurred in Orlando is an absolute tragedy. It should not be used as an opportunity for you to blame Republicans and make a political point. I could take this opportunity to criticize the Obama Administration for not following up on the numerous warning signs and reports from co-workers and friends of the terrorist who killed our countrymen.  But I will refrain at this time out of respect for the deceased and their families.

This is a time of mourning and a time to celebrate the lives of those who lost their lives this past weekend that were cut all too short. As a reporter, your job is to report the news – not to push an anti-gun and anti-Republican agenda on your readers.

In times like these, let’s stop pointing fingers, have respectful discussions and work together for common-sense reform.

Val DiGiorgio

Chairman,

Chester County Republican Committee

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21 Comments

  1. Bill Phifer says:

    Sorry, Val, I’m with the 90% of Americans (and 80% of gun owners) who DO want our leaders to take action NOW before the next mass slaughter and the next “our thoughts and prayers are with you” and the next “guns don’t kill people” arguments from Republicans like you. You need to understand that voters would actually like to believe that our elected leaders should follow the will of the people rather than the gun manufacturers’ lobby and NRA. But clearly, since we already have 300 million guns in the US and the gun manufacturers will all go out of business if they can’t keep finding more and more buyers, the money will keep flowing to Republican candidates and their trolls to keep us all scared that “our guns are going to be taken away”. And I despise the hypocrisy of people like you who cry out that these killings are being politicized when at the same time you totally support the very people (yes, that includes Donald Trump) who do absolutely NOTHING to stop the slaughters using weapons intended for the battlefield.

  2. Lisa Lightner says:

    You can’t have your cake and eat it too. The NRA spends hundreds of millions of dollars on GOP politicians-so don’t you dare complain about this getting political. You ought to be embarrassed, you hypocrite.

  3. JamieMcV says:

    If the republican party had done a single thing to help prevent gun violence or promote gun safety, Val, a Trump supporter, would have some merit. In fact, it’s just the opposite. When tragedies like this happen, according to yesterday’s Washington Post, Rs act to make it easier, not more difficult, to buy guns. Where is the shame on the part of these people? The top 10 recipients of NRA $$ IN PA are republican politicians. What ever happened to personal accountability? Remember when the R party used to be in favor of that? Show us, prove to us, what you are doing to reduce gun violence, Val, and then you’ll have a leg to stand on. Until then, get off your low horse. Action, not words, would be rewarded by Chester County voters. I find myself thinking when I hear Republicans offering their thoughts and prayers, that their “thoughts” are that gays were punished for their “lifestyle” and they are praying it happens more often. Such incredible hypocrisy.

  4. Jim Salvas says:

    Every time there is a mass shooting, Republican politicians immediately say that, “now is not the time” for a discussion of gun reform. And then they never find the time. Almost a third of the Orlando victims had not been born the last time Republicans allowed a vote on gun reform. They died waiting for you to find the time.

  5. Wayne Braffman says:

    Sorry, Mr. DiGiorgio, but that ‘no time to politicize’ line doesn’t hold up. With a mass shooting every other day, there will never be a time to address the issue. What’s most telling about your letter is that you do not deny that it is elected Republicans who have thwarted every common-sense gun safety initiative (including researching gun violence, for god’s sake!) that Democrats have proposed.

    Bottom line: There IS blood on your hands. You and your party need to do something about it… NOW!

  6. Marice Bezdek says:

    Turk182 and Mike McGann are right, and DiGeorgio is off base. This issue has already been politicized for a long time, by both sides of the gun debate: Congress’s obeisance to the NRA and the public debate are proof of that. Furthermore, the only way to at least reduce the killing is to keep up political pressure until sensible laws are passed. And McGann is right: the best way to bring this about is through the political process of electing representatives who recognize their responsibility to keep us all safe, and that starts at the local level. Mr DiGeorgio, if the shoe fits . . . .

  7. scjessey says:

    We need to obtain a permit, pass a test, get a license, acquire insurance and register every vehicle we own before we are allowed to drive a car. Why should we not have the same for guns? No reasonable, law-abiding gun owner could possibly object to having similar rules for guns as we do for cars.

    • Jimmy Renfield says:

      That really doesn’t address the underlying issue. An individual with mental health issues or someone who’s faith has radicalized him/her can still reasonably pass whatever test or permitting system the government creates. All this does is add another layer of punishing bureaucracy onto upstanding citizens. After each mass shooting I am always amazed at how many stories come out from people who knew the perpetrator saying, “he talked about killing, he was mentally unstable, I always wondered about him… etc.” Why is is then that we don’t advocate preventative measures that we all should be taking. If you know someone who is ‘off’ and exhibits signs of future terroristic behavior why doesn’t this get reported to the authorities?

      • scjessey says:

        So you think going through the process to drive and own a car is “punishing bureaucracy”, do you? Don’t you think it’s possible that tighter background checks might prevent some of these whack jobs from getting these long guns? I’m amazed at some of the cognitive dissonance I’m seeing here.

        • Jimmy Renfield says:

          That’s really an apples and oranges comparison. I took a driving test years ago, I don’t have to go through a bunch of hoops to purchase another car or continue driving…. I am in favor of tougher background checks so long as upstanding Americans who have never had so much as a misdemeanor and wants to take his son hunting doesn’t have to pay excessive fees and permits and then wait thirty days to take ownership of a firearm. I assume you don’t own a firearm but I know many instances were the state background check system delivers false positives, has errors and punishes the innocent gun owners. Background checks need to be tough but also effective. They are only a band-aid on a much large societal wound. Why is it that mass shootings are commonplace today but much more infrequent in 1950? guns were much more easily obtain then as opposed to now…. the problem doesn’t lie with the gun owners it lies with society. Parenting… bullying… mental health…. radicalism….. Stop attacking the family man on the cover of Field & Stream.

          • scjessey says:

            When you buy a new car, you have to get a registration. Every year, you have to get it inspected. And the biggest thing of all, you have to have insurance. There’s no reason at all why all of these things cannot apply to gun ownership. Every gun owner, every gun purchase, and every ammunition purchase should be recorded and available to Federal authorities (or State authorities with cross-state reciprocity). And every gun owner should have liability insurance, so that the taxpayer doesn’t have to foot the bill for when their weapon is used to slaughter a bunch of innocents. Again, these are perfectly reasonable measures any law-abiding gun owner should feel perfectly happy to comply with.

  8. AllenFitz says:

    I’m disgusted by the original article and while I may disagree with Val politically. I think he is right. The original article was a political hit piece. I don’t want laws written because of an emotional response. That’s how we end up with mistakes like prohibition. We need level headed discussion about how do we prevent things like this from happening while also protecting people’s right to bear arms.

  9. Chris D. says:

    Val, Thank you for defending the Republican voters as we are attacked and accused of causing mass shootings in America. I also agree with Jimmy. It is ignorant and naïve to think that by getting rid of all legal gun owner’s guns that America will eliminate the problem of shootings. Many who take lives with guns do not have registered weapons. Those who do have registered weapons and cause tragedies such as this will not be stopped by any law, as they clearly cannot abide by laws in place to prevent the deaths they’ve caused.

  10. Turk182 says:

    Ain’t karma a bitch? — https://chescotimes.com/?p=15415

  11. Jimmy Renfield says:

    I think Val hits the nail on the head with this article. The left would have you believe that when we eliminate guns the demented individuals and terrorists who commit these atrocities will simply give up and go away. Turk 182 show’s a very limited knowledge of who 99% of gun owners are. They are upstanding citizens who respect firearms and will submit to background checks to keep guns out of the hands of crazies. Don’t confuse Republican support for firearms with the idea that they are, ‘complacent in the perpetration of mass shootings.’ We simple believe that the underlying problem is deeper and more complex than a couple pounds of metal and plastic.

    • scjessey says:

      Reasonable, intelligent people don’t object to firearms. The problem lies with that subset of firearms that make it possible to kill many people very quickly. There are very few legitimate reasons for members of the public to have Sig Sauer MCX or AR-15 type weapons. It also lies with the intransigence of lawmakers who refuse to tighten background checks and close loopholes that make it so easy to obtain weapons. And yes, most of those lawmakers are Republicans.

  12. cathrine5893 says:

    It is difficult to find an article such as Mr. McGann’s credible. I am in agreement with you Val. At a time like this, it is disrespectful and insensitive to comment on the politics of the tragedy. Further this simple minded response allowed me to realize the lack of credibility of the Editor. How any mildly intelligent person can attribute a mass shooting by a democrat, that’s right DEMOCRAT, to the people in this country that vote republican is beyond me. This argument has no backing and should be taken as the joke it is. Personally, as a voter who identifies as an Independent, I can honestly say that when I focus on the issue of gun control, I am in support of more safety like many Republican candidates and opposed to the loss of our rights. A last comment, well said Val. I admire your professionalism, competency and sympathy toward this uncalled for attack on Chester County Republicans. Continue giving Republicans a respectable name and let unintelligent Democrats such as the lovely editor destroy their reputation and credibility.

  13. Turk182 says:

    Nope, can’t talk about the guns. Just because the USA is the only country with a mass shooting problem, its just about bad people. Thank God you warned us about the dangers of mass killings with pressure cookers — I have to get that bad boy out of my kitchen or the terrorists win. Again, facts: you voted for guns (and your elected officials took gobs of cash from the NRA to keep the flood of guns rolling), people are getting shot. Direct correlation, no matter your level of denial.

  14. B says:

    Thanks Val. The original article disgusted me. The left cant get their facts straight and immediately blame the gun. Why so little outrage over the shooter and his motivations? We need to fight the cause not the methods. Methods change (pressure cookers, planes, knives, cars, whatever), corrupt hearts are the cause and need to be the focus of our angers not each other.

  15. scjessey says:

    I echo what Turk182 said. Every single time there is a mass shooting, progressives quite rightly bring up the idea of sensible gun control (no real need for high capacity magazines or military-style long guns to be privately owned) and conservatives always complain about politicization, whilst at the same time inflaming and polarizing Americans with rhetoric about Muslims and counting the bags of money they’ve received from the NRA.

    Now we have a racist, bloviating birther implying our President is siding with Islamic terrorists over Americans, even as we learn the shooter in Orlando was born in the same New York borough as Trump.

    And yes, the low information voters who constantly vote against their best interests by electing Republicans should shoulder much of the blame for the ease in which disturbed individuals can get hold of guns that have no other purpose than to kill lots of people as quickly as possible.

    When innocent little first graders were killed in Newtown, Connecticut, close to where some gun manufacturers are headquartered, I was SURE things would change. Unfortunately, the change that came was blue and pink semi automatic rifles for children.

  16. Turk182 says:

    Geez, Val. Undoubtedly, then, you were just as disappointed that Donald Trump immediately politicized it. And suggested that President Obama was conspiring with terrorists. Republicans have fought every move in the last decade for even common sense, minimalist gun measures and your party has long politicized this issue. And while the writing is a bit stilted, the point is valid: this is exactly what your voters have supported. If the truth hurts, so be it.

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