Another Shooting, This Time on Right-Wing Group

Image from source, NBC News

We had another shooting today, this one--fortunately--on a much smaller scale, with the gunman only able to inflict a non-life-threatening wound on a security officer. Unlike the Dark Knight Rises shooting (where the purpose of the shooting was vague) or the Sikh temple shooting (where the gunman was a anti-Islam moron) the purpose of this one seems fairly clear. The target was the Washington DC headquarters of the Family Research Council, an anti-gay group. And the gunman seems to have attacked them for their political positions. I say seems, because these things often to turn out to be not what they seem initially.

Now, I'm going to be very clear: what this man did was wrong, stupid and inexcusable. I get no pleasure out of the fact that an organization I abhor was the target. In fact, I think this man's actions have unwittingly given the FRC (and organizations like it) a case to point to, where they are the victim of the "gay agenda". . .which is how they will spin it. Before now, they could only point to some minor (and well done) vandalism at a Chick-fil-A. So thanks, shooter dude, you nearly literally shot yourself and gay rights in the foot.

But there are a couple of ways this story is being spun, by anti-gay groups, and by the right-wing media. The anti-gay groups are leveling charges at The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Human Rights Campaign for calling FRC and its ilk "hate groups," and inspiring the shooter. The right-wing media, such as  Las Vegas Badger and Kevin Wall of KXNT are blaming--unbelievably--President Obama and Vice President Biden. Yes, somehow, they are running a hateful, nasty, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad campaign, and that is what provoked this shooting.

That is a staggering leap in logic. As far as I know, Obama and Biden have never mentioned the FRC by name, nor that of its leader Tony Perkins. While they have been outspoken on gay rights issues, I don't recall either of them leveling charges at any of the (many) anti-gay organizations on the right (curiously, most have "family" in their names). And WTF are they talking about, in regard to the campaign? What is so hateful from Obama/Biden? Just because you assert something doesn't make it true. Are the Prez and VP responsible for the Dark Knight and Sikh tragedies as well?

Finally, after the wounded man at their headquarters, the next biggest tragedy in this case is how the FRC is being portrayed. They are not some right-wing "think tank," going about their business, not bothering anybody. Their entire reason for being is to antagonize gay people, and do everything they can to prevent and take away our rights from being legally recognized. As previously stated, that does not justify what was done today, but neither do they magically become pure as the driven snow now that it happened. They are a hate group. It is not surprising that it seems to have inspired hate in retaliation, thought it is unfortunate.

[Excerpt]

Security guard shot at conservative group's DC office

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A gunman who shot a security guard Wednesday at the Family Research Council office in Washington, D.C., was carrying a handgun and several additional rounds of ammunition, federal investigators told NBC News. . .

Read more at: NBC News